1. Introduction
1.1 Administrative Data Research in Northern Ireland (ADR NI)
Administrative Data Research Northern Ireland (ADR NI) is an Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) funded partnership between NISRA, the Queen’s University of Belfast and the Ulster University and is part of the wider ADR UK. ADR NI aims to provide a secure and accredited research environment to enable agreed, ethically approved and cross-cutting research to be conducted using linked administrative data sets. The ultimate aims of the joined-up approach are to inform the development and monitoring of public policy and to help ensure that decision making is evidence based, using linked datasets that would otherwise not be readily available for research purposes.
1.2 Business Data for Research (BDR) 2022
The Business Data for Research (BDR) 2022 offers an exciting opportunity for accredited researchers to access a rich, longitudinal dataset to carry out novel, policy relevant analysis. The BDR is a de-identified, record-level database comprised of survey data from the Business Register and Employment Survey (BRES), the Northern Ireland Annual Business Inquiry (NIABI) (including the Northern Ireland Economic Trade Statistics (NIETS)) and the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) for the period of 2014 to 2022. The BDR was developed by NISRA’s Economic and Labour Market Statistics (ELMS) working collaboratively with ADR NI and the Department for the Economy (DfE).
2. Background
2.1 Business Data for Research (BDR) Data sources
2.1.1 Business Register and Employment Survey (BRES)
The BDR contains data spanning 2014 to 2022 from the Business Register and Employment Survey (BRES). The BRES gathers information about business structure and employee jobs across Northern Ireland. The information is used to maintain a register of businesses that supports statistical enquiries across Government and provides the most accurate employee job figures for Northern Ireland, on an annual basis.
The BRES sample varies from year to year. A ‘big’ BRES has a sample size of approximately 30,000+ businesses, while for a ‘small’ sample approximately 12,000 businesses are surveyed. Approximate sample sizes for NI BRES for 2014-2022 are provided in the table below. A full census was due to be conducted in 2019. However, resources were not available to process the large volume of data so a ‘big’ BRES was conducted.
| Year | Referred to as: | Sample size (approx) |
| 2022 | Big | 35,000 |
| 2021 | Big | 33,000 |
| 2020 | Small | 16,000 |
| 2019 | Big | 33,000 |
| 2018 | Small | 12,000 |
| 2017 | Big | 30,000 |
| 2016 | Small | 12,000 |
| 2015 | Full Census | 55,000 |
| 2014 | Small | 12,000 |
2.1.2 Northern Ireland Annual Business Inquiry (NIABI) (including the Northern Ireland Economic Trade Statistics (NIETS))
The Northern Ireland Annual Business Inquiry (NIABI) is conducted on a statutory basis under the Statistics of Trade and Employment (Northern Ireland) Order 1988 (Article 8). It collects both financial and employment information from businesses and other establishments and covers about two thirds of the economy. This includes the production, construction, distribution and service industries in Northern Ireland but excludes public sector activity for the most part.
The NIABI is a National Statistic[1] dataset and surveys all businesses with 50 or more employees; all multi-site businesses with 20-49 employees; all manufacturing businesses with more than 5 employees; and a representative sample of other smaller businesses. In all, the ABI samples about 20% of the eligible business population each year.
The NIABI provides a number of high-level indicators of economic activity such as the total value of sales and work completed by businesses (Turnover), the value of the purchase of goods, materials and services and total employment costs. The contribution of different industries to the overall value of economic activity can be assessed and because estimates of employment are collected at the same time it is also possible to get a measure of value added and costs per head to allow better comparison between different sized industrial sectors.
The Northern Ireland Economic Trade Statistics (NIETS), formerly known as the Broad Economy Sales and Exports Statistics (BESES), is a National Statistic dataset and provides an annual measure of local businesses’ purchases and sales, to and from markets outside Northern Ireland (NI).
NIETS data is gathered through the Northern Ireland Annual Business Inquiry. In survey year 2011, questions relating to the value of trade were added to the NIABI questionnaire.
2.1.3 Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE)
The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) for Northern Ireland is conducted on a statutory basis under the Statistics of Trade and Employment (Northern Ireland) Order 1988 (Article 5). It collects data on earnings by gender, work patterns, industry, occupation, and public vs. private sector pay comparisons.
The ASHE is a National Statistic dataset comprising approximately 1% of all employees in NI who were covered by Pay As You Earn (PAYE) schemes.
2.2 Areas of research interest
The BDR has been developed in order to advance research across a range of themes. The BDR can offer an evidence base for policy development and decision making as well as the monitoring of public policy in Northern Ireland. It can do this by allowing a number of research questions to be considered. The BDR is relevant to a number of key research themes and policy interests including:
- The impact of Covid-19 on the Northern Ireland economy (see modelled results for Q2 2020);
- Northern Ireland International Trade in Services (see Northern Ireland International Trade in Services - New Perspectives (November 2018);
- Northern Ireland exports (see ESRI: Export Participation and Performance of Firms on the Island of Ireland (September 2018)); and
- Providing an evidence base for DfE 10X Economy: Economic Vision, Skills Strategy and Trade & Investment documents (see DfE’s 10x Research Programme).
A list of potential research questions that could be addressed using the BDR and Earnings and Employees Study (EES) datasets has been developed to support researchers in designing research proposals. The list has been developed with colleagues within DfE and intended to encourage research that can have direct policy relevance and impact. Please contact NISRA Research Support Unit (RSU) (rsu@nisra.gov.uk) if you would like to discuss this further.
