Report by DARE UK (Data and Analytics Research Environments UK): “…offering a detailed, UK-wide picture of how Trusted Research Environments (TREs) are supporting research for public benefit.
Building on early insights shared late last year, the full report brings together findings from a 2025 survey of 63 organisations across universities, government, charities and the private sector. It provides one of the most comprehensive overviews to date of how TREs operate, how they are funded and how they are evolving to meet growing demand.
Enabling research while protecting privacy
The review highlights the central role of TREs in the UK’s approach to using sensitive data responsibly. These highly secure computing environments allow approved researchers to analyse sensitive datasets without the data leaving a controlled setting.
TREs make it possible to carry out vital research using data from areas such as health, education and social care, while maintaining strict safeguards and public trust.
DARE UK’s work focuses on strengthening and connecting these environments to support trustworthy, consistent and high-quality sensitive data research in the UK.
A growing and increasingly capable ecosystem
The review confirms that the UK has a large and expanding TRE ecosystem. The organisations surveyed together support nearly 7,000 active research projects per year using sensitive data, demonstrating the scale and importance of this infrastructure.
Most activity sits within universities and the public sector, with TREs operating across all four UK nations, although capacity and capability vary between regions.
The review also shows that many organisations perform multiple roles across the system, reflecting the collaborative and interconnected nature of sensitive data research…(More)”.
