UK Data Service
The UK Data Service can give you social and economic data including:
- UK census data
- government-funded surveys
- longitudinal studies
- international macrodata
- qualitative data and business microdata
Resources include tools to analyse census data, and secure access to data that is too detailed, sensitive or confidential to be made available under a standard licence.
Find out more about UK Data Service.
Administrative Data Research UK (ADR UK)
ADR UK links together data held by different parts of government, and facilitates safe and secure access for approved researchers to these newly joined-up and anonymised datasets.
Find out what data is available for research and which routes you can access it through on ADR UK’s website.
Survey data
The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) funds several survey-based data collections, most of which can be accessed via the UK Data Service.
These include:
- Centre for Longitudinal Studies: data from five cohort studies from 1958 onwards, relevant to research in a wide number of domains
- election studies for Britain, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales
- European Society Survey: cross-Europe data including about living conditions, social structure, public opinion and attitudes
- Understanding Society: a UK-wide household longitudinal study to which 40,000 participants have contributed
Longitudinal Population Study (LPS) Services
The LPS services include:
- CLOSER provides LPS resources that support data discovery, policy engagement and training
- Longitudinal Linkage Collaboration (LLC) simplifies access to linked longitudinal data for research in the public good, enabling discoveries through linked associations between health, social, behavioural, and economic research
- Population Research UK (PRUK) advocates for LPS community’s needs and strategically invests in solutions that enhance research outcomes
Smart Data Research UK
SDR UK is delivered by a family of data services based at leading UK universities and research organisations.
Each service acquires, stewards, and enables safe access to diverse smart data within secure environments that protect privacy while enabling breakthrough research.
You can access data arising from people’s interactions with technology and business organisations through three data research centres.
Data services include:
- Financial Data Service: for financial behaviours, economic resilience and regional economic activity
- Geographic Data Service: new insights into equitable and sustainable growth
- Healthy and Sustainable Places Data Service: for place-based research on health, lifestyles and transport
- Imago, Data Service for Imagery: unlocking the potential of satellite imagery to understand urgent challenges in the UK
- Smart Data Donation Service: empowering citizens to take control of their own data
- Smart Energy Data Service: transforming our understanding of the UK’s energy system
Census data
Census data is available via the census section of UK Data Service.
ESRC funds three support units, which enable the use of census longitudinal studies in England and Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland:
- CeLSIUS (supports use of the ONS Longitudinal Study, covering England and Wales)
- Northern Ireland Longitudinal Study: Research Support Unit
- Scottish Longitudinal Study: Development and Support Unit
National Centre for Research Methods (NCRM)
You can find training materials and resources on methodology through NCRM. The centre aims to increase research methods capability in the social sciences and beyond through training and capacity-building.
Legacy data services
Consumer Data Research Centre
The Consumer Data Research Centre uses consumer data to provide unique insight into a diverse range of societal and economic challenges.
Urban Big Data Centre
The Urban Big Data Centre promotes the use of smart data to improve social, economic and environmental wellbeing in cities.