The Office for National Statistics (ONS) Survey Charter sets out our commitments to the people and organisations who take part in our surveys and use our survey statistics. It aims to help you understand the standards and practices we apply when handling our most valuable resource – the information we obtain through the trust of our survey respondents. Our standards and practices are based on the principles described in the National Statistics Code of Practice, which we follow in all our work.
If you are taking part in an ONS survey, the Survey Charter explains the importance of your contribution and the high professional standards that you can expect from us. It describes the steps we take to protect the confidentiality of your information, and the measures in place to ensure that we take up as little of your time as necessary.
If you use our survey statistics, the Survey Charter explains how we aim to meet the needs of government and the wider user community. It describes how we uphold the quality of our statistics, ensure openness and transparency, and promote widespread access, understanding and use.
The Survey Charter applies to all our surveys. It supplements the commitments we make on letters, leaflets, survey questionnaires and the National Statistics website, as well as those made on the phone or in person by our interviewers and other employees. Most of the commitments we make in the Charter describe what we are already doing. Some are aspirational, describing where we are aiming and how we plan to get there.
Download the Survey Charter (pdf 130Kb)
To order a printed copy of the Survey Charter please contact our Customer Contact Centre at info@statistics.gov.uk or 0845 601 3034.
This page last revised: Thursday, 7 July 2005
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