Open Data Communities (ODC) is the platform the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) uses to routinely release its data outputs in fully open, accessible and reusable forms.

Earlier this year, we published a blog explaining how we planned to evolve our platform to support transparency, accountability and innovation.

The first part of the transformation is now complete, and we want to highlight the changes we have made.

A modernised look and new URL

Open Data Communities has moved from its legacy domain to a new service at https://open-data.communities.gov.uk.

The new Open Data Communities site has a modern interface, with a design that prioritises usability and accessibility. The homepage now features clearer navigation and a more structured presentation of the datasets and tools available. Overall, the refreshed design reflects a shift towards a more user-centred experience, making the platform feel more consistent with other modern government digital services.

A focus on machine-readable datasets

One of the most significant updates is the release of the Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) 2025 dataset using CSV on the Web (CSVW).

Publishing IMD in CSVW combines standard CSV files with structured, machine-readable metadata. This is important because it retains the simplicity users expect from CSV, whilst the metadata adds additional context to properly interpret and reuse the data.

In practice, the metadata provides:

clear definitions of fields and values, making datasets easier to understand consistent structure across datasets, improving usability explicit relationships between data elements, enabling linking with other sources

This directly supports interoperability, allowing IMD data to be combined with other datasets more easily and reliably. It also enables both human users and automated systems to work with the data more effectively, which is increasingly important as analytical workflows become more complex and machine-driven.

From a wider government perspective, adopting CSVW aligns with the recommended open standards guidance, which promotes machine-readable metadata and consistent data models. The use of CSVW helps ensure MHCLG data is:

consistent and linkable across government easier to process into structured data models ready for reuse in a range of tools and environments

More broadly, this approach supports the government’s direction towards making data more accessible, reusable and compatible with emerging technologies such as AI, where structured metadata is essential for safe and effective reuse at scale.

Get energy performance of buildings data: a user-focused approach to EPC data

Alongside improvements to datasets, Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) open data has moved to a new dedicated service.

This service replaces the Energy Performance of Buildings Data platform and introduces a more resilient and user-focused way to access EPC data. It also helps users distinguish between bulk energy performance data access through this service, and individual certificate lookup through the EPC Register.

The new 'Get energy performance of buildings data' service provides:

a dedicated platform for EPC open data, separate from the wider ODC site improved reliability and faster access to refreshed data a clearer user experience, designed around how people access and use EPC data

The service has also been developed with clearer guidance and signposting, helping users transition from the previous service and understand how to access datasets, APIs and supporting information.

In May we supported:

6,100 website users 2219 EPC data download requests 34.7m API requests

Here’s what some of the users said:

“The service is very simple to use and there are lot of tools available for API developers.”

“I think the new beta version is fantastic, so well done and please keep it up as it's made my life so much easier.”

“The new endpoint which logs when certificates are changed or dropped is an excellent new feature.”

“All the endpoints and its output formats were explained clearly.”

In conclusion

These changes mark a clear shift in how MHCLG publishes and delivers open data. The move to CSVW for high-value datasets like IMD and the introduction of dedicated services such as Get Energy Performance Data demonstrate a focus on open standards, usability and interoperability.

This ensures that data is not only accessible, but also structured in a way that supports reuse, integration and future innovation across government and beyond.

As always, we welcome your feedback on these changes and any other features of Open Data Communities. Contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..