The Couples Living Apart survey is an online survey Understanding Society are running to find out more about who is in a Living Apart relationship and how people experience, think and feel about their relationship.
Understanding Society is a very special study that follows the lives of tens of thousands of people who live in the UK, collecting information about the events and people that affect them. You can find more information about the Couples Living Apart project on our website.
You are important to us
By taking part, you are helping to create a record of how life in the UK is changing and what impact those changes have on you and the other people you have a relationship with. There are few surveys which include couples living apart relationships, so this your chance to have your say.
Why are you contacting me?
You are being asked to take part in the Couples Living Apart survey because your partner, who is a participant of Understanding Society, told us you are in a relationship and, with your permission, gave us your contact details to invite you to this Couples Living Apart Survey.
What do I have to do?
To join in, all you have to do is answer some questions online about your life and your relationship. We will also ask you some questions about you, including your health and wellbeing. The survey will take approximately 35 to 40 minutes, depending on your circumstances. You may find some of the questions personal in nature, but you do not have to answer anything you don’t want to.
Understanding Society is a longitudinal study, so we survey the same people over many years to see what changes (and what doesn’t) in their lives. We would like to send you another survey in the future. By taking part (alongside hundreds of other living apart people) you will be helping us capture long-term information about how the lives of those in these relationships change over time.
What do I get out of it?
Each person who takes part will receive a £20 Love2Shop gift voucher that can be used at a range of retailers.
There is a low chance of you being screened out of the survey at the start, if, for example, you are no longer in a relationship with an Understanding Society member. If this happens the incentive will not be paid.
Is the Study confidential?
Yes, we always take great care to protect the confidentiality of the information you give us, in accordance with the Data Protection Act. The results of the study will be used for research purposes only. You can ask to see your details at any time or to have them removed from our database. The data is and will remain anonymous – it will be impossible for anyone to identify you or your household from the study’s results. Your partner will have no access to the information you provide in the survey.
Who is doing this research?
Researchers at the University of Essex are running Understanding Society. Funding has been provided by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). Ethics approval for the study has been provided by the University of Essex Ethics Sub-Committee 1 (ETH2223-0744).
If you want to download this information sheet, you can find a pdf version here.