Understanding Society: The UK Household Longitudinal Survey Waves 13-15
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Essex
Department Name: Inst for Social and Economic Research
Abstract
Understanding Society: the UK Household Longitudinal Study is the largest household panel study in the world, designed to address key scientific and policy questions of the 21st century. It collects high quality annual longitudinal data on individuals of all ages in households which are representative of the UK population. The Study's data enable researchers to explore the experiences, causes and consequences of changes in people's lives - their family structure, health, income, expenditure, employment and housing. The Study has additional dimensions that enable the detailed exploration of the circumstances of key immigrant and ethnic minority groups; investigation of inter-relations between different family members within and across households and generations; and, it collects direct measures of health and genetics to understand how people's health and wider circumstances interact. It is underpinned by robust and innovative methods, and our methodological research creates learning for other studies nationally and internationally.
The Study began in 2008 with the Innovation Panel (IP), which tests methods, and the first main wave of fieldwork started in 2009. It builds on and incorporates the British Household Panel Survey, which means for some families we have data from 1991. To date, eight waves of the main Study and ten waves of the IP, as well as data collected from a nurse visit, are deposited at the UK Data Service. Further waves are in planning, in the field or being prepared for data release. This bid covers plans for data collection for Waves 13-15 and IP15-17 a boost sample to increase the size of the Study, and a range of enhancements.
Our long term vision for the Study is for it to be based on integrating the best of all kinds of data on a Longitudinal Core, whilst creating novel research opportunities with new data enhancements. Our plans include more timely data collection of key life changes, such as job loss; a pregnancy study; a repeat collection of biological data. We are investigating ways to enhance our content by collecting data with new technologies. We are also planning to expand the Study to engage with key family members who live outside the household, for example, co-parents in separated families and transnational families. We also plan to broaden the range of data we harvest from external sources, as well as individual administrative records, we are investigating how we can obtain contextual data on organisations, such as employers, and places. As in previous bids, we are proposing advertising a number of fellowships competitions to build capacity in the wider research community to use the unique features of the data.
Supporting researchers in universities, government, third sector and businesses to use the data effectively is fundamental to the success of the Study. We provide a wide range of resources, services and support to enable users with different backgrounds and from different kinds of organisations to make effective use of the data. We propose enhancing this further by adding a 'data gateway' to our website so users can select the data they need through a shopping basket system. We have a Policy Unit that works directly with government departments and third sector organisations to help them use Understanding Society data, and we undertake a wide range of activities to promote findings based on the Study to policy users. In this phase the Policy Unit will develop partnerships with different organisations to facilitate policy communities learning from high quality research based on the Study. We plan to continue to promote research from the Study widely through events, publications, briefings, on our website and through social media.
Taken together, we firmly believe that the continued collection of data on a longitudinal core and the new data enhancements proposed will significantly increase the high quality impactful research based on the Study and hence its value to society.
The Study began in 2008 with the Innovation Panel (IP), which tests methods, and the first main wave of fieldwork started in 2009. It builds on and incorporates the British Household Panel Survey, which means for some families we have data from 1991. To date, eight waves of the main Study and ten waves of the IP, as well as data collected from a nurse visit, are deposited at the UK Data Service. Further waves are in planning, in the field or being prepared for data release. This bid covers plans for data collection for Waves 13-15 and IP15-17 a boost sample to increase the size of the Study, and a range of enhancements.
Our long term vision for the Study is for it to be based on integrating the best of all kinds of data on a Longitudinal Core, whilst creating novel research opportunities with new data enhancements. Our plans include more timely data collection of key life changes, such as job loss; a pregnancy study; a repeat collection of biological data. We are investigating ways to enhance our content by collecting data with new technologies. We are also planning to expand the Study to engage with key family members who live outside the household, for example, co-parents in separated families and transnational families. We also plan to broaden the range of data we harvest from external sources, as well as individual administrative records, we are investigating how we can obtain contextual data on organisations, such as employers, and places. As in previous bids, we are proposing advertising a number of fellowships competitions to build capacity in the wider research community to use the unique features of the data.
Supporting researchers in universities, government, third sector and businesses to use the data effectively is fundamental to the success of the Study. We provide a wide range of resources, services and support to enable users with different backgrounds and from different kinds of organisations to make effective use of the data. We propose enhancing this further by adding a 'data gateway' to our website so users can select the data they need through a shopping basket system. We have a Policy Unit that works directly with government departments and third sector organisations to help them use Understanding Society data, and we undertake a wide range of activities to promote findings based on the Study to policy users. In this phase the Policy Unit will develop partnerships with different organisations to facilitate policy communities learning from high quality research based on the Study. We plan to continue to promote research from the Study widely through events, publications, briefings, on our website and through social media.
Taken together, we firmly believe that the continued collection of data on a longitudinal core and the new data enhancements proposed will significantly increase the high quality impactful research based on the Study and hence its value to society.
Planned Impact
Understanding Society is a valuable longitudinal resource that addresses key social and policy issues. The Study enables academic staff and students in the UK and abroad to create high quality impactful research in two key ways. First it is a unique resource for investigating the short and long run causes and consequences of changes in individuals' and families' lives. Second, Understanding Society is at the cutting edge of methodological advancement in longitudinal studies, which benefits survey organisations and funders of surveys and research.
Non-academic beneficiaries include a wide range of organisations and stakeholders listed below; the Impact Fellow and Policy and Partnership Unit work directly with them to raise awareness and capacity to use the data, undertake modest data analysis projects, work in partnership to promote findings and generate impact. We broker academic-policy partnerships by promoting awareness of Government research priorities, sharing relevant research with policy communities, creating opportunities for discussion through knowledge exchange events, briefings, case studies and blogs. In this bid we are innovating with 'challenge' labs in collaboration with social innovation partners to identify ways of addressing complex social problems.
Policy beneficiaries include:
-Government researchers, politicians and policy makers. The data supports research in key policy areas, and is used for statutory reporting by a number of government departments. Key areas where important impacts are emerging include from the devolved governments of Scotland and Wales, as well as DWP, DHSC, DfE, DfT, MHCLG, and BEIS. Co-Funding Government departments are directed supported in their use of the Study.
-Government executive agencies, non-departmental public bodies, parliamentary select committees, and supported research centres also use the Study's data and findings, e.g. ONS, Public Health England, Financial Conduct Authority, Bank of England, What Works Centres, the Low Pay Commission, etc.
-EU policy-makers and the international policy community. Findings will be relevant to other countries, either directly, if generalisability can be assumed, or indirectly by inspiring new lines of thought and comparative investigation.
-Local government officers, councillors and consortia are responsible for different services that are addressed by the Study - such as public health, social housing, social care, education, policing, recreation and recycling - and have influence over others through local development frameworks, transport plans, planning decisions and potential new powers with increasing devolution.
-Third sector organisations, think tanks, charities and independent and private research organisations. Many organisations of this type, such as the Nuffield Foundation, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, MIND, AgeUK, the Children's Society, are employing Study data in their work. Our Research Voucher scheme is expanding use in the charities sector.
-Private sector businesses. Findings on a range of aspects of individual behaviour and decision making and changes in societal outcomes will be relevant to market research, evaluating initiatives and corporate responsibility plans. We have held joint workshops with the financial sector, and two large businesses use Understanding Society data as benchmarks against which to compare their achievements (in the housing and wellbeing sectors). Equally, the methodological challenges the Study faces are relevant to market research and data analytic companies.
-General public. Members of the general public will have an interest in Study findings. We are planning a number of public engagement activities and media collaborations to promote public understanding of social science drawing on the data and findings from the Study.
Policy impacts have already occurred on the Study and will continue to develop with evidence from the Study increasingly incorporated into policy debates.
Non-academic beneficiaries include a wide range of organisations and stakeholders listed below; the Impact Fellow and Policy and Partnership Unit work directly with them to raise awareness and capacity to use the data, undertake modest data analysis projects, work in partnership to promote findings and generate impact. We broker academic-policy partnerships by promoting awareness of Government research priorities, sharing relevant research with policy communities, creating opportunities for discussion through knowledge exchange events, briefings, case studies and blogs. In this bid we are innovating with 'challenge' labs in collaboration with social innovation partners to identify ways of addressing complex social problems.
Policy beneficiaries include:
-Government researchers, politicians and policy makers. The data supports research in key policy areas, and is used for statutory reporting by a number of government departments. Key areas where important impacts are emerging include from the devolved governments of Scotland and Wales, as well as DWP, DHSC, DfE, DfT, MHCLG, and BEIS. Co-Funding Government departments are directed supported in their use of the Study.
-Government executive agencies, non-departmental public bodies, parliamentary select committees, and supported research centres also use the Study's data and findings, e.g. ONS, Public Health England, Financial Conduct Authority, Bank of England, What Works Centres, the Low Pay Commission, etc.
-EU policy-makers and the international policy community. Findings will be relevant to other countries, either directly, if generalisability can be assumed, or indirectly by inspiring new lines of thought and comparative investigation.
-Local government officers, councillors and consortia are responsible for different services that are addressed by the Study - such as public health, social housing, social care, education, policing, recreation and recycling - and have influence over others through local development frameworks, transport plans, planning decisions and potential new powers with increasing devolution.
-Third sector organisations, think tanks, charities and independent and private research organisations. Many organisations of this type, such as the Nuffield Foundation, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, MIND, AgeUK, the Children's Society, are employing Study data in their work. Our Research Voucher scheme is expanding use in the charities sector.
-Private sector businesses. Findings on a range of aspects of individual behaviour and decision making and changes in societal outcomes will be relevant to market research, evaluating initiatives and corporate responsibility plans. We have held joint workshops with the financial sector, and two large businesses use Understanding Society data as benchmarks against which to compare their achievements (in the housing and wellbeing sectors). Equally, the methodological challenges the Study faces are relevant to market research and data analytic companies.
-General public. Members of the general public will have an interest in Study findings. We are planning a number of public engagement activities and media collaborations to promote public understanding of social science drawing on the data and findings from the Study.
Policy impacts have already occurred on the Study and will continue to develop with evidence from the Study increasingly incorporated into policy debates.
