Advice for commercial users

The Economic and Social Data Service (ESDS) and the UK Data Archive (the Archive) are funded primarily to support the UK academic sector. However, we are also committed to making data available as widely as possible and facilitate access to data for users from all sectors. Because the ESDS and the Archive receive no funding to service the commercial sector, any associated costs must be recovered, and details can be found on our charges page.

• research is defined as 'commercial' where it is undertaken for the private purposes of an organisation and/or where the primary objective is to generate income, as distinct from non-commercial research where the primary objective is to put material in the public domain for the public benefit
• datasets requiring completion of a Special Licence or the ONS Approved Researcher forms cannot be used for commercial purposes
• the End User Licence, which all users must agree to when registering, states that data can only be used for commercial purposes with permission from the data owner(s) and an appropriate licence

Commercial users can access a large number of datasets in the Data Catalogue, but should note that users from outside the UK academic sector are not permitted access to ESDS International macrodata and most of the UK census data (from 1971 onwards). This is due to the data redistribution licence agreements with the relevant dataset providers/service funders.

1. Obtain a UK Data Archive username and password. Details are available from Login and registration help.
2. Using the username and password, log in to ESDS and register.
3. Once registered, locate the dataset(s) required and use the 'Download/Order' link.
4. Register a 'usage', providing details of the intended use of the data, then follow the on-screen instructions to place the order.
5. Once the order is received, the Help Desk will contact the data owner(s) to request permission.
6. The Help Desk will prepare a Commercial Licence which must be signed by the user and returned to the Help Desk.
7. When the signed Commercial Licence has been received, and permission has been granted by the data owner(s), the data will be made available for download.
   (Note: the Help Desk aims to process orders within 15 working days).

Note: A few datasets are available for commercial use without the need for a Commercial Licence. If this is the case, once the dataset has been added to a usage the 'Status' column will contain 'Accept special condition'. Click this link, follow the on-screen instructions and a 'Download' link will appear.

Access to data through the ESDS Nesstar catalogue
Commercial users can use the ESDS Nesstar Catalogue to browse and explore a selection of data and obtain unweighted frequencies. However, because most data in the collection can only be used for commercial purposes with permission from the data owner(s), commercial users cannot currently use the ESDS Nesstar Catalogue to produce online tabulations and data analyses - instead they should order data through the Data Catalogue, as described above.