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What are the research, archiving and statistics provisions?

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Latest updates - 27 February 2026

27 February 2026 - this draft guidance was published.

At a glance

  • UK data protection law contains provisions for processing personal information for research purposes.
  • These provisions refer to four types of research-related purposes for processing personal information, which are:
      • archiving in the public interest;
      • scientific research;
      • historical research; and
      • statistical purposes.
  • UK GDPR sets out requirements and safeguards you must have in place if you are processing personal information for one of the research, archiving or statistical (RAS) purposes.
  • The law makes special provisions for RAS related processing, covering three broad areas of data protection: 
      • the data protection principles;
      • a condition for processing special category information and criminal offence information; and
      • exemptions from people’s rights.

In detail

UK data protection law contains provisions for processing personal information for research, archiving and statistical (RAS) purposes.

These provisions recognise the importance of scientific and historical research and technological development to society. They ensure that data protection requirements enable technological innovation and the advancement of knowledge.

The provisions refer to four broad types of RAS purposes for processing personal information. They are:

  • archiving purposes in the public interest;
  • scientific research;
  • historical research; and
  • statistical purposes.

In this guidance we refer to these collectively as:

  • “research” or “research-related” purposes (although these terms do not appear in data protection legislation); or 
  • “RAS purposes”. 

Where the provisions differ depending on the specific type of research, we refer directly to that purpose.

UK GDPR sets out requirements and safeguards you must have in place if you are processing personal information for one of the RAS purposes. 

The law makes special provisions for processing for RAS purposes, covering three broad areas of data protection: 

  • the data protection principles;
  • a condition for processing special category information and criminal offence information; and
  • exemptions from people’s rights.

The table below sets out where you can find the RAS provisions in the legislation.

 

Area of data protection law affected   Location of RAS provision
Definitions of scientific research, historical research and statistical purposes   Article 4 UK GDPR
Principles Purpose limitation Article 5(1)(b) UK GDPR as amended by article 8A UK GDPR
  Storage limitation Article 5(1)(e) UK GDPR: provision for research built into the principle
Requirements and safeguards   Article 84B and 84C UK GDPR
Conditions for processing Condition for processing special category data Article 9(2)(j) UK GDPR; read with
article 84B UK GDPR and schedule 1 paragraph 4 Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018
  Condition for processing criminal offence information Article 10(2) UK GDPR read with 
schedule 1 paragraph 4 of DPA 2018
Exemptions Right to be informed Article 13(5) UK GDPR
  Right of access Section 15.2(b) and schedule 2 paragraphs 27 and 28 DPA 2018: exemptions for research and statistics (27), and archiving (28)
  Right to rectification Section 15.2(b) and schedule 2 paragraphs 27 and 28 DPA 2018: exemptions for research and statistics (27), and archiving (28)
  Right to erasure Article 17(3)(d) UK GDPR: exception for research built into the right
  Right to restrict processing Section 15.2(b) and schedule 2 paragraphs 27 and 28 of DPA 2018: exemptions for research and statistics (27), and archiving (28)
  Right to data portability Section 15.2(b) and schedule 2 paragraphs 27 and 28 DPA 2018*
  Right to object Article 21(6) UK GDPR: exception for scientific or historical research and statistics built into the right; and
Section 15.2(b) and schedule 2 paragraphs 27 and 28 of DPA 2018: exemptions for research and statistics (27), and archiving (28)**

* Paragraph 28 schedule 2 of the DPA 2018 contains an exemption from the right to data portability for archiving purposes in the public interest only. There is no exemption from the right to data portability for scientific or historical research, or statistics.

** Article 21(6) of the UK GDPR contains a built in exception from the right to object to processing for scientific or historical research and statistical purposes only. However, schedule 2 paragraph 28 of the DPA 2018 provides an exemption from the right to object to processing for the purposes of archiving in the public interest.