2.3 Linkage method
The BDR tables are linkable via an anonymised unique business reference number at Reporting Unit level (the main business site or headquarters of a business). Researchers can link longitudinally (where data is available) and across each of the datasets. The datasets cannot be linked to other data sources.
The ASHE dataset contains an anonymised unique person number which allows for individual employees to be linked longitudinally. The ASHE dataset also includes the anonymised unique business reference number variable to allow the ASHE dataset to be linked to other BDR datasets at a business level. Please see the BDR Guidance for Researchers for more information.
3. The data
3.1 Variables included in the BDR
Please see the BDR Metadata and Data Dictionary for a full list of the variables contained within the BDR. This should be read in conjunction with the BDR Guidance for Researchers which provides background information on the BDR datasets, how the data are collected and quality assured, and links to other useful information sources.
3.2 Accessing the BDR data
Access to the BDR dataset is limited to researchers and research teams with accredited researcher status under the Digital Economy Act 2017 (DEA) and subject to approval by each of the data providers and the UK Statistics Authority Research Accreditation Panel (RAP). In the first instance, researchers should contact RSU (rsu@nisra.gov.uk) to discuss their research proposal and provide an abstract outlining their proposal. RSU, in consultation with the data providers, will determine the feasibility of the project prior to the completion of a full application by the researcher(s) to be submitted to RAP. The full application will require researchers to detail the main aims and objectives of the proposed project as well as the methodological approach that they are intending to use. Researchers will need to include details of the data required (including variable list with justifications) and cohort required. Researchers will also be required to detail any public engagement activities planned as part of the project. Ethical approval will also be required for each project, either through the research team's university ethics committee or via the National Statistician's Ethics Advisory Committee. RSU will support the research team throughout the application process. Further information on how to apply for approval is available here.
The BDR dataset may be accessed in the RSU secure research environment or via the Office of National Statistics (ONS) Secure Research Service (SRS) subject to data owner and RAP approval.
4. Completed Research
As part of the beta testing phase of the BDR datasets seven research teams were granted access as early users of the datasets. These teams undertook research exploring a number of themes such as the drivers to productivity and the impact of trade and technology on growth in Northern Ireland.
Early findings from these projects can be found on the ADR UK website as follows:
Data Insights
Characteristics of exporting firms in Northern Ireland
Impact of technology investment on Northern Ireland's economy
Productivity differences in Northern Ireland
Exporting, importing and Northern Ireland firm performance: Which pathway to internationalisation?
Spatial analysis of Northern Ireland trade over the period 2014 to 2020
Analysis of NI trade by sector: A focus on the 10X priority clusters
External sales behaviour of Northern Ireland businesses: A focus on 10X sectors
Firm-level analysis of NI trade: A focus on 10X priority clusters
Data explained
Exporting, importing and Northern Ireland firm performance and strategies
Data Explained: Spatial sectoral analysis NI trade
Data Explained: Productivity differences within Northern Ireland
Data Explained: Technology and productivity
Other projects
Statisticians within the Analytical Services Division of DfE have been using NISRA business data for research in support of department policy development and monitoring. Some of that work is included below:
Northern Irish Trade Performance and External Sales Activity 2014–2020
Subsidies and Businesses in Northern Ireland | Department for the Economy (economy-ni.gov.uk)
5. Other useful information
5.1 Organisation name
Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA)
ADR UK - Administrative Data Research UK
5.2 Quality/background documentation
5.3 Related data
NISRA has also developed the Earnings and Employees Study (EES) 2011. The Earnings and Employees Study (EES) 2011 links together variables from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) 2011 with aggregated variables from the Census of Population and Housing 2011, and Capital Value data from the Land and Property Service. The EES takes the form of one pre-linked table. Further information about the EES may be found here.
5.4 Future Proofing Northern Ireland Business Data For Research - Summary of Feedback
On 8th November 2023, Administrative Data Research NI (ADR NI), as part of the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) Research Support Unit (RSU), working with NISRA’s Economic and Labour Market Statistics (ELMS) branch and the Department for the Economy (DfE), hosted a conference event on the topic of Future Proofing Northern Ireland Business Data for Research. The event concluded with a discussion session where attendees were asked to consider the following three questions:
- Policy needs – what are the current evidence gaps and key areas of research interest connected to the economy theme?
- Data needs – what information are we currently missing and how might be improve our ‘data for research’ infrastructure in the longer term?
- Bridging the gap between researchers and policy makers – what are the blockers and how do we ensure good relations between organisations to aid data sharing for research?
A summary of the information gathered through this discussion session can be found within the Future Proofing Northern Ireland Business Data For Research - Summary of Feedback document. The document also sets out the agreed next steps to be taken by BDR Project Board.
6. Information Session
The NISRA Research Support Unit is hosting an information session for researchers and other interested parties who wish to learn more about the BDR 2022 dataset. This will take place online on Thursday 4th December 2025 from 10:00 to 11:00 am
The Event will include a presentation outlining key features of the dataset, along with a question and answer session with members of the BDR project team.
Please contact RSU (rsu@nisra.gov.uk) and register your interest on or before Monday 1st December 2025. Event joining information will then be provided to attendees in advance of the event.
Contact the team
Research Support Unit
Colby House
Stranmillis Court
BELFAST
BT9 5RR
Telephone: +44(0) 28 90 388488
Email: rsu@nisra.gov.uk
Web page: Research Support Unit
[1] National Statistics status means that our statistics meet the highest standards of trustworthiness, quality, and public value, and it is our responsibility to maintain compliance with these standards. National Statistics accreditation is granted by the UK statistics Authority following comprehensive and independent assessment of the statistics.