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Love Data Week 2025: Returning value in using public sector data

Categories: Research using linked data, Blogs, Research findings, Impact, ADR UK Partnership

10 February 2025

Love Data Week is here, and this year’s theme, “Whose Data Is It Anyway?”, highlights the importance of both using data responsibly and maximising the public good that can come from it. Across ADR UK, we’re ensuring that public sector data is used securely and effectively to drive evidence-based policy decisions that benefit society. Read on to discover what this looks like in practice.  

ADR UK’s mid-term economic evaluation, published last year, underscores the significant value ADR UK provides to government, researchers, and the public. The report conservatively estimated that for every pound spent, ADR UK returns just over £5 of benefits.  

Featuring case studies from partners across the UK, the report also demonstrates how ADR UK-funded research translates into real and projected economic and social benefits. So as we consider “whose data is it anyway?”, we think this evaluation shows how we keep the public and our society firmly front of mind.  

Below, we explore these standout projects that illustrate the power of linked administrative data. 

Helping to understand the drivers of recidivism within the Ministry of Justice 

Recidivism, or “reoffending” to you and me, is a major challenge for the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), imposing an estimated economic and social cost of £18.1 billion annually. Through the Data First programme, funded by ADR UK and led by MoJ, linked justice datasets and socioeconomic indicators are helping researchers uncover key drivers of reoffending.  

By informing policy decisions aimed at reducing recidivism by even 0.5%, the estimated economic benefit could reach £90.5 million per year, translating to a net present value of £752.7 million over ten years. The ADR UK-funded research’s projected benefit-cost ratio is 9.4 over the same period. 

Find out more about Data First

ADR UK research informed a continuation of minimum alcohol unit pricing in Scotland 

ADR UK-funded research played a critical role in evaluating the effectiveness of Scotland’s minimum alcohol unit pricing policy. Analysis of death records demonstrated a 13.4% reduction in alcohol-related deaths and a 4.1% drop in hospital admissions linked to alcohol consumption. 

The findings received media coverage and influenced the Scottish Government’s decision to extend the policy in 2024. The estimated economic benefit of lives saved due to minimum alcohol unit pricing amounts to £170 million annually, indicating the policy’s life-saving impact. 

Learn more about this case study

ADR Wales-funded data and research enabled the Welsh Government’s move to alert level zero by providing insight into vaccination rates in schools 

ADR Wales research provided vital insights into vaccination rates among school staff, informing the Welsh Government’s decision to shift to alert level zero in August 2021.  

This change meant that children and young people under 18 no longer had to isolate after coming into contact with a Covid-positive individual, reducing disruptions to education. The estimated benefit of avoided school absences was valued at £8 million, with a conservative benefit-cost ratio for ADR UK’s contributions estimated at 2.6:1. 

Find out more about this project

Research on the link between social care and mental health in Northern Ireland could have a benefit-cost ratio of up to 13.0 

Research funded by ADR Northern Ireland used more than 30 years of linked data to analyse the long-term health outcomes of care experienced young people. Findings revealed that these individuals face significantly higher risks of mental health challenges, including a 10-fold increase in antidepressant prescriptions and a 25-fold increase in self-harm incidents.  

The study has already influenced Northern Ireland’s mental health strategy, with potential long-term cost savings estimated at up to £28 million over ten years. This translates to a potential benefit-cost ratio of up to 13.0.  

Read more about the research

ADR UK research informed optimised Covid-19 testing in Liverpool, with estimated savings of over £1 million 

In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, ADR UK-funded researchers supported the creation of ‘local data spaces’ that helped Liverpool City Council strategically place testing sites.  

The intervention contributed to a 21% reduction in Covid-19 cases, preventing thousands of infections and saving an estimated £1.2 million in economic costs. With costs capped at £0.3 million, the benefit-cost ratio for this initiative was at least 1.2:1. 

Discover this story

Driving long-term socioeconomic benefits 

Overall, ADR UK’s case studies indicate substantial returns on investment, with benefit-cost ratios ranging from 1.2 to 9.4. While not every data linkage project can be monetised in the same way, ADR UK-funded research’s ability to inform evidence-led policymaking demonstrably ensures long-term benefits for society. This includes improved public services, economic growth, and enhanced health and wellbeing.  

Read the summary of ADR UK’s midterm evaluation, featuring the case studies in more detail. 

Celebrating Love Data Week 

Stay tuned to our social media channels (X and LinkedIn) throughout Love Data Week 2025, where we will be exploring these case studies. We’re also spotlighting episodes of our Connecting Society podcast, which aims to bring the world of administrative data to life, demonstrate transparency and trustworthiness, and show how data can serve the public good.  

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