Launching the GSS and RSS Future Statistician: our shared vision for the decade ahead
Today marks an important moment for all of us across the Government Statistical Service (GSS). I’m pleased to share the publication of the Future Statistician report, a joint GSS and Royal Statistical Society (RSS) vision for the profession over the next decade. This work reflects the voices of colleagues from across government, the wider analytical community and the professional statistical world. It sets out a bold, united ambition for what it means to be a government statistician in the years ahead.
As one of the Deputy Heads of the GSS, I could not be prouder of what our profession has already achieved and what this vision challenges us to become.
Why this vision matters now
Our environment is changing rapidly. Advances in technology and AI, an evolving policy landscape, growing complexity in data sources, and rising expectations for transparency all shape the world we work in. This vision has reflected on those challenges and sets a clear direction for how we evolve while protecting the fundamental strengths that make us who we are.
At its core, the future statistician is a trusted, tech‑enabled public analyst, delivering timely, reproducible and ethical insight that improves lives and decisions. It emphasises what people across the community have told us matters most: protecting trustworthiness and integrity, strengthening our identity and impact, embracing modern tools responsibly, communicating clearly and confidently, and continually growing our skills and our profession.
Five priority recommendations to act on
Alongside the vision, the report sets out five priority recommendations that will guide our joint GSS and RSS programme of work:
- Equipping statisticians for technological change – ensuring we have the skills, tools and infrastructure to lead in responsible innovation.
- Clarifying our professional identity and skills – strengthening our unique selling point and reflecting the breadth of specialisms that make up our community.
- Supporting career progression and learning – creating a more coherent, consistent and accessible professional development offer at every stage.
- Integrating statisticians across government – ensuring we are involved early, embedded well, and influencing decisions where it matters most.
- Empowering statisticians as arbiters of truth – enabling us to challenge misuse, uphold standards and communicate with clarity, confidence and transparency.
Work is already underway and will continue throughout 2026 and beyond to deliver against these recommendations.
How you can get involved
The strength of our profession lies in our community: your expertise, your perspectives and your willingness to contribute. Over the coming weeks and months, you’ll see opportunities to engage with this work through the GSS Community Calls, drop‑in sessions, task‑and‑finish groups, champion network activities, as well as blogs and updates across the GSS and RSS.
Whether you’re early in your career or a seasoned expert, working in policy, data, operations or methodology, your insight will shape how this vision becomes reality.
What I’m asking of you today
To mark the publication of the report, I’d like everyone across the GSS to take three simple steps:
- Read the report. It takes only a short time, and it outlines clearly and compellingly where we are heading as a profession.
- Reflect on what it means for you. How does the vision resonate with your current role? Your skills? Your aspirations? What opportunities might it open for your team?
- Consider how you might contribute. Whether through sharing ideas, joining discussions, offering case studies, or simply engaging with upcoming sessions, your involvement is vital.
Looking ahead
The publication of this vision is not the end of the journey – it’s the start of a long‑term programme that will evolve with our community, our technology and our challenges. We will review progress regularly and publish our first joint GSS and RSS annual update in January 2027.
I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who has contributed to this work so far. Thank you for your professionalism, your creativity and your dedication. Together we will continue to build a profession that is resilient, relevant and ready for the future.
Please do take the time today to read the report, share it with colleagues, and start the conversation in your teams. I’m looking forward to hearing your reflections and working with you to bring this vision to life.
Steve Ellerd-Elliott, Deputy Head of the GSS