UK households: a longitudinal study
The UK Household Longitudinal Study (UKHLS) is now known as Understanding Society. It is the largest panel survey in the world, supporting social and economic research. Its sample size is 40,000 households from the United Kingdom or approx. 100,000 individuals.
Data collection, or fieldwork, began in January 2009 and the plan is to follow and interview annually the members of the original households (and their newly formed households, if applicable). The fieldwork period is 24 months, but each person is still interviewed annually, i.e., the fieldwork for consecutive waves overlap.
The study is mainly funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, and led by the Institute for Social and Economic Research (ISER) at the University of Essex.
As a panel survey, Understanding Society is a form of longitudinal study which means that the survey consists of information about the same individuals at regular intervals and so can be used to track changes in people's lives and attitudes over time. It can also be used to measure phenomena such as poverty persistence, unemployment duration, duration of marriage or cohabitation and analyze the factors that affect these durations. The study allows for deeper analysis of a wide range of sections of the population as they respond to regional, national and international change. Understanding Society will enhance our insight into the pathways that influence peoples longer term occupational trajectories; their health and well-being, their financial circumstances and personal relationships.