Sample
Understanding Society is an annual survey of a nationally representative sample of people living in around 40,000 households.
Given the large sample size and survey fieldwork capacity constraints, data collection takes place over a two year period for each wave of the survey. The sample is randomly allocated to monthly samples across this period. While each wave of the survey takes two years to complete, the waves overlap so that sample members are interviewed annually. There are four elements to the sample:
- General population sample (28,000 - 29,000 households)
- Innovation Panel sample (1,500 households)
- Ethnic minority boost sample (1,000 adult individuals in each of five main ethnic minority groups)
- British Household Panel Study sample (8,400 households)
By following the links above you can find out more about each of these samples.
Eligibility for interview & following rules
The sample will naturally stay representative of the population resident in the UK (subject to weighting and except for new immigrants to the UK).
Understanding Society started with a sample of addresses. The members of private households living at these addresses are called Original Sample Members (OSM). Information is collected on all OSMs at each round of interview and new people joining their household in subsequent waves become eligible for interview as Temporary Sample Members (TSM). If OSMs move away from their original household they are followed to their new address (as long they move within the UK) and all members of their new household become eligible for interview as TSMs. If TSMs move away from the household of an OSM, they are not followed.