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Version: 1.4.1 | Published: 21 Dec 2023 | Updated: 408 days ago
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Understanding Society - UK

Dataset

Summary

Citation:
Institute for Social and Economic Research, released 10 February 2022, ONS SRS Metadata Catalogue, dataset, Understanding Society - UK, https://doi.org/10.57906/jxmy-nz03

Documentation

Description:
Understanding Society (the UK Household Longitudinal Study), which began in 2009, is conducted by the Institute for Social and Economic Research (ISER) at the University of Essex, and the survey research organisations Kantar Public and NatCen. It builds on and incorporates, the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS), which began in 1991. As multi-topic studies, the purpose of Understanding Society and BHPS is to understand short- and long-term effects of social and economic change in the UK at the household and individual levels. The study has a strong emphasis on domains of family and social ties, employment, education, financial resources, and health. Understanding Society is an annual survey of each adult member of a nationally representative sample. The same individuals are re-interviewed in each wave approximately 12 months apart. When individuals move they are followed within the UK and anyone joining their households are also interviewed as long as they are living with them. The study has five sample components: the general population sample; a boost sample of ethnic minority group members; an immigrant and ethnic minority boost sample (from wave 6); participants from the BHPS; and the Innovation Panel (which is a separate standalone survey (see SN 6849 in the UKDS data catalogue). The fieldwork period is for 24 months. Data collection uses computer assisted personal interviewing (CAPI) and web interviews (from wave 7), and includes a telephone mop up. From March 2020 (the end of wave 10 and 2nd year of wave 11), due to the coronavirus pandemic, face-to-face interviews were suspended and the survey has been conducted by web and telephone only, but otherwise has continued as before. One person completes the household questionnaire. Each person aged 16 or older participates in the individual adult interview and self-completed questionnaire. Youths aged 10 to 15 are asked to respond to a paper self-completion questionnaire. The version of Understanding Society held in the SRS is the Secure Access variant which in addition to containing the main Special Licence dataset (SN 6931 at the UKDS) also includes full date of birth details of survey members as well as grid reference geographical identifiers of households. Other geographical identifiers are also available on request. Other datasets such as Biomarker data, summary genetics and epigenetic scores, partnership histories, linked administrative data, calendar year data, school codes, higher education codes, interviewer details, and a related COVID-19 study are available via the UKDS and further details can be found on their data catalogue.

Coverage

Spatial

Spatial Coverage:
United Kingdom
Geographical Levels:
  • CAS ward
  • country
  • LEA
  • local authority district
  • lsoa01
  • lsoa11
  • msoa01
  • msoa11
  • oa01
  • oa11
  • ttwa01
  • ttwa11
  • Westminster parliamentary constituency

Temporal

Start Date:
01 January 1991
Latest Data:
31 December 2020
Frequency:
ANNUAL
Distribution Release Date:
10 February 2022

Provenance

Source:
  • Survey
  • Longitudinal

Access and Governance

Usage

Condition of Access:
Access needs approval
Condition of Use:
Standard conditions for the use of data in the SRS
Resource Creator:
Office for National Statistics

Access

Access Service:
  • Safe Rooms, SafePods
  • Assured Organisational Connectivity – office based
  • Assured Organisational Connectivity – remote access
Jurisdictions:
  • GB-EAW
  • GB-SCT
  • GB-NIR
Data Controller:
Institute for Social and Economic Research
Access Level:
Access Level 3

Format and Standards

Languages:
en
Formats:
STATA