Single Datadata Listlist
The Singlesingle Datadata Listlist is a list of all the datasets that local government must submit to central government.
Applies to England
Documents
Details
The Singlesingle Datadata llistlist (SDL) is a list of all the datasets that local government must submit to central government. If a data requirement is not on the list, councils won’t have to collect and provide it without receiving extra funding.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government set up a ‘gateway group’ on July 2012, responsible for ensuring that any new proposed data requirement is necessary, places a minimal burden on local authorities, is fully funded as outlined in new burdens procedures and meets at least 1 of the 6 data principles before it can be added to the single data list.
Principles for assessing new data requirements from local government
Each data request must comply with at least one of these principles.
Central government may reasonably require data from local councils:
- to fulfil international obligations
- to support the effective administration of funding - clarity is important here in highlighting where data are being used as proxies (for example, data on free school meals being used as a proxy for need)
- to support accountability to Parliament for national public funds and national policy decisions
- to hold public services to account, for example holding government to account for national delivery
- to support the evaluation of economic, social and environmental trends
- to provide comparable local performance data, by exception, where it doesn’t already exist, to enable local people to hold local services to account
Last updated 12
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Updated The Single Data List: a guide.
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Updated the single data list and detailed single list to 2022 to 2023. Updated changes to the single data list from April 2020 onwards.
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Updated: the single data list and detailed single detail list to 2021 to 2022 Added: changes to the single data list between April 2015 and March 2020 and changes to the single data list from April 2020
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Added The single data list: 2020 to 2021. Updated the Detailed single detail list, and Changes to the single data list since April 2015.
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Added The single data list: 2019 to 2020. Updated the Detailed single detail list, and Changes to the single data list since April 2015.
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Added Single Data List 2018 to 2019; updated list of changes to the Single Data List since April 2015; updated the detailed Single Data List.
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Added 'single data list: 2017 to 2018', updated detailed single data list, and 'changes to the single data list since April 2015'
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Single data list and supporting documents updated.
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Added updated single data list documents.
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Single data list documents updated.
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Added detailed single data list.
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Updated single data list added.
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First published.
Update history
2026-05-08 09:30
Updated the Single Data List to 2026 to 2027; updated the Single Data List: a guide; updated Changes to the single data list from April 2020 onwards.
2025-05-20 16:48
Updated the Single Data List to 2025 to 2026. Updated Changes to the single data list from April 2020 onwards.
2025-03-06 09:03
Updated contact details of CLIP co-chairs on The Single Data List: a guide
2024-11-27 10:14
Updated The Single Data List: a guide.
2023-05-02 13:52
Updated the single data list and detailed single list to 2023 to 2024. Updated changes to the single data list from April 2020 onwards.
2023-04-12 11:44
Updated The Single Data List: a guide.
2022-05-06 09:30
Updated the single data list and detailed single list to 2022 to 2023. Updated changes to the single data list from April 2020 onwards.