Trusted research environments

Trusted research environments (TREs) (also known as secure data environments) are highly secure computing environments containing de-identified data. Many operate under the principles of the Five Safes framework. Researchers and their projects must go through the TRE's rigorous accreditation process to access and use this data. 

You can explore the different characteristics of each trusted research environment in the ADR UK partnership below.

ONS Secure Research Service

The service The ONS Secure Research Service (SRS) gives accredited or approved researchers secure access to de-identified, unpublished data for research projects in the public interest.
Advantages The SRS is an access point for all data held within ONS for statistical purposes, where there is also agreement to share the data for research (some datasets are UK-wide, other are GB, England and Wales or England only).
Conditions Only de-identified data is made available in the SRS. Linkage on identifiable data can only be done by processors accredited under the Digital Economy Act (DEA) for the preparation of data (i.e. the ability to receive data for matching, linking and de-identification). Projects must go through the Research Accreditation Panel (RAP) before data can be accessed.
Data access charges ONS do not charge for access to the SRS. ADR UK’s investment has enabled significant expansion of the service, and for the service to remain free at the point of use.
Data access points Data in the SRS can be accessed at ONS offices (Newport, Titchfield and London), SRS safe rooms available in National Records Scotland (Glasgow) and NISRA (Belfast) and via the SafePod Network. ONS will also be making some SRS data – dependent on data owner agreement – available to researchers via secure remote access through the Assured Organisation Connectivity (AOC) scheme.
More information The ONS is also the lead delivery partner for the new Integrated Data Service (IDS). The Integrated Data Service is building on the foundations of the SRS and will, in time, replace the current ONS SRS. There will be phased transition from the SRS to the IDS once the IDS is fully functional and operating smoothly. Read more about this transition.