Digital

data.gov.scot: public beta launches on 25 August

August 19, 2026 by Stewart Hamilton No Comments | Category Digital Scotland, Open data

Blog by Kate Stallibrass, Open Data Publishing Manager in the Digital Directorate’s Open Data Team, Data Division.

We are pleased to announce that we plan to launch data.gov.scot as a public beta on 25 August 2026.

data.gov.scot has been designed to make it easier to find, access and reuse public sector data about Scotland, while providing improved tools and support for data publishers to publish data openly. data.gov.scot will replace statistics.gov.scot, the Scottish Government’s current open data portal.

This blog is the third in a series. You can also read our other blogs on why we’re building data.gov.scot and how we’ve been preparing for beta.

What we’ve been doing

Behind the scenes we’ve been working hard with our delivery partners, Storm ID, to ensure that the service is secure, reliable and ready for launch.

Over the last few weeks, we have:

• Completed security, accessibility and user acceptance testing
• Tested our migration approach and began the full migration of datasets from statistics.gov.scot to data.gov.scot
• Developed guidance and training materials for data publishers
• Started onboarding data publishers and ran training sessions open to all
• Refined the service based on feedback from user testing

What happens on 25 August

From 25 August, all data publishing activity will take place on data.gov.scot. Datasets on statistics.gov.scot will no longer be updated.

To support a smooth transition, statistics.gov.scot will remain available to users until 31 October, at which point the service will be decommissioned. This will give users and publishers time to update links, familiarise themselves with data.gov.scot and adjust any processes that rely on statistics.gov.scot.

During this transition period, we will monitor the service closely, support data publishers with their publications and continue gathering feedback to help shape future improvements. Launching as a public beta means we’ll continue to develop and refine the service after go-live. We’re already aware of a small number of issues and improvements that we’d like to address, and we’ll publish a page on data.gov.scot outlining this work so users and publishers can follow our progress.

What data users need to do

For most users, the transition should be straightforward. But, if you regularly access data through statistics.gov.scot, we recommend that you:

• Review any bookmarked links and update them where necessary
• Identify any automated processes, dashboards or applications that depend on statistics.gov.scot URLs
• Familiarise yourself with the new CKAN API documentation, if you access data programmatically
• Check any scripts or workflows that rely on existing field names and check if these have changed on data.gov.scot
• Verify your processes after go-live to ensure everything is working as expected
• Provide feedback through the feedback form available from the banner on data.gov.scot

Redirects will be in place once statistics.gov.scot is decommissioned, to help users move from statistics.gov.scot to data.gov.scot. However, users of automated systems and API integrations should review their arrangements carefully to avoid any unexpected disruption.

What data publishers need to do

If you’re one of our current data publishers on statistics.gov.scot, now is a good time to make sure you’re ready for the move to data.gov.scot.

We recommend that publishers:

• Check when your next publication is scheduled
• Review the training, guidance and onboarding materials provided by the Open Data team
• Identify any links, documentation or processes that reference statistics.gov.scot and update where necessary
• Review CKAN API documentation if you use the current SPARQL endpoint in your processes
• Contact the Open Data team if you have any concerns about publishing schedules during the transition period

Help us improve the service

As we’re launching as a beta service, we expect to continue learning from real-world use. We welcome feedback from users and data publishers. Your feedback will play a vital role in helping us improve functionality, refine processes and prioritise future development.

Building data.gov.scot has been a collaborative effort. We’d like to thank everyone who has worked with us throughout the Programme so far, from Discovery through to Alpha and the current Beta phase. Whether you’ve helped test the service, attended our Show & Tells and training sessions or shared your thoughts and suggestions, your contribution has helped us improve the service as we prepare for launch.

We’ll be back after go-live to share further updates and some reflections as we move through Beta and continue building the trusted home for public sector data about Scotland.

If you have questions about the service or the wider programme, please get in touch at contact@data.gov.scot.

Tags: data.gov.scot, Digital Directorate, scottish government

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