Organisations
- University of Essex (Lead Research Organisation)
- OFFICE FOR NATIONAL STATISTICS (Collaboration)
- Welsh Assembly (Collaboration)
- Kantar Group (Collaboration)
- West Yorkshire Combined Authorities (Collaboration)
- Government of the UK (Collaboration)
- Select Research (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH (Collaboration)
- DEPARTMENT FOR WORK AND PENSIONS (Collaboration)
- University of Sheffield (Collaboration)
- Cardiff University (Collaboration)
- Trades Union Congress (TUC) (Collaboration)
- Government of Scotland (Collaboration)
- Department for Communities and Local Government (Collaboration)
- What Works Centre for Wellbeing (Collaboration)
- NATIONAL CENTRE FOR SOCIAL RESEARCH (Collaboration)
- University of Florence (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL (Collaboration)
- University of Bristol (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON (Collaboration)
- Frontier Economics (Collaboration)
- London School of Economics and Political Science (University of London) (Collaboration)
- Quadram Institute Bioscience (Collaboration)
- Health Foundation (Collaboration)
- University College London (Collaboration)
- University of Manchester (Collaboration)
- Department of Transport (Collaboration)
- McKinsey & Company (Collaboration)
- DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD (Collaboration)
- Family Action (Collaboration)
- University of the West of England (Collaboration)
- Behavioural Insights Team (Collaboration)
- Institute for Fiscal Studies (Project Partner)
- Young Foundation (Project Partner)
- Financial Conduct Authority (Project Partner)
- Competition and Markets Authority (Project Partner)
Publications
Aguirre E
(2024)
Parental gender attitudes and children's mental health: Evidence from the UK household longitudinal study
in Social Science & Medicine
Aksoy O
(2022)
Religiosity and Mental Wellbeing Among Members of Majority and Minority Religions: Findings From Understanding Society: the UK Household Longitudinal Study.
in American journal of epidemiology
Avram S
(2021)
Household Earnings and Income Volatility in the UK, 2009-2017
in The Journal of Economic Inequality
Benzeval M
(2023)
A symposium on Understanding Society, the UK Household Longitudinal Study: introduction
in Fiscal Studies
Benzeval M
(2023)
Understanding Society: health, biomarker and genetic data
in Fiscal Studies
Booker CL
(2021)
Sexual Orientation and the Incidence of COVID-19: Evidence from Understanding Society in the UK Longitudinal Household Study.
in Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)
Burton J
(2024)
The Effects of Placement and Order on Consent to Data Linkage in a Web survey
in Journal of Survey Statistics and Methodology
Description | 2022 Consultation on Pregnancy and Early Childhood data |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
Impact | The exercise was a success, enabling us to identify some reasons why researchers have not engaged with our children's data and which key topics would be beneficial to incorporate into the study. |
Description | 2022 Society for Longitudinal and Lifecourse Studies Annual Conference |
Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
Impact | Presenting at this conference has contributed to UKHLS potential users to open up to new ways of thinking about the pregnancy and early childhood data we collect. In addition, it has been an excelent channel to build networks with the research community working on child development topics. |
Description | 2022 Society for Social Medicine and Population Health Annual Scientific Meeting |
Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
Impact | Presenting the poster in this conference has contributed to UKHLS potential users to open up to new ways of thinking about the pregnancy and early childhood data we collect. In addition, it has been an excelent channel to build networks with the research community working on child development topics. |
URL | https://jech.bmj.com/content/76/Suppl_1/A54.1 |
Description | Bank of England's Financial Policy Committee uses Understanding Society in its Financial Stability Report |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Impact | The Financial Stability Report sets out the Bank of England's Financial Policy Committee's view on the stability of the UK financial system and what it is doing to remove or reduce any risks to it. It uses Understanding Society to work out the share of households with high cost of living adjusted debt-servicing ratios on mortgage debt. The report is presented to Parliament pursuant to Section 9W(10) of the Bank of England Act 1998 as amended by the Financial Services Act 2012. |
URL | https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/financial-stability-report/2022/july-2022 |
Description | Behavioural Insights Team cites research using Understanding Society in work on barriers and enablers for women's progression from low-paid and low-skill work |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
Impact | This literature review centres on the UK, South Africa, France and Spain, and first outlines the barriers and enablers faced by low-paid and low-skill women, and subsequently, identifies a range of promising behavioural interventions. |
URL | https://www.bi.team/publications/understanding-the-barriers-and-enablers-for-womens-progression-from... |
Description | Business for Health: Pillars Working Group |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
Impact | There has been growing recognition that one signfiicant dimension to the health challenge is economic inactivity driven by long-term sickness. The government has announced that it is looking at policy options to address this growing problem, particularly in the context of labour market shortages - with detailed policy proposals expected in the March 2023 Budget statement. |
URL | https://www.businessforhealth.org/business-index |
Description | Care Policy and Evaluation Centre (CPEC) at the London School of Economics cites research using Understanding Society in evidence to House of Lords Adult Social Care Committee to |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
Impact | This evidence note for the House of Lords Adult Social Care Committee outlines research which the Care Policy and Evaluation Centre (CPEC) at the London School of Economics and Political Science is conducting or has recently completed on unpaid care. It includes references to CPEC papers and in some cases related papers by other researchers. The evidence was published as part of the Committee's report A "gloriously ordinary life'': spotlight on adult social care, published in November 2022 |
URL | https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/31917/documents/181472/default/ |
Description | Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion uses Understanding Society in its Annual Report 2021 |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Impact | The 2021 CASE Annual Report includes an overview of the Centre's work, updates from staff, PhDs, and associates, and summaries of publications and events from the past year. It also features 14 articles showcasing the breadth and depth of research, covering topics including educational inequalities in England; child poverty; the role of informal financial support; the effectiveness of the UK social security system during the COVID-19 crisis; neighbourhood composition; housing regeneration; and the measurement of multidimensional inequality. They also report on collaboration with Sense about Science to promote public engagement with research evidence. |
URL | https://sticerd.lse.ac.uk/CASE/_NEW/PUBLICATIONS/abstract/?index=9292 |
Description | Children's Commissioner's office uses Understanding Society in Independent Family Review |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Impact | The Government asked the Children's Commissioner to research "what the modern family looks like", and is expected to use the evidence to formulate post-Covid policy on family relationships |
URL | https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/report/family-and-its-protective-effect-part-1-of-the-indep... |
Description | Children's Society uses Understanding Society in its Good Childhood Report 2022 |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Impact | The annual Good Childhood Report shows the latest trends in children's wellbeing. The research seeks to understand how young people feel about different aspects of their lives, finding in 2022 that school, friendships and appearance continue to cause the greatest dissatisfaction in adolescence. The Children's Society uses the report to lobby government for changes in society to benefit children |
URL | https://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/information/professionals/resources/good-childhood-report-2022 |
Description | DWP Low Income Dynamics Report |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
Description | DWP usage of Understanding Society data on separated parents |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
URL | https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/parental-conflict-indicator-2011-to-2020/parental-conflict-... |
Description | Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy cites research using Understanding Society in Consumer protection study 2022 |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
URL | https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/consumer-protection-study-2022 |
Description | Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport cites research using Understanding Society in written evidence to DCMS Committee |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
URL | https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/106685/pdf/ |
Description | Department for Transport cites research using Understanding Society in its Agglomeration in transport appraisal: the effect of COVID-19 |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
URL | https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/agglomeration-in-transport-appraisal-the-effect-of-covid-... |
Description | Department for Work and Pensions uses Understanding Society for Public services productivity estimates |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Impact | DWP's Households Below Average Income (HBAI) report presents information on living standards in the United Kingdom year on year from financial year ending (FYE) 1995 to FYE 2021. It provides estimates on the number and percentage of people living in low-income households based on disposable income. Figures are also provided for children, pensioners and working-age adults. |
URL | https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/households-below-average-income-for-financial-years-ending-... |
Description | Department for Work and Pensions' official statistics on Income Dynamics: 2010 to 2020 uses our data |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Impact | This shows our data being used by a government department to generate official statistics. Income Dynamics provides estimates of the rates of persistent low income. An individual is classed as being in persistent low income if they are in low income in at least 3 out of 4 years. Income Dynamics also provides estimates of mobility across the income distribution, including low income entry and exit rates, as well as analysis on the events associated with low income entry and exit. |
URL | https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/income-dynamics-2010-to-2020 |
Description | Gingerbread used Understanding Society in The Invisible Family: The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on single parents living in London |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Impact | Gingerbread's report shows that there are differences between the challenges single parents face at a local and national level, and says "The pandemic has highlighted the importance of childcare and mental wellbeing as social infrastructures ... To try to make the challenges of single parenthood more 'visible', and to better protect single parents who live in London following the Covid-19 pandemic, Gingerbread have identified several policy recommendations at a local and national level. These recommendations are divided into three policy areas identified by single parents as areas of concern in the qualitative interviews: employment, childcare and mental health." |
URL | https://www.gingerbread.org.uk/policy-campaigns/publications-index/the-invisible-family-the-impact-o... |
Description | Health and Care Research Wales cites research using Understanding Society in review of impact of COVID-19 on health and access to health care of disabled people |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
Impact | Health and Care Research Wales cited research using Understanding Society in its 'Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health and access to health care of disabled people: a rapid review'. The Equality, Inclusion and Human Rights Branch of Welsh Government suggested the research with the aim of informing the work of the Disability Rights Taskforce, Welsh Government. |
URL | https://healthandcareresearchwales.org/impact-covid-19-pandemic-disabled-people |
Description | House of Commons Public Accounts Committee publishes evidence from Sport for Development Coalition which cites research using our data |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
URL | https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/111047/html/ |
Description | House of Lords Adult Social Care Committee publishes our evidence with its adult social care report |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Impact | The House of Lords Adult Social Care Committee was appointed to consider the planning for, and delivery of, adult social care services in England. Its findings will inform government planning and policy on this issue. |
URL | https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/580/adult-social-care-committee/publications/ |
Description | Independent Age report: Longer-term pensioner poverty and poverty transitions: A quantitative analysis of the Understanding Society survey |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
URL | https://www.independentage.org/longer-term-pensioner-poverty-and-poverty-transitions-a-quantitative-... |
Description | Industrial Injuries Advisory Council cites research using our data in COVID-19 and Occupational Impacts report |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
Impact | The Industrial Injuries Advisory Council is a non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions, and cites research using our data in its COVID-19 and Occupational Impacts report, published by Department of Health & Social Care on 16 November 2022 |
