ONS Research Excellence Awards 2025: Meet the winners
Categories: Research using linked data, Research findings, ADR England, Office for National Statistics, ADR UK Partnership
5 December 2025
The winners of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Research Excellence Awards 2025 were announced, at the Research Capability 2025 event, held on Thursday 4 December at the Leonardo Royal Hotel London St Paul’s. The awards recognise excellent and innovative analyses carried out using secure data, and promote best practice research methodologies and data matching or linking.
Meet this year’s winners:
Impact of Analysis Award
The Sure Start Evaluation Team, Institute for Fiscal Studies
Project title: The short- and medium-term effects of Sure Start on children’s outcomes
This research fills the gap in understanding the impact to sharp cuts to the budget of Sure Start, a network of around 3,500 children’s centres in England that offered families with under-5s a “one-stop shop” for health, education and support.
Read the highlighted publication from the Institute of Fiscal Studies to learn more.
Government-Led Impact of Analysis Award
The Health Research Group, Office for National Statistics
Project title: Connecting the dots: the benefit of linking data on health and wealth
This programme of work, commissioned by Cabinet Office, HM Treasury (HMT) and NHS England (NHSE), aimed to evaluate the impact of health conditions and interventions on an individual’s economic outcomes.
Read the highlighted publication from the LSE Business Review Institute to learn more.
Secure Data Creation Award
The CeLCIUS Team, University College London and Office for National Statistics
Project title: ONS Longitudinal Study 1971-2021
The CeLSIUS team, funded by the ESRC, has been providing free guidance and support for academic, voluntary and public sector users of the ONS Longitudinal Study since 2001.
Read the highlighted publication from CeLCIUS to learn more.
ONS People's Choice Award
The Free Schools Project Team - University College London Institute of Education
Project title: The impact of free schools on neighbouring schools and their students
This research developed a detailed analysis of the impact of free schools, which were introduced, in England, in 2010 with the aim of improving school standards.
Read the highlighted publication from the UCL Institute of Education to learn more.
Congratulations to all the winners and nominees. To learn more, visit the ONS website.
