The Administrative Data Research Centre Northern Ireland is linking government records—from birth certificates and school grades to benefit claims and court appearances—to build a detailed picture of how people in Northern Ireland live, work, and struggle. This matters because government agencies already hold vast amounts of data about the population, but these records sit in separate silos. By connecting them securely, researchers can spot patterns that single datasets miss: which groups fall through gaps in healthcare, how poverty tracks through generations, or whether a new education policy actually improves outcomes. The centre’s six work packages target underserved groups, health data, education, environment, poverty, and AI, with cross-cutting themes in economics and mental health. If successful, the research will give policymakers in Northern Ireland concrete evidence to design and evaluate policies—not hunches. Better use of existing data could make social services, benefits systems, and justice programmes more effective without costing extra to collect new information. The centre also aims to build public trust by ensuring data safeguards meet international standards, so people can be confident their records are used responsibly for the public good.
View original technical description
There is great potential for understanding more about our society through better use of data that already exists. Government organisations collect a wealth of information about the entire population throughout their lives for the delivery of services; from maternity services to birth records, health care registration, education received, educational achievement, national insurance contributions, Census returns, benefits receipt, interaction with social services or the justice system…and more. Utilising and linking existing data is not only efficient, but it can provide a powerful means to consider what action is needed to tackle a wide range of social issues, guiding the development, implementation and evaluation of government policies. This can be achieved in a way that ensures that the public have the maximum confidence that their data are being used appropriately and that the safeguards of these data meet the highest international standards. The Administrative Data Research Centre Northern Ireland (ADRC NI) comprises our two largest universities, QUB and Ulster, and together with the National Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) forms, Administrative Data Research NI (ADR NI). Over the last investment period, in collaboration with government bodies and the voluntary and community sectors, we have raised the profile of administrative data research, established the first All-Party Group on Policy and Public Data, created a forum for the people via the NI Public Data Panel, and widened access to administrative datasets in NI, enabling our researchers undertake a range of projects that have informed government strategies, policy and practice. We have increased the number of researchers both in academia and government able to manipulate and analyse these large and complex datasets required to undertake this type of research. While the primary aim for ADRC NI over the next investment period (2026-2031) is to maintain the confidence of the different data custodians and publics in the use of administrative data for research for public good, our renewed focus will align with the five strategic objectives and four priorities of ADR UK 2.0 [strategic objectives to (i) drive research for public good, (ii) increase available data for research, (iii) improve research access and support, (iv) increase sustainability and efficiency and (v) build public trust; and priorities focusing on (i) more systematic and efficient linking of health, (ii) better access to economic data (iii) advancing AI technology and (iv) smoothing the researcher journey]. We will build on ADRC NI’s existing portfolio and integrate new admin data approaches, new data assets and new partners from disciplines such as Economics, Planetary Health and AI. We will undertake a portfolio of world-class research projects at both NI and UK level, developed, in collaboration with our NISRA partners, to be responsive to the 2024-2027 NI Programme for Government (NIPfG). Our portfolio comprises six distinct Work Packages (WP) with a focus on WP1: Underserved Groups. WP2: Enhancing Health Data, WP3: Education, WP4: Environment, WP5: Poverty & Inequalities and WP6: AI, with two Cross Cutting Themes of CCT1: Economics and CCT2: Mental Health. A major objective for the ADRC NI will be to foster commitment from the NI government to increase access to and use of administrative data to help maximise the potential of administrative data as a rich resource for evidence-based policy making and evaluation.
Plain English summaries and category classifications on this site are generated by AI and may not perfectly reflect the original research.
Is something wrong? Let us know