URL | https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-and-occupational-impacts/covid-19-and-occupation... |
Description | Institute for Fiscal Studies used Understanding Society in working paper 'Living standards of working-age disability benefits recipients in the UK' |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Impact | The IFS is the UK's leading independent economics research institute. It analyses and informs economic and social policy decisions and helps policymakers - and those who hold them accountable - understand the impact that their choices will have on individuals, households and businesses. |
URL | https://ifs.org.uk/publications/living-standards-working-age-disability-benefits-recipients-uk |
Description | Institute for Fiscal Studies uses Understanding Society in Deaton Review of Inequality |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Impact | The chapter forms part of a major project, the Deaton Review, led by Nobel Laureate Professor Sir Angus Deaton, which aims to understand what drives inequality in the UK, and what can be done to mitigate it. The review aims to be "the most ambitious study of its kind yet attempted, we will aim to understand inequality not just of income, but of health, wealth, political participation, and opportunity; and not just between rich and poor but by gender, ethnicity, geography, age and education. We will cover the full breadth of the population - not just what is happening at the very top and very bottom. We will examine what concerns people about inequality, what aspects of it are perceived to be fair and unfair, and how those concerns relate to the actual levels of inequality and the processes by which they are created. We will examine the big forces that drive inequalities - from technological change, globalisation, labour markets and corporate behaviour to family structures and education systems." |
URL | https://ifs.org.uk/inequality/families-and-inequalities/ |
Description | Institute for Fiscal Studies uses Understanding Society in its Living standards, poverty and inequality in the UK: 2022 report |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Impact | The Institute for Fiscal Studies used Understanding Society data in its Living standards, poverty and inequality in the UK: 2022 report, making findings on household incomes during the pandemic, and trends in child poverty and material deprivation before the COVID-19 pandemic. The IFS is the UK's leading independent economics research institute, analysing and informing economic and social policy decisions and to help policymakers - and those who hold them accountable - understand the impact that their choices will have on individuals, households and businesses. Its initiatives such as the Mirlees Review, the IFS Green Budget and the IFS Deaton Review of Inequalities, have been guiding politicians and civil servants in implementing effective economic policies for over 50 years. The IFS communicates its work widely on a national and international scale, providing independent commentary and analysis to stakeholders in the UK, Europe and in low- and middle-income countries around the world, opening up policy debate. |
URL | https://ifs.org.uk/publications/living-standards-poverty-and-inequality-uk-2022 |
Description | Institute for Fiscal Studies uses Understanding Society in its Long COVID and the labour market report |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Impact | The IFS is the UK's leading independent economics research institute, analysing and informing economic and social policy decisions and to help policymakers - and those who hold them accountable - understand the impact that their choices will have on individuals, households and businesses. Its initiatives such as the Mirlees Review, the IFS Green Budget and the IFS Deaton Review of Inequalities, have been guiding politicians and civil servants in implementing effective economic policies for over 50 years. The IFS communicates its work widely on a national and international scale, providing independent commentary and analysis to stakeholders in the UK, Europe and in low- and middle-income countries around the world, opening up policy debate. |
URL | https://ifs.org.uk/publications/long-covid-and-labour-market |
Description | Institute for Fiscal Studies uses Understanding Society in its Stimulus payments and private transfers working paper |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
Impact | The Institute for Fiscal Studies uses Understanding Society, and specifically our Covid data, in its working paper, 'Stimulus payments and private transfers', which reports that private transfers can affect the spending response to stimulus payments, as those receiving income windfalls may transfer resources to other households in greater financial need. The results suggest that public payments crowd out private transfers, which may be useful in informing HM Treasury decisions in future. |
URL | https://ifs.org.uk/publications/stimulus-payments-and-private-transfers |
Description | Invited speaker at "Social Mobility and Education", meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Social Science and Policy (Birgitta Rabe) |
Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
Description | Joseph Rowntree Foundation uses our data for Anxiety nation? Economic insecurity and mental distress in 2020s Britain report |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
URL | https://www.jrf.org.uk/report/anxiety-nation-economic-insecurity-and-mental-distress-2020s-britain |
Description | Northern Health Science Alliance used Understanding Society in Parallel Pandemic - COVID-19 and Mental Health report |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Impact | The report is backed by the NHSA's mental health trust members: Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust and Tees, Esk and Wear Valley NHS Foundation Trust. It will be used to help shape policy and practice in the region in tackling the aftermath of the pandemic |
URL | https://www.thenhsa.co.uk/2022/07/parallel-pandemic-report/ |
Description | Northern Health Science Alliance uses Understanding Society in Overcoming Health Inequalities report |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Impact | The report shows that people in England's most deprived neighbourhoods work longer hours than those in the rest of the country but live shorter lives with more years in ill health costing an estimated £29.8bn a year to the economy in lost productivity. People living in these communities were also 46% more likely to die from COVID-19 than those in the rest of England. The findings appear in a joint report by the All-Parliamentary Party Group for 'left behind' neighbourhoods and Northern Health Science Alliance, so we nknow that these results will be seen by parliamentarians and policy makers. |
URL | https://www.thenhsa.co.uk/2022/01/new-report-shows-almost-30bn-health-cost-of-englands-most-deprived... |
Description | Northern Ireland Executive mentions research using Understanding Society in Pensions Dashboards Regulations |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
Impact | The Department for Communities of the Northern Ireland Executive cites research using our data on pensions/ethnicity in The Pensions Dashboards Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022 (p.27), 8 December 2022 |
URL | https://www.communities-ni.gov.uk/publications/pensions-dashboards-regulations-northern-ireland-2022 |
Description | Nuffield Trust uses our data in Falling short: How far have we come in improving support for unpaid carers in England? |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Impact | The Nuffield Trust is an independent health think tank. We aim to improve the quality of health care in the UK by providing evidence-based research and policy analysis and informing and generating debate. Its recommendations will be seen by parliamentarians and policymakers and others |
URL | https://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/research/falling-short-how-far-have-we-come-in-improving-support-fo... |
Description | ONS cites Joseph Rowntree Foundation report in analysis of Cost of living and depression in adults |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
Impact | Office for National Statistics cites research using our data in its analysis into the prevalence of depression among adults in Great Britain in autumn 2022. Exploring this in the context of the rising cost of living. |
URL | https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/mentalhealth/articles/costof... |
Description | ONS uses our data in statistics on Improving Access to Psychological Therapies services |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Impact | This ONS analysis looks at characteristics of patients treated in the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services and whether patients are representative of the population with a probable Common Mental Disorder (CMD) as defined by the UK Household Longitudinal Study (UKHLS) in England. This identifies groups with lower access to IAPT to help to improve the coverage of the service. |
URL | https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/mentalhealth/articles/sociod... |
Description | Office for National Statistics uses Understanding Society for Public services productivity estimates |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Impact | Office for National Statistics produces updated measures of output, inputs, and productivity for public services in the UK between 1997 and 2019. Includes service area breakdown, as well as impact of quality adjustment and latest revisions. |
URL | https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/economicoutputandproductivity/publicservicesproductivity |
Description | Office of Manpower Economics research, What teachers do after leaving & implications for pay-setting, cites research using Understanding Society |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
URL | https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/what-teachers-do-after-leaving-implications-for-pay-setti... |
Description | Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development cites research using Understanding Society in culture and creative economy report |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
Impact | The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental organisation with 38 member countries, founded in 1961 to stimulate economic progress and world trade. Its report provides an overview of cultural and creative sectors in the Glasgow City Region, highlighting trends in employment, business dynamics, entrepreneurship and financing as well as cultural participation. It offers analysis and recommendations to support the region in continuing to build on its local cultural and creative ecosystem. |
URL | https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/industry-and-services/culture-and-the-creative-economy-in-glasgow-city... |
Description | Our COVID-19 data is cited in the French Government's Observatoire National du Suicide report |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
Impact | This official report from a branch of French government will help to guide its Covid/mental health policy |
URL | https://www.vie-publique.fr/rapport/286200-rapport-observatoire-du-suicide-limpact-de-la-crise-du-co... |
Description | Our evidence to the House of Lords Built Environment Committee published with their Meeting housing demand report, and cited in the report |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
URL | https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/8354/documents/85292/default/ |
Description | Participation in Goverment Statisical Service Hamonisation network |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
URL | https://analysisfunction.civilservice.gov.uk/government-statistical-service-and-statistician-group/c... |
Description | RAND Corporation cites reseahc using our data in report on hybrid work and employee wellbeing |
Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
Impact | The global policy think tank RAND Corporation referred to research on flexible working/stress biomarkers using our data in Employee Wellbeing, Work Behaviours and Work Outcomes in a Hybrid Work Context, published in October 2022. RAND has over 400 clients in 48 countries worldwide, so its reach with a report of this kind is considerable, and the work has relevance for employers in any field |
URL | https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA2083-1.html |
Description | RSA used Understanding Society in 'How a universal basic income can address the crisis in anxiety and depression' |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Impact | New research from the RSA in partnership with a multidisciplinary team led by Matthew Johnson, Professor in Politics at Northumbria University, explores the possible benefits of a universal basic income in the UK. The report is supported by a foreword from Rt Hon Mark Drakeford, First Minister of Wales, who shares that in Wales the basic income trial will: "Give [young people] choices - they will be able to decide whether they want to undertake education, develop businesses, grow their skills, make plans and decide how they want to experience life as they make the transition to adulthood." The report's policy recommendations include the finding that Universal Basic Income is affordable, and that "policymakers should commit to trials of Universal Basic Income". |
URL | https://www.thersa.org/reports/universal-basic-income-anxiety-depression-mental-health-crisis-interi... |
Description | Scientific Advisor for NatCen on Education & Outcomes Panel Study B (primary school) (Birgitta Rabe) |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to new or improved professional practice |
Impact | I advise on questionnaire design, improving its relevance and quality for use by the DfE and other policy makers. |
Description | Scientific Advisor for NatCen on Education & Outcomes Panel Study C (secondary school) (Birgitta Rabe) |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to new or improved professional practice |
Impact | I advise on questionnaire design, improving its relevance and quality for use by the DfE and other policy makers. |
Description | Scottish Government Labour Market Evidence Programme |
Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
