Special Licence data – getting your application right first time

Data rely on a network of stakeholders: participants sharing their information, institutions collecting and processing the data into an anonymised format, repositories securing the data, and researchers deriving insights. One of Understanding Society’s primary goals is to make data available for researchers. But it is also crucial to protect participants’ personal details, so we adhere to the highest protection standards.

Understanding access levels

Our data are anonymised to meet stringent security standards, but contain thousands of variables – and there are potential disclosure risks when using multiple variables. For instance, specifying the location of a residence at the local authority level is not particularly revealing, but combining it with other data points might pose disclosure risks. To protect participant information while supporting research, we use three graded access levels established by our data repository partner, the UK Data Service:

• End User Licence (EUL)
• Special Licence (SL)
• Secure Access (SA).

These levels are applicable to data with various levels of disclosure risk – the higher the risk the greater the restriction for data access. EUL is for data with the lowest level of disclosure risk and SA the highest. (We do not provide any data under Open Access – i.e. without any licence agreement.)

You can find comprehensive details about these levels on our website and the UK Data Service website, with instructional videos available on both platforms and our respective YouTube channels. When you search for data on the UK Data Service website, it’s useful to note that EUL and SL are also termed “Safeguarded data” and SA described as “Controlled data through Secure Lab.”

Special Licence applications

SL data contains more sensitive survey information. Any researcher who wants to use SL data must complete an application reviewed by the UK Data Service and the data provider. For Understanding Society data, SL applications are reviewed and approved by our Data Access team.

While the application process for SL is not particularly complex, oversights and mistakes in completing the forms can lead to delays. Common mistakes include using personal instead of institutional email addresses or providing incorrect dataset study numbers. Having a valid reason for needing SL data access over the less restrictive EUL data access is also essential. To help you get your application right the first time, we have drafted a step-by-step guide for a smoother SL application process:

1. Research foundation: Make sure you are clear about your research requirements. Use the variable search tool on our website to identify the necessary variables. Note: The variable search tool does not currently identify variables that are not part of the EUL or the main SL dataset (SN 6931). This includes geographical identifiers, higher education codes, and interview characteristics. For further details about these variables, you can refer to dedicated sections on our webpage or use the ‘Special Licence’ keyword when searching the UKDS database.
2. Identify the SL dataset: If the variables you need are not included in the EUL version of the data (SN 6614), but the main SL version (SN 6931) or one of the other SL datasets does have them, head to the UK Data Service to formally request the desired SL dataset(s). Note that some of the more detailed geographical SL datasets have an extra restriction which means they are only available from a restricted set of countries. Similarly, a small number of SL dataset combinations, for example mixing census 2001 and census 2011 geographies, are not allowed. These cases are identified in the ‘Access data’ tab of each dataset in the UK Data Service catalogue.
3. Pre-application prep: Locate the SL dataset(s) you need from the list of our datasets on the UK Data Service find data webpage, review access terms and conditions on the ‘access data’ tab, read the publicly available documentation, user guide, and data dictionary to verify your dataset(s) of choice.
4. Educational resources: While optional, we recommend the instructional video by the UK Data Service for a clearer understanding of how to apply, especially for international users who might face location-based restrictions. You are expected to read the research data handling and security guide for users and stick to its access conditions.
5. Account creation and request: Register an account (typically using your affiliated institution details) and formally apply for the SL dataset(s) on the UK Data Service website. Note: If your organisation is not part of the affiliated institutions network, you will need to apply for a user login. This additional process may take up to five days.
6. Completing the application forms:
   1. The project team lead will need to complete the form, Special Licence Project Application form. You need to fill in details about the project, about the SL dataset(s) you are requesting access to, how the data will be stored securely etc. Only one such form needs to be completed for each project.
   2. All project team members need to be added to the project by the team lead, and they will each need to fill in a Special Licence Additional Researcher Application with their own details. See this helpful sample form that the UKDS has provided.
   3. All project team members who want to access the data will also need to sign the Special Licence User Agreement which outlines the conditions of data access and responsibilities.

Attention to detail

Make sure all the details are accurate. Complete every section that is applicable to you with as much detail as is required – if you do not, the UK Data Service or the data owner will return the form to you for this information. Cross-check dataset study numbers and email addresses (these must be your institutional addresses). You must clearly state in the Justification section why you need access to the SL dataset(s) and identify the variables you need that are not available under EUL licence. A companion handbook will provide insights into the legalities and protocols of using SL datasets.

Stay updated

Monitor your application through emails, notifications, and updates on your UK Data Service profile.

Time management

SL data access is not immediate. Individual examination and processing time should be factored into your research timeline, especially with strict funding deadlines.

Following these steps ensures timely SL data access. Remember to cite our dataset in your research and do share your findings with us. We eagerly await insights derived from our data!

Authors

Kristijan Garic

Kristijan Garic is Survey Data Linkage Officer for Understanding Society