Welcome to Defra Data Services Forum

Most datasets on the Defra Data Services Platform are accessible to unregistered users, and can be downloaded by anyone under an Open Government Licence (or a similar licence that doesn’t restrict sharing).

Some other datasets, which cannot be shared widely (usually due to third-party rights restrictions), are only available for access by registered users, where possible.

To register please use the following link: https://environment.data.gov.uk/register.

You will be able to register for an account on the Data Services Platform if you or your organisation falls into one of the following categories:

• Defra-body Staff
  • Employees of Defra, its executive agencies, Environment Agency, Forestry Commission, JNCC, Marine Management Organisation, Natural England and the Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board. (Natural England staff are requested to check with the NE Data Services team before registering.)
• Defra-body Contractor
  • Organisations that are contracted to one of the above Defra bodies. Contractors will only be able to access restricted data for use on contracted projects, following approval by the Defra project manager.
• PSGA Member
  • Organisations that are members of the Ordnance Survey’s Public Sector Geospatial Agreement (excluding the Defra bodies). This includes local authorities and government departments. To check if an organisation is eligible, see https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/business-government/partner-member/member.
• WFD/CaBA/IDB
  • Partner organisations that are helping the Defra bodies to deliver the Water Framework Directive or Catchment Based Approach projects (or similar co-delivery work); and Internal Drainage Boards. This will include rivers trusts, wildlife trusts, and water companies.

If you are a contractor then you should only register if you are working directly for one of the Defra bodies.  If you are contracted to another organisation, such as a local authority, then we will not be able to approve any of your data orders.  The contracting organisation would need to download the data, which they can sublicense to you as their contractor.  Unfortunately, third-party licence conditions prevent us from sharing data directly with someone else’s contractor.

If your account registration is rejected, the most likely reason is that the user type selected was not appropriate to your organisation.