Impact | Whilst the evidence programme will inform the Scottish Government labour market ambitions, translating this into specific policies will happen over time. Two Understanding Society evidence briefings have already been shared with the Scottish Government - one on work and health and the other on economic inactivity. These issues are currently being examined, with detailed policy proposals expected in the near future. |
URL | https://www.gov.scot/publications/employment-our-vision/pages/labour-market-ambitions/ |
Description | Scottish Government uses Understanding Society to calculate statistics on persistent poverty |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Impact | The Scottish Government uses Understanding Society to estimate the proportion of people, children, working-age adults and pensioners living in persistent poverty in Scotland and in the other countries in the UK. The estimates are used to monitor progress in reducing poverty. |
URL | https://data.gov.scot/poverty/2022/persistent.html |
Description | Social Mobility Commission uses our data in its State of the Nation report |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Impact | The Social Mobility Commission reports on the state of social mobility in the country, using a new framework and setting out a new approach for the government to use to tackle the issue |
URL | https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/state-of-the-nation-2022-a-fresh-approach-to-social-mobil... |
Description | Spirit of 2012 uses Understanding Society in its Volunteering Together: Inclusive Volunteering and Disabled People report |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Impact | The new National Disability Strategy is an opportunity to address the inequalities faced by disabled people. There are a number of new initiatives that aim to build on surge in some forms of volunteering during the lockdowns. This research will help organisations better understand the background and needs of disabled people, open up positive volunteering opportunities for disabled people and address harmful stereotypes and disparities. These are issues that need to be tackled if disabled people are to participate on equal terms in society. |
URL | https://spiritof2012.org.uk/insights/volunteering-together-inclusive-volunteering-and-disabled-peopl... |
Description | Sustained Pressure report by Bright Blue think tank on benefit claimants and wellbeing uses Understanding Society |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
URL | http://www.brightblue.org.uk/anvar-sarygulov-sustained-pressure/ |
Description | Trussell Trust cites Understanding Society in evidence to Work and Pensions Committee |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
Impact | The Trussell Trust cited Understanding Society in para 33, p.10 of its written evidence to the House of Commons Work and Pensions Committee inquiry 'Health assessments for benefits', which published its report in June 2022 [https://committees.parliament.uk/work/1468/health-assessments-for-benefits/publications/]. The Trust's evidence concludes with five points of policy development, which are more likely to have fed through to DWP as a result of appearing in the submission. |
URL | https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/42079/html/ |
Description | UK Data Service Advisory Committee |
Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
URL | https://www.data-archive.ac.uk/ |
Description | Understanding Society work cited by the Department for Work and Pensions in their methodology for estimating poverty dynamics |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
Impact | The Government has improved its monitoring of poverty by taking into account the data quality findings of my paper in its methodology. |
URL | https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/income-dynamics-2010-to-2020/income-dynamics-background-inf... |
Description | United Nations Development Proghramme cited research using Understanding Society in Human Development Report 2021-22 |
Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
Impact | UNDP (United Nations Development Programme)'s Human Development Report 2021-22: Uncertain Times, Unsettled Lives: Shaping our Future in a Transforming World is the latest in its series of global Human Development Reports published since 1990 as independent and analytically and empirically grounded discussions of major development issues, trends and policies. |
URL | https://hdr.undp.org/content/human-development-report-2021-22 |
Description | What Works Centre for Wellbeing: time use research |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
URL | https://whatworkswellbeing.org/ |
Description | Working Families Academic Advisory Board |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
Impact | The organisation uses the insights and guidance provided by the Academic Advisory Board to inform decision-making across a range of its activities. It's impact on policy, reglution and practice is published annually through an annual Impact Report. A link to the latest copy of the impact report is provided below. |
URL | https://workingfamilies.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Working-Families-Impact-Report-21-22_final... |
Description | Working with the Evaluation Task Force (Cabinet Office) to showcase the use of panel data for policy evaluations |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
Impact | This work with and alongside the Evaluation Task Force (ETF) included a presentation to the team, a conference on using panel data to undertake policy evaluations, appointment of policy evaluation fellows, and a commitment to produce a series of use cases in 2023. The briefing to the ETF raised their knowledge of the unique properties of longitudinal data and their relevance to evaluating policy. The policy evaluation conference (separate engagement entry for this) attracted bookings from 279 delegates from across government departments and different sectors, demonstrating engagement on this issue, with postive feedback from delegates at the conference. |
URL | https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/blog/2022/12/02/we-need-a-long-term-evaluation-culture |
Title | Code creator |
Description | The code creator has been developed to allow data users to create their own data file containing their variable selection. The code creator works from the main Understanding Society dataset and can be found in the variable search area of the Understanding Society website. After selecting their variables, users are sent a file with Stata code that include their choice of variables, plus a set of commonly used sociodemographic variables and cross-sectional and longitudinal weight variables. |
Type Of Material | Data analysis technique |
Year Produced | 2022 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | The code creator has been well received by the data user community, particularly by less experienced users who need additional support in navigating the dataset. |
URL | https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/documentation/mainstage/dataset-documentation |
Title | Data dashboard |
Description | The data dashboard allows users to build charts that show trends over time and compare different population groups. The first dashboard uses variables from the Understanding Society COVID-19 survey. Data dashboards will be added over time, with ones on wellbeing and household finances currently in development to be released in 2023. |
Type Of Material | Data analysis technique |
Year Produced | 2022 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | The COVID-19 data dashboard has been used by the What Works Centre for Wellbeing to show the impact of the pandemic on different groups. |
URL | https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/topic/covid-19/data-dashboard |
Title | Scottish Government Strategic Insights Unit - Drivers of Labour Market Inactivity |
Description | A set of variables and demographic data were creating from Understanding Society, including pivot tables, to facilitate research into the dynamics of the economically inactive population. |
Type Of Material | Data analysis technique |
Year Produced | 2022 |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | Economic inactivity, particularly in the context labour market shortages, has become a key issue in policy. This dataset has facilitate analysis into the demography of economic inactivity, and importantly understand why people become economically inactive (e.g. health reasons, discouragement, caring responsibilities) and how this vary with age, income, skills and equality characteristics. Government is planning to take action, with specific policy proposal expected as part the March 2023 Budget Statement. |
Title | Understanding Society: Calendar Year Dataset, 2020 |
Description | The Understanding Society: Calendar Year Dataset, 2020, is designed to enable cross-sectional analysis of individuals and households relating specifically to their annual interviews conducted in the year 2020, and, therefore, combine data collected in three waves (Waves 10, 11 and 12). It has been produced from the same data collected in the main Understanding Society study and released in the longitudinal datasets SN 6614 (End User Licence) and SN 6931 (Special Licence). Such cross-sectional analysis can, however, only involve variables that are collected in every wave in order to have data for the full sample panel. The 2020 dataset is the first of a series of planned Calendar Year Datasets to facilitate cross-sectional analysis of specific years. Full details of the Calendar Year Dataset sample structure (including why some individual interviews from 2021 are included), data structure and additional supporting information can be found in the 8988_calendar_year_dataset_2020_user_guide. As multi-topic studies, the purpose of Understanding Society is to understand the 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 fieldwork period for a single wave is 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. In 2020 an additional frequent web survey was separately issued to sample members to capture data on the rapid changes in people's lives due to the COVID-19 pandemic (see SN 8644). The COVID-19 Survey data are not included in this dataset. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2022 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | Not yet known |
URL | https://beta.ukdataservice.ac.uk/datacatalogue/studies/study?id=8988 |
Title | Understanding Society: Innovation Panel Life Events Study, 2020 |
Description | The Understanding Society Innovation Panel Life Events Study, 2020, was a monthly survey of households from the Innovation Panel sample. The aim of the study was to test methods for collecting data about life events (such as new health conditions, pregnancy, job changes, residential moves, and partnership changes) close in time to when the events occur. The survey asked about the occurrence of events, details of the events, and implications for wellbeing, mental health, finances, and support networks. The survey started in February 2020 and was fielded monthly until January 2021. The recall period for each survey was the previous calendar month, that is, the survey collected data about life events from January to December 2020. Innovation Panel sample members in households that regularly used the internet were invited to a monthly web survey. The data can be linked to data on the same individuals from previous and future waves of the annual Innovation Panel interviews (SN 6849) using the personal identifier pidp. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2022 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | n/a |
URL | https://beta.ukdataservice.ac.uk/datacatalogue/studies/study?id=8990 |
Title | Understanding Society: Innovation Panel Life Events Study, 2020 |
Description | The Understanding Society Innovation Panel Life Events Study, 2020, was a monthly survey of households from the Innovation Panel sample. The aim of the study was to test methods for collecting data about life events (such as new health conditions, pregnancy, job changes, residential moves, and partnership changes) close in time to when the events occur. The survey asked about the occurrence of events, details of the events, and implications for wellbeing, mental health, finances, and support networks. The survey started in February 2020 and was fielded monthly until January 2021. The recall period for each survey was the previous calendar month, that is, the survey collected data about life events from January to December 2020. Innovation Panel sample members in households that regularly used the internet were invited to a monthly web survey. The data can be linked to data on the same individuals from previous and future waves of the annual Innovation Panel interviews (SN 6849) using the personal identifier pidp. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2022 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | Not yet known |
URL | https://beta.ukdataservice.ac.uk/datacatalogue/studies/study?id=8990 |
Title | Understanding Society: Innovation Panel Wellbeing App Study, 2020 |
Description | Understanding Society, (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. The Wellbeing app study was conducted in 2020 as part of the annual Innovation Panel (IP) Wave 13 interview. All adult respondents who had completed at least one previous IP interview were invited to download an app onto their smartphone or tablet. They were asked to use the app every evening for 14 days to report on their emotional state and self-regulation, external stressors, attachment, and interactions with loved ones. Participants were incentivised throughout the fieldwork period, with incentives being paid at the end of their two-week participation period. Of the 2,152 respondents who were invited to the app study, 967 completed the daily app questionnaire at least once. The Wellbeing app data were collected between 14 July and 26 November 2020. The protocols for the mobile app data collection included three experiments: i) varying the value of incentives for completing the study, ii) varying the length of the daily questionnaire, and iii) varying the placement of the invitation to the app study within the annual IP interview. The data deposited for the Wellbeing App Study include the survey and paradata collected with the app. The data can be linked to data on the same individuals from previous and future waves of the annual IP interviews (SN 6849) using the personal identifier, pidp. The Wellbeing app was developed and implemented by Connect Internet Solutions Ltd. For more information about the main IP study, see SN 6849. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2023 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | n/a |
URL | https://beta.ukdataservice.ac.uk/datacatalogue/studies/study?id=9065 |
