Service promise

The UK Data Service is committed to delivering the highest standard of service. We work diligently to uphold excellent practices so that the economic and social data we steward can be used to its fullest potential by all our users. We understand the importance of our role in supporting your work, and we know that a dependable, trustworthy service is essential. Everyone within the Service recognises that the work we do directly influences data-driven research and policy, and we take that responsibility seriously.

Access

We strive to make data available for download or browsing as quickly as possible, subject to any access conditions. Because all data depositors are external to the Service, some may require additional access controls for their datasets. For any data that cannot be downloaded immediately, we will either provide access promptly or give a full and transparent explanation.

Our registration process is designed to be straightforward, with clear guidance on any steps required to access specific data. If you are not eligible to access a dataset, we will explain the reasons clearly.

Accessibility

We design our websites to be intuitive, helping you easily locate available resources and guiding you either to the materials you need or to the people who can support your access to them.

Our digital services are regularly maintained and updated to meet current accessibility legislation. Our Accessibility statement  outlines the standards we follow. If you have any additional accessibility needs, please email the Communications team.

Customer support

We aim to present all information and services in a clear, concise manner, avoiding unnecessary jargon or technical language wherever possible. We offer user support through our Helpdesk, which is open 9.00 to 17.00 Monday to Friday. Any planned closures during these hours will be communicated in advance.

All queries submitted online will receive an automated acknowledgement, and we aim to respond to you within five working days.

Alternatively, you may find the answer to your query on our Help pages.

Security and availability

Under the Data Protection Act (2018) we have a legal duty to protect any information we collect from service users. Our privacy policy relates to personal data collected during registration for access to services. We endeavour to keep our websites available 24/7, using automated monitoring systems. Notice of scheduled downtimes are advertised in advance.

Essential maintenance work is conducted during the JANET at-risk period between 7.00 and 9.00 on Tuesdays. Essential SecureLab maintenance work is undertaken between 10.00 and 12.00 on Tuesdays. This work allows us to maintain and enhance the many services we provide. We aim to keep all our services available during this work; however, some of our services may be unavailable during our advertised at-risk periods. Should this situation arise, we will notify users.

We regularly report our performance against key performance indicators set by our funders. We also review responses to user satisfaction surveys and gather further feedback from users and stakeholders through consultations held throughout the year. All feedback is carefully considered and informs our continuous improvement programmes across the service.

We welcome all feedback on our services. Understanding your experiences, whether highlighting what works well or identifying areas for improvement, helps us better meet user needs and continually enhance the quality of our work. You can share any comments or suggestions by emailing the Communications team.

Complaints

If you are dissatisfied with any part of our service and wish to make a complaint, please contact us and we will ensure it is directed to the appropriate person.

When handling your complaint, we will:

• Treat it confidentially and respect your privacy. However, we may need to share relevant details internally to resolve the issue.
• Prioritise early resolution wherever possible.

We ask that you:

• Submit your complaint as soon as possible after the event or action that prompted it.
• Provide the complaint in writing, including as much detail as you can.
• Engage reasonably and respectfully with the staff involved in the complaints process.

For full information on how the UK Data Archive manages complaints, please refer to the UK Data Archive Complaints Procedure.

If your complaint relates to an activity or service provided by one of our host organisations, it will be managed according to that organisation’s complaints procedures.