Summary
Understanding Society is a world-leading longitudinal survey. By tracking individuals and households over time, and across multiple aspects of people’s lives, the Study is a vital data infrastructure resource for providing insights into the causes and consequences of social, economic and cultural change, enabling the advancement of social science research, policy learning and evaluation. It builds on the long-running British Household Panel Study (BHPS), started in 1991, and so for some panel members and common questions across the two studies, data extends across 30 years. The Study is funded by UKRI’s Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) to underpin social science research in the UK and beyond. It is also supported by a number of government departments. It is based at the Institute for Social and Economic Research (ISER), University of Essex. Understanding Society is widely used by government civil servants and statisticians to better understand social issues and inform and monitor policies. Our broad view is that, even in an era of more comprehensive administrative data, surveys have a vital role to play. Combining the two sources of data can help overcome the limitations of each, and enhance the quality and accuracy of the information available to policymakers, researchers, and the public.