Title | Understanding Society: Waves 1-11, 2009-2020: Special Licence Access, School Codes |
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. The Understanding Society: Special Licence Access, School Codes dataset contains school code variables for child respondents and adult respondents (all adults at Wave 1 and new entrants at subsequent waves) to Understanding Society. A household identification serial number is also included for file matching to the main data. See documentation for further details. These data have more restrictive access conditions than those available under the standard End User Licence (see 'Access' section below). Those users who wish to make an application for these data should contact the HelpDesk for further details. Latest edition information For the 8th edition (November 2021) Wave 11 data have been added. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2021 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | Major impacts in several dimensions, documented elsewhere. |
URL | https://beta.ukdataservice.ac.uk/datacatalogue/doi/?id=7182#7 |
Title | Understanding Society: Waves 1-12, 2009-2021 and Harmonised BHPS: Waves 1-18, 1991-2009 |
Description | This release combines eleven waves of Understanding Society data with harmonised data from all eighteen waves of the BHPS. 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). 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. For the general and BHPS samples biomarker, genetic and epigenetic data are also available. The biomarker data, and summary genetics and epigenetic scores, are available via UKDS (see SN 7251); detailed genetics and epigenetics data are available by application (see below). In 2020 an additional frequent web survey was separately issued to sample members to capture data on the rapid changes in people's lives due to the COVID-19 pandemic (see SN 8644). |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2022 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | Numerous |
URL | https://beta.ukdataservice.ac.uk/datacatalogue/studies/study?id=6614 |
Title | Understanding Society: Waves 2-3 Nurse Health Assessment, 2010-2012 |
Description | Understanding Society, (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. The Understanding Society Wave 2 Nurse Health Assessment, conducted in 2010-2012, was completed with 15,646 adult participants from the General Population component living in England, Scotland or Wales who completed a full Wave 2 interview. In addition, blood samples were obtained from 9,920 individuals. The Wave 3 Nurse Health Assessment, conducted in 2011-2012, was completed with the BHPS sample component. Assessments were conducted with 5,053 individuals and blood samples were obtained from 3,366 individuals. The Nurse Health Assessment, which included physical measures, such as height, weight, lung function, blood pressure and grip strength, as well as a range of blood samples, followed the main wave interview by approximately five months. As well as a range of blood analytes, two proteomic panels have been produced and a number of epigenetics clock variables have been derived. The physical measures, biomarkers and questionnaire data from the Nurse Health Assessment interview are available from the UK Data Service. Genetics and epigenetic information is also available, with and without survey data; see the Understanding Society website's health data section for more information - https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/about/health/data.For information on the main Understanding Society study, see SN 6614, Understanding Society and Harmonised BHPS. The Special Licence version of the Understanding Society: Nurse Health Assessment study is held under SN 7587. It contains variables covering prescription medication codes and associated usage questions, together with polygenic score variables, derived from analysis of the genetics data, that are not included in the standard End User Licence version (SN 7251). Users are advised to check that study first to see if the data are suitable for their needs before making an application for the Special Licence version. See documentation for further details.Latest edition information For the 4th edition (October 2022) Proteomics and Epigenetic Clock data files have both been added. For full details please refer to the user guides. Suitable data analysis software These data are provided by the depositor in Stata format. Users are strongly advised to analyse them in Stata. Transfer to other formats may result in unforeseen issues. Stata SE or MP software is needed to analyse the larger files, which contain over 2,047 variables. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2022 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | The fourth edition adds proteomics variables and epigenetic clocks to the dataset. |
URL | https://beta.ukdataservice.ac.uk/datacatalogue/doi/?id=7251#3 |
Title | Understanding Society: Waves 2-3 Nurse Health Assessment, 2010-2012: Special Licence Access |
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. Nurse Health Assessment The Wave 2 Nurse Health Assessment, conducted in 2010-2011 was completed with 15,591 adult participants from the General Population component living in England, Scotland or Wales who completed a full Wave 2 interview. In addition, blood samples were obtained from 10,175 individuals. The Wave 3 Nurse Health Assessment, conducted in 2011-2012 was completed with the BHPS sample component. Assessments were conducted with 5,053 individuals and blood samples were obtained from 3,342 individuals. The Nurse Health Assessment followed the main wave interview by approximately five months. The physical measures, biomarkers and questionnaire data from the Nurse Health Assessment interview are available from the UK Data Service. Genetics information is also available; see the Understanding Society website's health data section for more information - https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/about/health/data. The standard End User Licence version of the Understanding Society: Nurse Health Assessment study is held under SN 7251. Users are advised to check that study first to see if the data are suitable for their needs before making an application for the Special Licence version. The Special Licence version contains variables covering prescription medication codes and associated usage questions that are not included in the End User Licence version. See documentation for further details. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2022 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | This 2nd edition adds proteomics, epigenetic clocks, and polygenic score variables to the nurse dataset. |
URL | https://beta.ukdataservice.ac.uk/datacatalogue/doi/?id=7587#1 |
Title | Wellbeing: Science and Policy: Teaching Dataset, 2023 (Layard, P. R. G., De Neve, J.,LSE, University of London) |
Description | This study contains the datasets for the exercises of the textbook: Layard, R. and De Neve, J-E. (2023) 'Wellbeing: Science and Policy', Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781009298926. The datasets are extracted from SN 6614 Understanding Society: Waves 1-11, 2009-2020 and Harmonised BHPS: Waves 1-18, 1991-2009. Should any queries arise in regard to these teaching datasets, they should be directed to the authors of the book. These datasets are not maintained by the Institute for Social and Economic Research (ISER), the producer of the main Understanding Society study. MAIN TOPICS Variables include: Age; Life satisfaction reported; Education level; Equivalence scale adjusted HH income; Equivalence scale adjusted HH income (log); Age-squared; Ever diagnosed with mental health condition; Number of health conditions ever diagnosed; Unemployed; Partnered. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2023 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | Not yet known |
URL | https://beta.ukdataservice.ac.uk/datacatalogue/studies/study?id=9044 |
Description | Co-funders' Group |
Organisation | Department for Education |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Understanding Society works closely with each department to ensure that their needs are met on a project basis as well as through an overarching governance mechanism. Some departments also fund the study and provide input into various decisions. The group was established in 2008, the membership for which has changed during this period. |
Collaborator Contribution | Departments fund the study and provide input for various decisions. |
Impact | See Direct Access entries |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Co-funders' Group |
Organisation | Department for Work and Pensions |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Understanding Society works closely with each department to ensure that their needs are met on a project basis as well as through an overarching governance mechanism. Some departments also fund the study and provide input into various decisions. The group was established in 2008, the membership for which has changed during this period. |
Collaborator Contribution | Departments fund the study and provide input for various decisions. |
Impact | See Direct Access entries |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Co-funders' Group |
Organisation | Department of Transport |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Understanding Society works closely with each department to ensure that their needs are met on a project basis as well as through an overarching governance mechanism. Some departments also fund the study and provide input into various decisions. The group was established in 2008, the membership for which has changed during this period. |
Collaborator Contribution | Departments fund the study and provide input for various decisions. |
Impact | See Direct Access entries |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Co-funders' Group |
Organisation | Government of Scotland |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Understanding Society works closely with each department to ensure that their needs are met on a project basis as well as through an overarching governance mechanism. Some departments also fund the study and provide input into various decisions. The group was established in 2008, the membership for which has changed during this period. |
Collaborator Contribution | Departments fund the study and provide input for various decisions. |
Impact | See Direct Access entries |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Co-funders' Group |
Organisation | Government of the UK |
Department | Department of Health and Social Care |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Understanding Society works closely with each department to ensure that their needs are met on a project basis as well as through an overarching governance mechanism. Some departments also fund the study and provide input into various decisions. The group was established in 2008, the membership for which has changed during this period. |
Collaborator Contribution | Departments fund the study and provide input for various decisions. |
Impact | See Direct Access entries |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Co-funders' Group |
Organisation | Office for National Statistics |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Understanding Society works closely with each department to ensure that their needs are met on a project basis as well as through an overarching governance mechanism. Some departments also fund the study and provide input into various decisions. The group was established in 2008, the membership for which has changed during this period. |
Collaborator Contribution | Departments fund the study and provide input for various decisions. |
Impact | See Direct Access entries |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Co-funders' Group |
Organisation | Welsh Assembly |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Understanding Society works closely with each department to ensure that their needs are met on a project basis as well as through an overarching governance mechanism. Some departments also fund the study and provide input into various decisions. The group was established in 2008, the membership for which has changed during this period. |
Collaborator Contribution | Departments fund the study and provide input for various decisions. |
Impact | See Direct Access entries |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Quadram Institute Bioscience - Microbiome analysis for w16 pilot |
Organisation | Quadram Institute Bioscience |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Working with QIB to collect microbiome samples for analysis |
Collaborator Contribution | Analysis of microbiome samples collected on w16 pilot. Data returned to the Study. |
Impact | Outcomes yet to be realised. Project started in March 23 |
Start Year | 2023 |
Description | Select Research - body measurement collection at IP15 |
Organisation | Select Research |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Working with Select Research to create the app to the Study's specifications. |
Collaborator Contribution | Providing a BVI app which enables IP15 and w16 pilot participants to submit body measurement information. Data return to the Study. |
Impact | Outcomes yet to be realised. |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Understanding Society Associated Studies scheme |
Organisation | London School of Economics and Political Science (University of London) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | LSE is an example of an organisation that we have collaborated with for an Associated Study. We oversee the Study, approve it and work with the applicants on taking forward their study. |
Collaborator Contribution | Managing the associated study and agreeing to deposit data from the project at the UKDS, linked to UKHLS. |
Impact | Associated study projects, datasets, publications, etc. Multidisciplinary. |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | Understanding Society Policy & Partnership Forum |
Organisation | Behavioural Insights Team |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Facilitate bi-annual meetings. Consult Forum members outside of these meetings as required. |
Collaborator Contribution | An advisory group made up of representatives from government departments, charities, business and trade unions. They provide guidance to the Study on maximising the use of data and evidence in policymaking and propose ideas for building partnerships. |
Impact | Multi-disciplinary collaboration |
Start Year | 2021 |
Description | Understanding Society Policy & Partnership Forum |
