Editorial policy

BabyData exists to turn official UK data and published statutory rules into tools and reference pages that show their working. This policy explains where our numbers come from, who is accountable, how we check them, and how we keep editorial content separate from advertising.

How we source

Every figure on BabyData is cited to a named, official UK source. Baby names and births data come from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), with Scotland from National Records of Scotland and Northern Ireland from NISRA. Statutory pay and school-admission rules come from gov.uk and HMRC. Pregnancy dating and health framing follow the NHS. We do not publish a number that a named source has not published. Where a figure changes on a fixed schedule, such as the statutory maternity pay rate each April or the annual ONS names release, we refresh it from the source and update the access date.

Who edits this site

BabyData is published under a named editor, Oliver Mackman, who is accountable for its editorial standards and sourcing. He is a director of the operating company, Best Business Loans Ltd (company number 16833937). The editor's role is oversight and source discipline rather than subject-matter authorship of individual entries.

Fact-checking and tools

Our calculators document the rule they use and the dataset behind each number, so a reader can see exactly how a result was reached. Due dates use Naegele's rule as the NHS dates pregnancy; ovulation is estimated as cycle length minus 14 days; statutory maternity pay follows the gov.uk formula; school-year alignment uses the England 1 September cutoff. Pregnancy tools are reviewed against current NHS and gov.uk guidance before publication, and they are informational only, not medical advice. We tell readers the limits of any estimate and when to speak to a midwife, GP or NHS 111.

Corrections

If a figure is wrong or out of date, we want to fix it. Email [email protected] with the page URL and the issue, and we will check it against the source and correct it promptly. See the contact page for the full editorial address.

Use of AI tools

We may use AI tools to assist with drafting and structuring content, but no figure is taken on trust from an AI tool. Every claim is checked against a named, official source before it is published, and an AI tool is never treated as a source in its own right. The editor is responsible for what appears on the site.

Independence and advertising

BabyData is funded by display advertising. Advertising never influences which figures we publish or how we present them, and our tools do not recommend paid products. We are independent and not affiliated with the NHS, ONS or any government body; we cite those sources but are not endorsed by them. How we handle data and consent is set out in our privacy policy.