How we source and verify our reporting
CivicInsight.uk is committed to reporting that is accurate, transparent and firmly rooted in evidence. Every article we publish begins with primary sources — official documents, parliamentary records, government datasets, public registers and direct testimony — rather than second-hand accounts or unchecked claims. Our journalists and editors follow a structured verification process that includes source identification, cross-referencing against authoritative records, and review by the editorial team before publication. For a detailed explanation of our editorial decision-making and correction procedures, please see our Editorial Policy and Fact-Checking Policy. Our Standards & Fact-Checking Lead, Michael Trent, oversees all source verification and ensures that every claim published on this site meets the benchmarks set out in those policies. Readers who wish to understand how we handle corrections, complaints and content review are directed to our Corrections Policy and the contact details at the foot of this page.
Official and primary sources
The following institutions and agencies provide the foundational data, records and official statements that underpin our reporting. Our journalists consult these sources directly and regularly, and we link to them wherever possible so that readers can verify the original material themselves.
- GOV.UK — the central portal for UK government publications, policy papers, consultations, legislation and departmental announcements.
- UK Parliament — records of parliamentary proceedings, debates, written questions, committee reports and legislation as it passes through the House of Commons and House of Lords.
- Office for National Statistics — the UK’s largest independent producer of official statistics, covering the economy, population, society, health, labour market and public sector.
- National Audit Office — independent reports on the value for money of public spending, including audits of government departments, agencies and publicly funded bodies.
- Local Government Association — cross-party membership organisation representing local authorities in England and Wales, providing data, briefings and policy analysis on municipal governance.
- Electoral Commission — independent regulator of elections, electoral registration, political party funding and campaign finance in the United Kingdom.
- UK Statistics Authority — independent statutory body that oversees the quality, integrity and trustworthiness of official statistics produced across the UK.
Regulatory and standards bodies
We hold ourselves accountable to the standards set by the following independent regulators and oversight organisations. Our editorial processes, data-handling practices and advertising policies are designed to comply with their codes and guidance.
- IPSO — the Independent Press Standards Organisation, which regulates the UK’s newspaper and magazine industry through the Editors’ Code of Practice, covering accuracy, privacy, harassment and other editorial standards.
- ICO — the Information Commissioner’s Office, the UK’s independent regulator for data protection, information rights and freedom of information, whose guidance we follow in our handling of personal data and reader correspondence.
- Advertising Standards Authority — the UK’s independent regulator for advertising across all media, whose codes govern the labelling, content and transparency of commercial and sponsored content on this site.
How to challenge our reporting
We take every reasonable step to ensure that the information we publish is accurate, fairly presented and properly attributed. If you believe an article contains a factual error, a misrepresentation or an omission that affects the public interest, we encourage you to contact us directly so that we can investigate and, where necessary, correct the record. Please send details of the issue — including a link to the article, a clear description of the error and any supporting evidence — to corrections@civicinsight.uk. Our Standards & Fact-Checking Lead, Michael Trent, reviews all correction requests and will respond promptly. For matters relating to the verification of specific facts or sources used in our reporting, you can also contact factcheck@civicinsight.uk. Full details of our correction and complaint procedures are set out in our Corrections Policy. You can also find more information about our editorial independence and funding arrangements on our Ownership and Funding page, and details of our team and governance on our Our Team page. For any other enquiries, please visit our Contact page.