Organisation | Department for Communities and Local Government |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Facilitate bi-annual meetings. Consult Forum members outside of these meetings as required. |
Collaborator Contribution | An advisory group made up of representatives from government departments, charities, business and trade unions. They provide guidance to the Study on maximising the use of data and evidence in policymaking and propose ideas for building partnerships. |
Impact | Multi-disciplinary collaboration |
Start Year | 2021 |
Description | Understanding Society Policy & Partnership Forum |
Organisation | Family Action |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Facilitate bi-annual meetings. Consult Forum members outside of these meetings as required. |
Collaborator Contribution | An advisory group made up of representatives from government departments, charities, business and trade unions. They provide guidance to the Study on maximising the use of data and evidence in policymaking and propose ideas for building partnerships. |
Impact | Multi-disciplinary collaboration |
Start Year | 2021 |
Description | Understanding Society Policy & Partnership Forum |
Organisation | Frontier Economics |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Facilitate bi-annual meetings. Consult Forum members outside of these meetings as required. |
Collaborator Contribution | An advisory group made up of representatives from government departments, charities, business and trade unions. They provide guidance to the Study on maximising the use of data and evidence in policymaking and propose ideas for building partnerships. |
Impact | Multi-disciplinary collaboration |
Start Year | 2021 |
Description | Understanding Society Policy & Partnership Forum |
Organisation | Health Foundation |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Facilitate bi-annual meetings. Consult Forum members outside of these meetings as required. |
Collaborator Contribution | An advisory group made up of representatives from government departments, charities, business and trade unions. They provide guidance to the Study on maximising the use of data and evidence in policymaking and propose ideas for building partnerships. |
Impact | Multi-disciplinary collaboration |
Start Year | 2021 |
Description | Understanding Society Policy & Partnership Forum |
Organisation | McKinsey & Company |
Department | McKinsey & Company, UK |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Facilitate bi-annual meetings. Consult Forum members outside of these meetings as required. |
Collaborator Contribution | An advisory group made up of representatives from government departments, charities, business and trade unions. They provide guidance to the Study on maximising the use of data and evidence in policymaking and propose ideas for building partnerships. |
Impact | Multi-disciplinary collaboration |
Start Year | 2021 |
Description | Understanding Society Policy & Partnership Forum |
Organisation | Trades Union Congress (TUC) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Facilitate bi-annual meetings. Consult Forum members outside of these meetings as required. |
Collaborator Contribution | An advisory group made up of representatives from government departments, charities, business and trade unions. They provide guidance to the Study on maximising the use of data and evidence in policymaking and propose ideas for building partnerships. |
Impact | Multi-disciplinary collaboration |
Start Year | 2021 |
Description | Understanding Society Policy & Partnership Forum |
Organisation | West Yorkshire Combined Authorities |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Facilitate bi-annual meetings. Consult Forum members outside of these meetings as required. |
Collaborator Contribution | An advisory group made up of representatives from government departments, charities, business and trade unions. They provide guidance to the Study on maximising the use of data and evidence in policymaking and propose ideas for building partnerships. |
Impact | Multi-disciplinary collaboration |
Start Year | 2021 |
Description | Understanding Society Strategic Oversight Board |
Organisation | Behavioural Insights Team |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Facilitate bi-annual meetings for the Board to meet. Engage with the Board as and when strategic guidance is required. |
Collaborator Contribution | The Board represent a range of stakeholders who independently oversee the direction and operational delivery of the Study, working closely with the Scientific Leadership team. |
Impact | Multi-disciplinary |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Understanding Society Strategic Oversight Board |
Organisation | Department for Work and Pensions |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Facilitate bi-annual meetings for the Board to meet. Engage with the Board as and when strategic guidance is required. |
Collaborator Contribution | The Board represent a range of stakeholders who independently oversee the direction and operational delivery of the Study, working closely with the Scientific Leadership team. |
Impact | Multi-disciplinary |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Understanding Society Strategic Oversight Board |
Organisation | University of Bristol |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Facilitate bi-annual meetings for the Board to meet. Engage with the Board as and when strategic guidance is required. |
Collaborator Contribution | The Board represent a range of stakeholders who independently oversee the direction and operational delivery of the Study, working closely with the Scientific Leadership team. |
Impact | Multi-disciplinary |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Understanding Society Strategic Oversight Board |
Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Facilitate bi-annual meetings for the Board to meet. Engage with the Board as and when strategic guidance is required. |
Collaborator Contribution | The Board represent a range of stakeholders who independently oversee the direction and operational delivery of the Study, working closely with the Scientific Leadership team. |
Impact | Multi-disciplinary |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Understanding Society Strategic Oversight Board |
Organisation | University of Liverpool |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Facilitate bi-annual meetings for the Board to meet. Engage with the Board as and when strategic guidance is required. |
Collaborator Contribution | The Board represent a range of stakeholders who independently oversee the direction and operational delivery of the Study, working closely with the Scientific Leadership team. |
Impact | Multi-disciplinary |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Understanding Society Strategic Oversight Board |
Organisation | University of Manchester |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Facilitate bi-annual meetings for the Board to meet. Engage with the Board as and when strategic guidance is required. |
Collaborator Contribution | The Board represent a range of stakeholders who independently oversee the direction and operational delivery of the Study, working closely with the Scientific Leadership team. |
Impact | Multi-disciplinary |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Understanding Society Topic Champions |
Organisation | Cardiff University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Overseeing the UKHLS Topic Champions network, liaising with them on their input into the Study, and remunerating them via an honorarium. Updated entry to reflect current membership. |
Collaborator Contribution | Input into questionnaire content and design, broader consultation on e.g. conference themes and speakers/ sessions, |
Impact | Multi-disciplinary collaboration. Business Sociology Economics Life Sciences Physical sciences Political science |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Understanding Society Topic Champions |
Organisation | London School of Economics and Political Science (University of London) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Overseeing the UKHLS Topic Champions network, liaising with them on their input into the Study, and remunerating them via an honorarium. Updated entry to reflect current membership. |
Collaborator Contribution | Input into questionnaire content and design, broader consultation on e.g. conference themes and speakers/ sessions, |
Impact | Multi-disciplinary collaboration. Business Sociology Economics Life Sciences Physical sciences Political science |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Understanding Society Topic Champions |
Organisation | University College London |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Overseeing the UKHLS Topic Champions network, liaising with them on their input into the Study, and remunerating them via an honorarium. Updated entry to reflect current membership. |
Collaborator Contribution | Input into questionnaire content and design, broader consultation on e.g. conference themes and speakers/ sessions, |
Impact | Multi-disciplinary collaboration. Business Sociology Economics Life Sciences Physical sciences Political science |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Understanding Society Topic Champions |
Organisation | University of Bristol |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Overseeing the UKHLS Topic Champions network, liaising with them on their input into the Study, and remunerating them via an honorarium. Updated entry to reflect current membership. |
Collaborator Contribution | Input into questionnaire content and design, broader consultation on e.g. conference themes and speakers/ sessions, |
Impact | Multi-disciplinary collaboration. Business Sociology Economics Life Sciences Physical sciences Political science |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Understanding Society Topic Champions |
Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Overseeing the UKHLS Topic Champions network, liaising with them on their input into the Study, and remunerating them via an honorarium. Updated entry to reflect current membership. |
Collaborator Contribution | Input into questionnaire content and design, broader consultation on e.g. conference themes and speakers/ sessions, |
Impact | Multi-disciplinary collaboration. Business Sociology Economics Life Sciences Physical sciences Political science |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Understanding Society Topic Champions |
Organisation | University of Florence |
Country | Italy |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Overseeing the UKHLS Topic Champions network, liaising with them on their input into the Study, and remunerating them via an honorarium. Updated entry to reflect current membership. |
Collaborator Contribution | Input into questionnaire content and design, broader consultation on e.g. conference themes and speakers/ sessions, |
Impact | Multi-disciplinary collaboration. Business Sociology Economics Life Sciences Physical sciences Political science |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Understanding Society Topic Champions |
Organisation | University of Leeds |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Overseeing the UKHLS Topic Champions network, liaising with them on their input into the Study, and remunerating them via an honorarium. Updated entry to reflect current membership. |
Collaborator Contribution | Input into questionnaire content and design, broader consultation on e.g. conference themes and speakers/ sessions, |
Impact | Multi-disciplinary collaboration. Business Sociology Economics Life Sciences Physical sciences Political science |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Understanding Society Topic Champions |
Organisation | University of Liverpool |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Overseeing the UKHLS Topic Champions network, liaising with them on their input into the Study, and remunerating them via an honorarium. Updated entry to reflect current membership. |
Collaborator Contribution | Input into questionnaire content and design, broader consultation on e.g. conference themes and speakers/ sessions, |
Impact | Multi-disciplinary collaboration. Business Sociology Economics Life Sciences Physical sciences Political science |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Understanding Society Topic Champions |
Organisation | University of Manchester |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Overseeing the UKHLS Topic Champions network, liaising with them on their input into the Study, and remunerating them via an honorarium. Updated entry to reflect current membership. |
Collaborator Contribution | Input into questionnaire content and design, broader consultation on e.g. conference themes and speakers/ sessions, |
Impact | Multi-disciplinary collaboration. Business Sociology Economics Life Sciences Physical sciences Political science |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Understanding Society Topic Champions |
Organisation | University of Oxford |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Overseeing the UKHLS Topic Champions network, liaising with them on their input into the Study, and remunerating them via an honorarium. Updated entry to reflect current membership. |
Collaborator Contribution | Input into questionnaire content and design, broader consultation on e.g. conference themes and speakers/ sessions, |
Impact | Multi-disciplinary collaboration. Business Sociology Economics Life Sciences Physical sciences Political science |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Understanding Society Topic Champions |
Organisation | University of Oxford |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Overseeing the UKHLS Topic Champions network, liaising with them on their input into the Study, and remunerating them via an honorarium. Updated entry to reflect current membership. |
Collaborator Contribution | Input into questionnaire content and design, broader consultation on e.g. conference themes and speakers/ sessions, |
Impact | Multi-disciplinary collaboration. Business Sociology Economics Life Sciences Physical sciences Political science |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Understanding Society Topic Champions |
Organisation | University of Sheffield |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Overseeing the UKHLS Topic Champions network, liaising with them on their input into the Study, and remunerating them via an honorarium. Updated entry to reflect current membership. |
