The Understanding Society Annual Report for 2023 is now published, giving an overview of the work of the Study in the last year.
The Annual Report provides a regular snapshot of the key measures for Understanding Society, as well as highlighting a selection of the research and policy use published in the last 12 months.
Highlights of 2023
- Our Scientific Conference, the first to return to face-to-face after the Covid pandemic, and one of our largest yet – 121 papers were delivered in 32 different topic sessions.
- We recorded 1,868 new users for our main survey data, the largest number of new users in a year since the start of the Study.
- Training was delivered to a record number of data users – 327 people attended an in-person course, with 339 using our online training courses.
- From 2009 to 2023, Understanding Society provided the data for 12,529 research papers. And papers using Understanding Society were highly cited: from 2018 to 2023 we recorded 21,622 citations.
- Our survey methods research continues to grow, with 37 research papers and 15 working papers published during 2023.
In 2023 the Study also received new funding from UKRI to support the next six waves of data collection. Our survey methods work included experiments to improve response rates, collecting life event data, retaining young adults in surveys, and preparing to collect new biological samples. A new pregnancy and early childhood data file was released, and a new material deprivation dashboard developed. The Study also started a new Data User Group, to give a user’s perspective on datasets before they are released, and there was a research springboard focusing on health.
Professor Michaela Benzeval, Director of Understanding Society, said, “It’s been another year of continuity and change, with regular data gathering and data releases, and of innovation. Perhaps most importantly, we heard in 2023 that we would be getting funding from the ESRC until 2032, which will eventually give researchers access to more than 40 years of data on how we live in the UK. This is a very gratifying recognition of the value of the Study, which becomes greater the longer in continues.”
Simon Briscoe, Chair of the Understanding Society Strategic Oversight Board, said, “In the UK this has been a year of challenges for many people. Recovering from the pandemic, dealing with the cost of living crisis, and struggles with health are affecting many of our participants. One of the greatest challenges in a long-term study is asking people to share their lives through bad times, as well as good. Understanding Society response rates have remained high, even in this difficult year. The whole study team is hugely grateful for the commitment our participants have to the Study – to all our participants, thank you.”
Biomarkers, genetics and epigeneticsEducationEmploymentEthnicity and immigrationFamily and householdsHealth and wellbeingIncome and expenditureInforming PolicyMoney and financesPolitics and social attitudesSocial mobilitySurvey methodologyTransport and environmentYoung people
