The Accessions to Repositories 2025 survey is now open. Each year we contact archives across the UK to invite them to take part; if you are interested in contributing for the first time in this year’s survey, please contact the team.
We ask all participants to submit returns by 2 February 2026, by replying directly to their invite email.
We use data from the annual survey to analyse trends and collecting practices, so we ask participants to report all new accessions. However, please do not include any personally sensitive data. Highlights of the surveys are made available through Discovery, with some datasets accessible through data.gov. Analysis of last year’s accessions data can be found in A Year In Archives 2025.
Changes to the 2024 survey
Last year, as part of our move towards being a data driven organisation, and to make the best use of our collective resources, we made some changes to how we process and analyse data from the survey.
1. We have streamlined the processing of accessions returns received through the annual survey, placing increased emphasis on analysing the data. This will enable us to better understand collecting practices within the sector and provide more valuable insights on trends and gaps in collections.
2. To make our processes more efficient we have retired the separate accessions webpages since they got limited usage and were difficult to search. However, select accessions data will continue to be added to the National Register of Archives (NRA) and Discovery. The entire dataset will also be published on data.gov.uk, ensuring continued accessibility and usability.
3. The changes to our processes also mean it will be necessary to mark highlights and Public Records with a ‘y’ in the appropriate fields in your accessions return template; in an evolution of current practice, just marked items will be added to the NRA and Discovery.
By focusing on data analysis, we can draw conclusions based on concrete evidence rather than anecdotal information. For example, we can measure the diversity within the dataset and can track changes over time, reflecting societal shifts, and identifying gaps in the types of archives included in the survey.
We plan to use newer technologies such as harnessing AI and Machine Learning to gain more nuanced insights from the data. These advancements will help us identify patterns and themes, providing a deeper understanding of the sector.
Our analysis of accessions data also feeds into many areas of our work including sales monitoring, the manorial documents register, and work relating to digital capacity building in the sector.
To find accessions data on Discovery, search the catalogue for ‘Annual Return YYYY’, filter held by: other archives, then select the repository whose accessions you are interested in and click ‘Refine’.
If you wish to contribute and help us build a more comprehensive view of collecting trends across the sector, please use the updated template to report your accessions. The template is designed to support our data analysis work and is revised each year. As a result, we ask all participants, including local authority places of deposit, to use the correct template to send in their returns. Please also read the appropriate guidance below before sending a return.
Template
Accessions template 2025: Accessions template 2025 (XLSX, 0.026MB)
Please do not make changes to the format of the template when submitting a return. Changing the layout of the template affects our ability to analyse the information accurately. The methods we use to analyse the data rely on the format being as uniform as possible. We have also implemented a new system to help us process the data. This is why we have introduced new guidelines around submitting a return and filling in the template. Please read the appropriate guidance before submitting a return.
Guidance
Accessions guidance 2025: Accessions to Repositories Guidance (general) 2025 (PDF, 0.26MB)
Guidance for local authority places of deposit
Accessions guidance (local authority places of deposit) 2025: Accessions to Repositories Guidance (local authority places of deposit) 2025 (PDF, 0.36MB)
20-year rule and local authority places of deposit
Local authority places of deposit need to complete the survey using the updated template and also mark up any public record accessions. Providing this information allows The National Archives to showcase your accession of public records on Discovery and demonstrates your ongoing commitment to fulfilling your responsibilities as a Place of Deposit under the Public Records Act.
For more information on completing the return as a local authority place of deposit, please see our specific guidance above.