BLOG - Love Data Week 2026

In recent years, I have enjoyed news stories from across the ADR UK partnership, showing the breadth of what data-driven change can mean, and why administrative data has the power to improve lives.

Here are a few highlights that, for me, capture the impact our research can make, and why I love data:

1. Evaluating the impact of alcohol minimum unit pricing on deaths and hospitalisations in Scotland

To ascertain whether Scotland's policy on implementing a minimum unit price for alcoholic drinks sold in licensed premises was beneficial to the public, researchers used routine administrative data to estimate the impact of alcohol minimum unit pricing on deaths and hospital admissions attributable to alcohol consumption in Scotland. They found that this policy significantly reduced deaths wholly attributable to alcohol consumption by 13.4%. On average, it averted 156 deaths wholly attributable to alcohol consumption each year. 

In August 2023, several respected experts from this area of research jointly published a letter of support for the main research finding in The Lancet.

Please read the full report or visit the ADR UK project page.

2. Policing the Pandemic in Scotland

The Policing the Pandemic in Scotland project, investigated the role of police enforcement in securing compliance with the Health Protection Regulations introduced as part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Professor Susan McVie's research is summarised in The 10 Key Findings article, which highlighted that fines were more likely to be issued to men, to those aged 18-24, to those from ethnic minority backgrounds, and to those living in areas with higher levels of deprivation. Full reports are attached here 1. Police Use of Fixed Penalty Notices under the Coronavirus Regulations in Scotland and 2. Policing the pandemic in England and Wales.

In May 2021, an article summarised the impact of research carried out by ADR Scotland during the Covid-19 pandemic, highlighting the critical insights, expertise and resources needed to support the data-driven response in Scotland.

3. Exploring the dynamics of school absenteeism and antisocial behaviour and crime

Dr David Buil-Gil, ADR UK Research Fellow and Senior Lecturer at The University of Manchester, investigated the long-term associations between early school absenteeism and antisocial behaviour and crime at different stages of life, with a particular focus on the moderating roles of ethnicity, sex, and economic background.  

Further information on David's project can be found in this summary, Data Insight and his Blog. Understanding the links between school absenteeism and crime could lead to better-targeted policies that prevent young people from falling into cycles of disadvantage.

Our Professor Morag Treanor is also exploring the variation between schools and local authorities in their policies and practice in relation to temporary exclusions and authorised/unauthorised absence in a natural policy experiment using linked longitudinal administrative data. Further information on her project can be found in this Data Insight or summarised in this Infographic.

4. Homelessness among young people leaving care in Northern Ireland

This study used linked administrative data to examine the risk of homelessness among young people ageing out of care (care leavers) in Northern Ireland (NI). Following a matched cohort of care leavers and young people with no social care history for up to ten years, findings show that care leavers face a substantially higher risk of homelessness, with 6 out of 10 young people leaving care going on to experience homelessness, with the highest risk in the first two years after leaving care.

Further information can be found in their Data Insight or their publication.

The analyses in this Data Insight forms part of a wider ADRC NI research project exploring the predictors and consequences of homelessness in Northern Ireland, which will publish results in 2026.

More than just numbers..

As these examples show, linked administrative data research is far more than just numbers – it reflects real people, with real challenges and provides outputs that can help to improve their lives. These projects demonstrate their unique value in answering complex social questions and shaping policies that matter.

Throughout Love Data Week, we've reflected on the value of working with colleagues across ADR Scotland and ADR UK, with a shared mission to safely open up administrative data to provide robust evidence that informs decisions across policy and public services. This ultimately improves people’s lives.

I look forward to continuing all our collaborations and working together to strengthen the impact of administrative data research.