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Covid-19

Understanding Society has a special survey that asks our participants about their experiences during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Following the Covid pandemic, there is an even greater need for data about the experiences of the whole population. The Understanding Society COVID-19 survey allows researchers to explore how the pandemic impacted individuals, families and communities across the UK through our large and representative sample of the UK population."

Professor Michaela Benzeval

Director of Understanding Society

COVID-19 dashboard

Who has been affected by the pandemic? Use this tool to build charts to show trends over time and to compare different population groups. The dashboard uses variables from the Understanding Society COVID-19 study

Screenshot of the Covid-19 dashboard

The COVID-19 survey

From April 2020 participants from our main Understanding Society sample were asked to complete a short web-survey. This survey covered the changing impact of the pandemic on the welfare of UK individuals, families and wider communities. Participants completed a regular survey, which included core content designed to track changes, alongside rotating content adapted each wave as the coronavirus situation developed. There was a telephone version of the survey in some waves for participants unable to take part online.

The COVID-19 study was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and the Health Foundation. Fieldwork for the web surveys was carried out by Ipsos MORI; fieldwork for the phone surveys by Kantar. Both agencies have conducted the COVID-19 youth surveys.

If you would like to receive updates from Understanding Society on the COVID-19 survey please join our mailing list. If you are a researcher or analyst and have a question about the COVID-19 study you can contact the COVID survey team by email: covid@understandingsociety.ac.uk. If you are a participant of the study and have a question please contact the participant liaison team.

COVID-19 datasets

Data from the COVID-19 survey is available from the UK Data Service. If you have a question about using the COVID-19 dataset please contact our user support team.

You can find the Understanding Society COVID-19 dataset, Study Number 8644 here.

Special Licence data

Special Licence datasets are available:

Questionnaire content

The COVID-19 survey has the core modules:

  • Household composition
  • Coronavirus illness
  • Long-term health conditions management
  • GHQ
  • Loneliness
  • Employment

Plus rotating content on a wide range of topics. The questionnaires can be found here. You can find the content for the survey in the long-term content plan.

CLOSER Longitudinal Research Hub

Explore all the UK longitudinal population studies Covid data, evidence and research.

Briefing notes

See how the COVID-19 data can be used with these topic based briefing notes prepared by the Understanding Society team. Briefing notes explore families, schooling, home working, household finances, and health and caring.

User Guide

The User Guide contains information about the Study, such as sample and questionnaire design, data collection and data processing, and information about using the dataset for research.

Video: Using the COVID-19 survey

Our Impact

The government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) asked Understanding Society to analyse information on the take-up of Covid vaccines, leading to a to a drive to encourage different ethnic groups to get vaccinated.

HM Treasury has used our data to understand the economic impact of the pandemic.

Find out more about the impact Understanding Society has on policy, and about how you can work with us to provide evidence for decision-makers.

Find out more Work with us

Contact User Support Forum if you need help using the data or have a question for the Study team


Support forum

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