Collaborator Contribution | Input into questionnaire content and design, broader consultation on e.g. conference themes and speakers/ sessions, |
Impact | Multi-disciplinary collaboration. Business Sociology Economics Life Sciences Physical sciences Political science |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Understanding Society Topic Champions |
Organisation | University of Southampton |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Overseeing the UKHLS Topic Champions network, liaising with them on their input into the Study, and remunerating them via an honorarium. Updated entry to reflect current membership. |
Collaborator Contribution | Input into questionnaire content and design, broader consultation on e.g. conference themes and speakers/ sessions, |
Impact | Multi-disciplinary collaboration. Business Sociology Economics Life Sciences Physical sciences Political science |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Understanding Society Topic Champions |
Organisation | University of the West of England |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Overseeing the UKHLS Topic Champions network, liaising with them on their input into the Study, and remunerating them via an honorarium. Updated entry to reflect current membership. |
Collaborator Contribution | Input into questionnaire content and design, broader consultation on e.g. conference themes and speakers/ sessions, |
Impact | Multi-disciplinary collaboration. Business Sociology Economics Life Sciences Physical sciences Political science |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Understanding Society fieldwork - wave 13-15 - Kantar |
Organisation | Kantar Group |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Management of the sub-contract with Kantar for the provision of fieldwork services for waves 13-15 of Understanding Society - partnership working (with NatCen as consortium partners) to deliver the survey. |
Collaborator Contribution | Delivery of the fieldwork and associated activities for Understanding Society waves 13-15 |
Impact | See all other outputs, which are dependent on the delivery of fieldwork by our partner agency. |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Understanding Society fieldwork - wave 13-15 - Kantar |
Organisation | National Centre for Social Research |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Management of the sub-contract with Kantar for the provision of fieldwork services for waves 13-15 of Understanding Society - partnership working (with NatCen as consortium partners) to deliver the survey. |
Collaborator Contribution | Delivery of the fieldwork and associated activities for Understanding Society waves 13-15 |
Impact | See all other outputs, which are dependent on the delivery of fieldwork by our partner agency. |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Wellbeing Dashboard with the What Works Centre for Wellbeing (WWCW) |
Organisation | What Works Centre for Wellbeing |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Understanding Society will develop a wellbeing data dashboard that will show trends in wellbeing variables over time for different population groups. The tool will increase the availability of descriptive wellbeing statistics for UK policy, promoting the use of longitudinal wellbeing data in exploratory analysis and in the scoping stages of policy and evaluation. It will improve the availability of statistics for key wellbeing variables and allow users to track the overall performance of different population groups over time. It will make an important contribution to the conversation and understanding of national wellbeing within policy and practice. |
Collaborator Contribution | The WWCW commissioned consultants to identify which factors are correlated with wellbeing outcomes and prepare the data-set that would 'drive' the wellbeing dashboard. They will also host workshops with key users groups to promote project visibility & engagement, and ensure that project objectives are well-understood and that the functionality of the dashboard meets user needs. |
Impact | Production of an input data-set by the consultants commissioned by the WWCW Development of a beta-version of the welling dashboard |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | A talk for staff from NatCen and Department for Education (6 Feb 2023): How to engage students and parents in home learning (Rabe) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Talk to inform the new DfE cohort study (EOPS-B, EOPS-C) design. Input into questionnaires on home learning and school activities. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Are we making a difference? Evaluating population level policies and the use of Understanding Society |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | This event aimed to enhance the awareness amongst researchers and policy audiences of using multi-topic panel data in policy evaluations, discuss how data linkage and complex systems thinking can support evaluations, and to debate how evaluative practice could play a larger role in social learning and transforming policy. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/events/2022/10/13/are-we-making-a-difference-evaluating-popul... |
Description | Asking respondents to do more than answer survey questions |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | In this half-day showcase event, speakers provided insights into research on methods that can be used to augment questionnaire-based survey data. The event included researchers working on mobile apps for data collection, biomeasures, digital trace data, consent to data linkage and event-triggered data collection. The event looked at the following questions: How can mobile apps be used for data collection? What is the best way of asking respondents for consent to link their survey data to administrative records about them? How can we ask members of an annual panel to report on life events as and when they experience them? How can we encourage respondents to return blood samples? How representative are naturally occurring digital trace data that might be used for research, such as those generated by the UK COVID contact tracing apps? All the presentations can be found on this playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLN2x0DavrncIiod0vGLjTAelY7hsL0L78 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/events/2022/09/21/asking-respondents-to-do-more-than-answer-s... |
Description | Biology for Social Scientists: An Understanding Society workshop |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | An event for social scientists which aimed to improve the understanding and use of biomarker data - including genomic and protein data - available in Understanding Society. We introduced the genetic, methylation and proteomic data available in Understanding Society, procedures to access these data and provide worked examples of the use of these data and analyses relevant to social science. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/understanding-society-workshop-biology-for-social-scientists-tickets-... |
Description | Blog: "Understanding Society and Health: Why Social Research Needs Biomarkers" |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | After a workshop on 30th May 2022 ("How society gets under the skin: showcasing biological data in Understanding Society" https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/showcasing-biological-data-in-understanding-society-tickets-337089001277) I wrote a blog describing the research presented. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/blog/2022/06/27/understanding-society-and-health-why-social-r... |
Description | Blog: Levelling up: a cocktail that will be hard to make |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | The government published it Levelling up White Paper in February 2022. This blog looks at how the different missions are specified in the White Paper in terms of reducing inequality, and the challenges of coordinating missions that are relevant to individual places. It set out the complicated way in which people and places interact and how insight from Understanding Society could be helpful. Quite a few people engaged with the blog. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/blog/2022/02/11/levelling-up-a-cocktail-that-will-be-hard-to-... |
Description | COORDINATE Summer School |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | The COORDINATE Summer Schol took place between the 20th and 24th of June 2022 at the University of Essex. The goals fo the summer school were: 1. To learn and practice longitudinal data analysis methods using Understanding Society: the UK Household Panel. 2. Provide opportunity to meet and work with other researchers with similar research interests. Each day followed the same structure with lectures in the morning and practical sessions in the afternoon as well as time for participants to work on their own research questions. Seventeen participants from eight European countries attended the summer school. Each session explored a different longitudinal data analytical method and examples were provided in STATA or R. Feedback from participants indicated that they were happy to spend time working on their own projects, however they would have liked to see more advanced analytical methods as part of the summer school. Due to the attendance of this summer school, there was increased interest in future visits to ISER through different visit schemes as well as interest in the Understanding Society Fellowship Scheme. The annoucement for this event can be found here: https://www.coordinate-network.eu/post/coordinate-summer-school-on-longitudinal-analysis-of-child-and-adolescent-data-20-24-june-2022. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.coordinate-network.eu/post/the-1st-summer-school-on-longitudinal-analysis |
Description | COORDINATE Transnational Visit |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | One post-graduate student visited ISER for one week to further explore the Understanding Society Data that she would be using for their thesis. There was discussion amongst the visitor and other PhD students and academic staff about there research topic and analytical methods. There was an increased interest in the data and research area. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.coordinate-network.eu/post/d-counihan-in-essex-june-22 |
Description | Cabinet Office Government Social Research (GSR) Lunch & Learn Seminar |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | The presentation introduced analysts to the Understanding Society and how they could use the data for policy research, monitoring and evaluation. The Cabinet Office has expressed a particular interest in the use of panel data to measure the impact of government policies so this topic was covered as well. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Case studies |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Understanding Society produces four case studies per year. These are explorations of research that has been used for policymaking. In 2022 our case studies covered: Encouraging walking and cycling - how a regional coalition used Understanding Society to examine active travel (https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/sites/default/files/downloads/general/active_travel_case_study.pdf) Universal credit and the pandemic - how independent think tank Bright Blue used Understanding Society to assess claimants' financial difficulties (https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/sites/default/files/downloads/general/bright_blue_case_study.pdf) Covid and people's incomes - how The Treasury used Understanding Society to gauge the impact of the pandemic (https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/sites/default/files/downloads/general/treasury_case_study.pdf) Inheritances and inequality - how the Institute for Fiscal Studies used Understanding Society to show the impact of inheritances on lifetime income (https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/sites/default/files/downloads/general/ifs_inheritances_case_study.pdf) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/research/impact |
Description | EVENT (19th October 2022): Speaker at Nuffield event: Lessons from the pandemic family well-being childcare and gender (Birgitta Rabe) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | This hybrid event will pull together findings from Nuffield Foundation funded projects and related research, using lessons learned from the pandemic to provide insights into family well-being, childcare and gender. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/events/lessons-from-the-pandemic-family-well-being-childcare-and-... |
Description | Gave a talk at the "Family finance surveys user conference 2022" on the UKHLS income data collected during the COVID-19 pandemic |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | I gave a presentation to civil servants, charities, and academics on our findings about the quality of the Understanding Society income data in the Covid-19 study. The aim of the presentation was to reassure potential users about the quality of the data and what it contains, and to also get feedback on our work and also on Understanding Society more generally. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://ukdataservice.ac.uk/app/uploads/FamilyFinanceSurveyProgramme2022-07-05.pdf |
Description | How society gets under the skin: showcasing biological data in Understanding Society |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | This online seminar featured researchers who have used Understanding Society's biological data. The event included research using epigenetic, genetic and biomarker data, exploring how our biology interacts with social and environmental factors. Presentations from the seminar can be found on this YouTube playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLN2x0DavrncJb28cB_T01TUrMB6r2QovV |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/events/2022/05/30/how-society-gets-under-the-skin-showcasing-... |
Description | Insights 2023: Economic insecurity and resilience in times of disruptive change |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | An environment of slow growth and high inequality, combined with a series of crises over the last decade, has left many households in the UK in a perilous state. This event attracted a very diverse audience from civil servants to local authority staff and advisory services to early career researchers working in this space, to collectively discuss the challenges faced by specific groups and potential ideas and solutions. Participants left with greater insights and ideas around improving benefits take-up, the relevance of social tariffs, and in the longer-term the importance of growth. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/events/2023/02/06/economic-insecurity-and-resilience-in-times... |
