Eve Little, one of our new Research Impact and Engagement Managers, shares her five standout picks from the UK Data Service Impact blog – spotlighting the people, stories, and voices behind the numbers.
When we think of data, we often picture numbers, statistics, complex analyses and patterns of correlation. In 2023/24, 14.2 million people in the UK (21%) were living in relative low income after housing costs, and 12.3 million (18%) in absolute low income.
These figures tell us a lot about poverty and deprivation in the UK – but they don’t tell us the whole story. They don’t reveal what it feels like to navigate the mental toll of poverty, to face the systemic barriers to housing and healthcare, or how and why people are facing inequality and poverty.
How can we make sure that data doesn’t lose its human side? How can we ensure it is used not just to count people, but to listen to them – to understand their lives and to drive meaningful impact?
Working in the UK Data Service Impact team, I am drawn to the stories that do just that: blog posts that show how data connects with people, power, and progress.
In this post, I will reflect on my top five Data Impact blog posts. These stood out to me for their rich storytelling and deep-rooted community insight. They are a reminder that data and lived experience are equally valuable, each offering a unique lens through which we can understand the world and shape meaningful, lasting impact.
Bringing data to life
Tackling complex issues like poverty and homelessness requires more than just data. It calls for research that listens closely to the people most affected.
The following two blog posts demonstrate how data accessed through the UK Data Service, when combined with co-production and lived experience, can help transform research into meaningful insight rooted in reality.
In her two-part blog post series – “Understanding hunger and hardship in the UK: the power of data in driving change (Part 1)” and “Part 2” – Sarah Fullick, from the Trussell Trust, powerfully highlights the role of data in both exposing and confronting urgent social issues around hunger and hardship in the UK.
Alongside valuing and relying on robust data, the Trussell Trust is also deeply committed to centring lived experience by embedding participatory methods in every stage of their research and advocacy.
For example, in June 2024, Trussell hosted a participatory democracy event that explored opportunities for policy change to help end the need for food banks. These approaches, in turn, bring the data to life. As Sarah writes:
“Quantitative data gives us the scale of the problem, but qualitative research provides context and depth – while bringing the quantitative data to life.”
Another compelling demonstration of co-production and ‘bringing data to life’ is found in “What can we learn about homelessness and health from a household survey?” by Natasha Chilman and Dr Sarah Markham. Using data from the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Surveys, their work uncovers the hidden relationships between mental health and multimorbidity among people with experiences of homelessness.
What makes their research particularly resonant for me is how they bring together people with lived experience into the research process from the outset. They worked with eight people with lived experiences of homelessness who were connected to the charities Rethink Mental Illness and Pathway. Natasha discusses that:
“Sarah found she was able to bring synergy to the research process via experiential learning to help bring the data alive.”
Together, these two blog posts remind us that when data is shaped by the voices of those it represents, it becomes a transformative tool for advocacy and impact.
Next, I move to a different blog championing voice – one that shows what happens when the researcher’s own lived experience is central to the research itself.
Living the data
Kyle Genner, one of our Data Impact Fellows, offers a strong example of voice-driven storytelling in his blog post “UK Data Service Data Impact Fellows 2025: Kyle Genner”.
Rather than researching from a distance, Kyle writes from within the community he studies. His blog explores how his personal experiences of poverty not only shaped his path into academia but continue to inform his research into deprivation and inequality. Kyle shares:
“Children and young people growing up in poverty or coming from deprived backgrounds tend to have worse life outcomes and less opportunities than their more affluent peers […] I certainly know this because I was one of those children and so were most of my childhood friends.”
By weaving together personal narrative and academic insight, Kyle brings a human lens to the often technical world of data. His research is not just a study of numbers – it is an exploration of systems, resilience and lived realities. He writes:
“This study is aimed at bringing that reality to life and giving it the exposure it truly needs […] I have no idea where it will take me, but at the very least, I hope I can be a voice for those like the young man”
Kyle’s blog is a powerful example of how centring personal and community experience can help reframe what data means, and why data matters.
This story also prompts broader questions: how can we ensure that everyone feels their voice and values matter in the world of data? This leads me to a wider discussion of public trust and ethical responsibilities of data use.
Trust, fairness and public good
Building on the value of co-production in research, how can we ensure that the wider public feels heard when it comes to their data? Beyond individual stories, data practices must earn public trust and demonstrate fairness to truly serve the public good.
Understanding how people feel about data sharing and transparency helps ensure that data-driven research and policy not only respect but actively reflect the voices of those behind the numbers.
Dr Mary Cowan’s and Shayda Kashef’s blog post, “Public Perceptions of ‘Public Good’ Use of Data for Research and Statistics”, offers a rich, community-informed perspective on how people perceive the use of their data for the public good. They emphasise that:
“The public play a vital role in enabling research and helping develop knowledge about society […] therefore understanding what members of the public think can be achieved through data for research and statistics is integral to achieving public good”
Their work highlights the importance of fairness, transparency, and – above all – trust. These themes echo those raised by Jeni Tennison of of Connected by Data during the UK Census User Conference 2025, as discussed in this previous Data Impact blog post
This blog post is a reminder that building and maintaining trust requires more than robust governance – it demands sustained, meaningful engagement with the people and voices behind the data. The importance of trust and transparency were highlighted in Sophie’s previous Data Impact blog post, discussing how the UK Data Service helps us hear what is often missed.
For me, this work strongly resonates with the values of the UK Data Service and the direction that I hope to take in my role: ensuring that public perspectives are not just considered but are embedded in how we think about the impact of the data.
Once that trust is built, how do we carry data and its insights into lasting, real-world impact? That question brings me to my final top five blog post, which offers a thoughtful perspective on impact as a collective journey.
Rethinking impact as a shared journey
After exploring how data connects with lived experience, personal voice, and public trust, I return to a bigger question. What do we mean by impact? And who benefits most from data-intensive research?
In their two-part blog post series – “How does research data generate societal impact?” and “Who ultimately benefits most from data-intensive research?” – Eric Jensen and Mark Reed offer a reflective analysis of what research impact truly means in the context of data-intensive research. They challenge us to consider how data is valued, how benefits are distributed, and how outcomes are communicated. They share:
“Impact from research data may be increased through closer links between government, industry and researchers, as well as capacity building at each of these levels.”
Eric and Mark’s work encourages us to see impact not as a checklist, but as a process – one that evolves through collaboration, communication, and shared understanding. It is a journey where academic insight meets public need, and where data becomes a bridge between knowledge and action.
At the UK Data Service, this vision speaks directly to our work. We are committed to helping carry data from behind-the-scenes into the world and into the hands of those who can use it to make meaningful change.
Why must data and voice go hand in hand?
These blog posts show that data means more than just information when it is considered alongside voice. Then, it can also reflect people’s stories, experiences, struggles, and resilience. Used in this way, data can better challenge assumptions, shift narratives, and drive positive change. What connects each of these blog posts is the ability to do just this: centring lived experiences and elevating voices.
In my role at the UK Data Service, I am excited to continue supporting work that not only values robust research, but also listens and collaborates. At its best, data doesn’t just describe the world – it helps us understand how we can change it.
Comment or question about this blog post?
Please email us!