Funding

The UK Statistics Authority is primarily funded from general taxation because official statistics are a public good. However, to ensure the funding arrangements for the Statistics Authority reinforce its statutory independence, the Statistics Authority's budget has been set outside the normal Spending Review process. Funding is subject to a periodic review - with subsequent increases determined by formula.

On 21 March 2007, the Financial Secretary to the Treasury announced a five-year funding settlement for the Statistics Authority of £1.2 billion to cover the years 2007/08 to 2011/12. It will be for the Statistics Authority's Board to decide on spending allocations for their own functions, the Census 2011, new statistical initiatives, and its executive office - the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The total budgets in each year are £159 million, £216 million, £206 million, £303 million and £321 million respectively.

Due to the importance of delivering value for money, the Statistics Authority's Board must meet existing ONS efficiency and relocation commitments, and deliver further efficiency savings across this five-year settlement period.