- Welcome
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- About the author
- About this site
- Site guide + Search box
- Dedications
- Acknowledgments
- My personal pantheon (of the great and the good in survey research)
- Recent and planned activities
- Textbooks for Research Methods and Data Analysis
- 1: Survey Analysis Workshop (SPSS)
- 1a: Statistical concepts and methods
- 1b: Teaching with Survey Data
- 1c: Developing research projects using survey data
- 1d: Workshop and presentations for ASSESS (SPSS users in Europe)
- 2: Survey Research Practice
- 2a: Survey Research Methodology, Practice and Training
- 2b: Major survey series
- 3: Subjective Social Indicators (Quality of Life)
- 4: Survey Unit, Social Science Research Council (UK)
- 5a: Polytechnic of North London (1976-1992)
- 5b: Survey Research Unit (1978-1992)
- Village life in Normandy
- Contact
- Origins of the British Crime Survey
- British Crime Survey
Major survey series: United Kingdom (Government)
[Page last updated 20 May 2023]
ESDS Government (UK)
Large-scale government surveys are key data resources for social science researchers. The acquisition, processing and delivery of the large-scale government datasets under this service is undertaken by UK Data Service (UKDS). Data are available via the web-based download system and the ESDS Nesstar system for online browsing and visualisation of the data. A full list of surveys is on UK surveys
Examples include:
Crime Survey for England & Wales (previously British Crime Survey) is an important monitor of the extent of crime in England and Wales. It is used by the Government to evaluate and develop crime reduction policies as well as providing vital information about the changing levels of crime over the last 30 years. It is one of the largest social surveys conducted in Britain and is currently carried out by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). ESDS has data and documentation for the whole series. See also Public value of crime and justice statistics in the UK (Office for Statistics Regulation, April 2017).
The first one, in the setting up of which I played a brokerage role, was conducted in 1982. (See: Origins of the First British Crime Survey). I placed a joint bid for the survey with Roger Jowell (then Social and Community Planning Research, now National Centre for Social Research) for the fieldwork, Survey Research Unit (Polytechnic of North London) for the computer processing and data analysis. SCPR were awarded the fieldwork contract, but "upstairs" at the Home Office did not consider the Polytechnic to be politically sound and kept the data analysis in-house. Three years later the Home Office asked me to prepare SPSS files and associated user-manual for deposit at Essex.
See: J F Hall and A M Walker,
User Manual for the First British Crime Survey 1982,
Survey Research Unit, Polytechnic of North London, 1985
(Alison Walker later became Programme Director, Crime Surveys, Home Office Statistics)
Measuring National Well-being, a programme at the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS) to develop subjective measures of national well-being and include them in their regular surveys.
The Opinions and Lifestyle Survey (previously General Lifestyle Survey (GLF), formerly known as the General Household Survey (GHS), is a multi-purpose continuous survey carried out by the ONS collecting information on a range of topics from people living in private households in Great Britain. This information is used by government departments and other organisations for planning, policy and monitoring purposes and to present a picture of households, family and people in Great Britain.
The UK Family Expenditure Survey (FES) is a continuous survey of household expenditure and income which has been in existence since 1957. Annual samples of around 10,000 households (about 1 in 2000 of all United Kingdom households) are selected each year.
The Labour Force Survey (LFS) is a quarterly sample survey of households living at private addresses in Great Britain. Its purpose is to provide information on the UK labour market that can then be used to develop, manage, evaluate and report on labour market policies. It is conducted by the Office for National Statistics.
The English House Condition Survey (EHCS) provides information on the condition and energy efficiency of housing in England. Their pages provide information about the EHCS and how it operated before 2008. They also provide access to reports and data from the survey and contact details for the EHCS team.
The Survey of English Housing (SEH) was a continuous household survey that collected information from nearly 20,000 households each year about the characteristics of their housing and their attitudes to housing and related issues. It operated continuously from 1993-94 and the final fieldwork year for the SEH was 2007-08.
In April 2008 the SEH merged with the English House Condition Survey (EHCS) to form the
new English Housing Survey (EHS).
English Housing Survey (EHS)
Survey of English Housing (SEH)
English House Condition Survey (EHCS)
Examples include:
Crime Survey for England & Wales (previously British Crime Survey) is an important monitor of the extent of crime in England and Wales. It is used by the Government to evaluate and develop crime reduction policies as well as providing vital information about the changing levels of crime over the last 30 years. It is one of the largest social surveys conducted in Britain and is currently carried out by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). ESDS has data and documentation for the whole series. See also Public value of crime and justice statistics in the UK (Office for Statistics Regulation, April 2017).
The first one, in the setting up of which I played a brokerage role, was conducted in 1982. (See: Origins of the First British Crime Survey). I placed a joint bid for the survey with Roger Jowell (then Social and Community Planning Research, now National Centre for Social Research) for the fieldwork, Survey Research Unit (Polytechnic of North London) for the computer processing and data analysis. SCPR were awarded the fieldwork contract, but "upstairs" at the Home Office did not consider the Polytechnic to be politically sound and kept the data analysis in-house. Three years later the Home Office asked me to prepare SPSS files and associated user-manual for deposit at Essex.
See: J F Hall and A M Walker,
User Manual for the First British Crime Survey 1982,
Survey Research Unit, Polytechnic of North London, 1985
(Alison Walker later became Programme Director, Crime Surveys, Home Office Statistics)
Measuring National Well-being, a programme at the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS) to develop subjective measures of national well-being and include them in their regular surveys.
The Opinions and Lifestyle Survey (previously General Lifestyle Survey (GLF), formerly known as the General Household Survey (GHS), is a multi-purpose continuous survey carried out by the ONS collecting information on a range of topics from people living in private households in Great Britain. This information is used by government departments and other organisations for planning, policy and monitoring purposes and to present a picture of households, family and people in Great Britain.
The UK Family Expenditure Survey (FES) is a continuous survey of household expenditure and income which has been in existence since 1957. Annual samples of around 10,000 households (about 1 in 2000 of all United Kingdom households) are selected each year.
The Labour Force Survey (LFS) is a quarterly sample survey of households living at private addresses in Great Britain. Its purpose is to provide information on the UK labour market that can then be used to develop, manage, evaluate and report on labour market policies. It is conducted by the Office for National Statistics.
The English House Condition Survey (EHCS) provides information on the condition and energy efficiency of housing in England. Their pages provide information about the EHCS and how it operated before 2008. They also provide access to reports and data from the survey and contact details for the EHCS team.
The Survey of English Housing (SEH) was a continuous household survey that collected information from nearly 20,000 households each year about the characteristics of their housing and their attitudes to housing and related issues. It operated continuously from 1993-94 and the final fieldwork year for the SEH was 2007-08.
In April 2008 the SEH merged with the English House Condition Survey (EHCS) to form the
new English Housing Survey (EHS).
English Housing Survey (EHS)
Survey of English Housing (SEH)
English House Condition Survey (EHCS)