Description | Insights 2023: Long-term spatial inequalities and health |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | In the context of the Levelling-up White Paper (England - health is a devolved responsibility so other nations will have their own policies to address health inequalities), this virtual seminar focused on health and wellbeing across neighbourhoods and 'left behind' areas. It examined the economic consequences of poor health in deprived neighbourhoods, multi-morbidities across neighbourhoods, and the effects of improving the quality of the physical environments. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/events/2023/02/08/long-term-spatial-inequalities-and-health |
Description | Insights podcast series |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | The Insights podcast series covered policy relevant research using Understanding Society data. Our 2022 season had episodes on: The cost of living crisis Our physical environment Our ageing population Working from home, commuting and transport policy Romance Fraud Inequality in the UK Each episode included researchers and a policy guest. The Understanding Society podcasts are available via our website and through podcast applications. To date, we have over 8,000 listens. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/podcasts |
Description | Introduction to Understanding Society |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | This course is aimed at new users of Understanding Society, as well as those who have so far only made use of simpler aspects of the data. It aims to guide the user through the complexities of using this data for cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis, and ensure that they can make effective use of the data for their own research projects. The course is offered in three softwares (SPSS, Stata and R) and runs twice each year. One course is online and one in-person. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/help/training/2021/12/21/introduction-to-understanding-societ... |
Description | Introduction to panel data methods using Understanding Society |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | This course was aimed at quantitative researchers and data analysts who are familiar with cross-sectional data analysis methods and wantedto learn about longitudinal or panel data methods. The course covered: Panel or longitudinal surveys Key features of UK's largest longitudinal survey, Understanding Society Data management for panel data methods Analysing research questions using key panel data methods How and why to use weights and account for complex survey design |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/help/training/2022/05/05/introduction-to-panel-data-methods-u... |
Description | Lunchtime seminar at the Dept of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | This activity included a talk/presentation given to mainly analysts at BEIS. 74 members of the department attended the talk. As a result follow-up activity has been undertaken with their Labour Market and the Net Zero teams on using different aspects of the Study in their policy research. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | MEDIA (12th June 2022): Essex Vlogs: Brighter Futures - The impact of COVID-19 school closures on social inequalities and mental health in young people (Birgitta Rabe) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | What was the real impact of COVID-19, lockdown and school closures on children's mental health and development? Birgitta Rabe at the Institute for Social and Economic Research speaks to Jules Pretty about her research and how she provided vital evidence which influenced UK Government policy. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.essex.ac.uk/blog/posts/2022/06/12/the-impact-of-covid-school-closures |
Description | MEDIA (17th May 2022): Podcast for Interdisciplinary Child Well-Being Network (Birgita Rabe) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | In episode 5 of the Generation Pandemic podcast we discuss the mental health and wellbeing of children before, during and after the pandemic. Joining host, Catherine McDonald, are Professor Cathy Cresswell and Dr Jennifer McMahon from the Co-SPACE study, Professor Birgitta Rabe from the Institute of Social and Economic Research, and Laura, a mother of two primary school aged children. Laura explains how the isolation and anxiety caused by the pandemic has manifested in her children's behaviour, and the panel discuss how they have tracked children's mental health changes and the urgent need to address the effects they have evidenced. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://icwbn.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/2022/05/17/covid-19-childrens-mental-health-and-wellbeing-2/ |
Description | OTHER (24th November 2022): Various teaching materials for Futurum (Birgitta Rabe) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | New teaching resources from Birgitta Rabe, based on the research on the impact of the pandemic on children's quality of life. Using Understanding Society Data. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://futurumcareers.com/using-big-datasets-to-find-out-what-affects-childrens-quality-of-life |
Description | Participant Highlight magazine |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | Highlight is an annual magazine that is produced for all 10-14 year olds taking part in Understanding Society. The publication is sent out once a year, during the school summer holidays. The 2022 edition included stories on tackling bullying, being more 'green' at home, the value of school trips, how teens have been affected by the covid pandemic, and how siblings affect when people move out of home. The edition also featured an interview with PhD student Nicole James on what social scientists do. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Participant Panel |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | The Participant Panel is a group of Study participants who volunteer to give additional feedback on their experiences as a Study members. The Participant Panel is consulted two or three times each year on a variety of topics. In 2022 the panel give us feedback on asking participants to give new biological samples and on the language we use to invite participants for their annual interview. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Participant newsletter, spring 2022 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | Twice a year Understanding Society participants receive a printed newsletter. The spring 2022 edition featured stories on who did the housework during the pandemic lockdowns, social housing tenants experiencing furniture poverty, virtual contact during covid for the over 60s, whether employees would like to keep working from home, and the questions we ask about pregnancy and early childhood. This edition also featured our new youth website. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Participant newsletter, summer 2022 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | The Understanding Society participant newsletter is published twice a year. The summer 2022 edition featured stories on the impact of poverty at the end of life, whether owning a home makes a difference to voting behaviour, how volunteering can be made more inclusive, and how high energy bills affect mental health. This edition also contained a longer story on why we ask questions about education. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | People and Places conference |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | The People and Places online conference took place over four days in April 2022. Each day took a different theme, with papers and presentations from a variety of researchers. The topics covered included: Places, health and wellbeing Social and spatial inequalities Experiences of ethnic minority groups Travel behaviour and commuting Recordings of the presentations are available on the YouTube playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLN2x0DavrncLbfoxFEF5xZDBA3UJRfqer |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Presentation to the Social Market Foundation |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | This presentation was aimed at new staff at the Social Market Foundation. The organisation in the past has been an active user of Understanding Society but there have been many changes in the organisation. New staff said they had heard about the Study but not used the data. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://www.smf.co.uk/ |
Description | Presentaton to MiSoC Policy Advisory Group on distance learning and grading during Covid-19 and on free school meals (Birgitta Rabe) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | We presented to our Policy Advisory Group and discussed our findings, policy implications and dissemination channels. We followed up with several participants on their suggestions and were invited to give another presentation for Scottish Government |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Presention to ESRC Policy Fellows |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Workshop organised by the Institute for Government on how high-quality academic evidence can be better integrated into policy making. The participants were early and mid-career academics working on research projects, based in different government departments and agencies. The purpose of the fellows was to co-design research with the host organisation to inform policy on a priority area, and help improve the exchange of knowledge between policy and academic institutions. The presentation explained how Understanding Society data is relevant for policy and provided examples of how policymakers have been using the data and evidence. The participants found the presentation very useful and a follow-up meeting was set-up with one of the fellows working on net-zero and public attitudes and behaviours. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://www.ukri.org/news/22-policy-fellows-start-in-central-and-devolved-government/ |
Description | Took part in a podcast for the Understanding Society podcast series |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Took part in a podcast that explained the Understanding Society data collection on the "marginal propensity to consume" during the pandemic and some results from that data collection. The aim was to promote this particular part of the data to a wide audience and promote some of our findings/a narrative to spark interest. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/podcasts/how-do-we-respond-to-government-%E2%80%98stimulus-pa... |
Description | Understanding Changing Lives - introduction to Understanding Society |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | To support the wider business and trade union community, we ran this customised briefing course on the unique design of the study, how to use the data and evidence emerging from the study, and the work of its Policy and Partnerships Unit. This briefing course was a generalist course, designed for staff with a role in consumer/market research, data science, social research, policy analysis, strategic human resources, regulation, environment and public affairs/investor relations. Over 70 people took part. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/help/training/2022/05/05/understanding-changing-lives-%E2%80%... |
Description | Understanding Society Policy and Partnerships Forum (PPF) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | The PPF consist of policy experts and practitioners who can offer a dynamic perspective on market opportunities for optimising the impact from the Understanding Society Study and propose ideas for collaborative working. The group has been providing guidance on engaging business and trade unions with the Study, how to address cross-cutting issues in government, the role of interships and fellowships, providing links to some key policy and practitioner organisations and showcasing the use of the data. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/about/team |
Description | Using weights in Understanding Society |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | This course explained what weights take into account in Understanding Society. It described how weights are created and then provides guidance on how to select the best weight for a range of analyses. The course expanded on how to create a tailored weight for a specific analysis, when this can make a difference and will be worth the effort, and walked delegates step by step through creating such weights in a hands-on session. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/help/training/2021/12/21/using-weights-in-understanding-socie... |
Description | Webinar at Understanding Society: Introduction to Geographical Data Linkage - Linking Open Data to UKHLS (Kristijan Garic, January 2023) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | The webinar aimed to introduce the participants to the concept of data linkage and its application to UK Household Longitudinal Study (UKHLS) data through the use of geographical identifiers. With 57 attendees from national and international universities, governmental and NGO organizations, professionals, and students, the primary objective was to provide an overview of the theoretical aspects of data linkage and its practical application to the UKHLS data. The presentation covered the theoretical aspects followed by a demonstration of the linking process using statistical software. The interactive discussion among the participants raised their awareness of the expanded research possibilities and generated suggestions for further development in this field. The webinar was successful in providing valuable insights into the potential for further research in the field of data linkage. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/introduction-to-geographical-data-linkage-linking-open-data-to-ukhls-... |
Description | Young participants website |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | In 2022 Understanding Society developed a new website aimed at the young people taking part in the Study. The site take key stats from the youth survey and allows users to interactively explore children's experiences in the key areas of school, screen time, mental health, money, and sport and fitness. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/youth/ |