Good quality information on species’ population trends is essential for successful conservation action. In this paper, the dataset of the BTO/JNCC/RSPB Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) is made publicly available, along with details of how the data can be used to calculate bird population trends. This will help to further inform bird conservation in the UK and beyond. BBS data have been widely used in research over the past three decades, and they have always been available upon request. However, with this publication, over seven million records are made freely and openly available. In this, the BBS becomes one of few structured national recording schemes for birds anywhere in the world which makes the information collected by its volunteers wholly available to anyone who wishes to access it.