Understanding Society
@usociety.bsky.social
Longitudinal survey following 40,000 UK households annually. Enormous research opportunities. Based at the Institute for Social and Economic Research at the University of Essex https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/
Exploring the representativeness of web-only surveys of the general population - a new working paper from Survey Futures using analysis of Understanding Society. Read the paper: surveyfutures.net/wp-content/u...
November 11, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Exploring the representativeness of web-only surveys of the general population - a new working paper from Survey Futures using analysis of Understanding Society. Read the paper: surveyfutures.net/wp-content/u...
Exploring youth transitions and outcomes through national datasets. Focusing on secondary, quantitative data - including Understanding Society. Join the @ncrm.ac.uk Data Resources Training Network webinar - 11 Nov, 12.00- 13.30. events.teams.microsoft.com/event/e66aa5...
Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams
Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams
events.teams.microsoft.com
November 10, 2025 at 12:50 PM
Exploring youth transitions and outcomes through national datasets. Focusing on secondary, quantitative data - including Understanding Society. Join the @ncrm.ac.uk Data Resources Training Network webinar - 11 Nov, 12.00- 13.30. events.teams.microsoft.com/event/e66aa5...
The @ukdataservice.bsky.social Data Impact Blog has a new post from undergraduate dissertation prize winner Lex Irish on his dissertation on cancer survival and income levels - using data from Understanding Society.
blog.ukdataservice.ac.uk/impact-cance...
blog.ukdataservice.ac.uk/impact-cance...
The cost of survival: the impact of cancer on income levels in the UK – Data Impact blog @ 10
blog.ukdataservice.ac.uk
October 31, 2025 at 10:59 AM
The @ukdataservice.bsky.social Data Impact Blog has a new post from undergraduate dissertation prize winner Lex Irish on his dissertation on cancer survival and income levels - using data from Understanding Society.
blog.ukdataservice.ac.uk/impact-cance...
blog.ukdataservice.ac.uk/impact-cance...
A new example of Understanding Society’s impact: @childrenssociety.bsky.social’s 14th annual Good Childhood Report has once again used Understanding Society data to research trends in children’s wellbeing
Children’s worries include good grades and rising prices - Understanding Society
Children’s average happiness is lower across six aspects of life in 2022/23 compared to 2009/10
www.understandingsociety.ac.uk
October 30, 2025 at 11:17 AM
A new example of Understanding Society’s impact: @childrenssociety.bsky.social’s 14th annual Good Childhood Report has once again used Understanding Society data to research trends in children’s wellbeing
New Understanding Society 2023 Calendar Year data is now available! Calendar Year data is designed for cross-sectional analysis of individuals and households in a particular year.
www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/news/2025/10...
www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/news/2025/10...
Calendar Year 2023 data now available - Understanding Society
The latest release of our Calendar Year datasets is can now be accessed via the UK Data Service
www.understandingsociety.ac.uk
October 23, 2025 at 4:57 PM
New Understanding Society 2023 Calendar Year data is now available! Calendar Year data is designed for cross-sectional analysis of individuals and households in a particular year.
www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/news/2025/10...
www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/news/2025/10...
Reposted by Understanding Society
New article by CPC-CG and @cra-soton.bsky.social's Evandrou & Vlachantoni:
Experiences of grandparent care in different ethnic communities offer more nuanced understanding of healthy #ageing, family bonds & labour market participation
@uosmedia.bsky.social @bspsuk.bsky.social @usociety.bsky.social
Experiences of grandparent care in different ethnic communities offer more nuanced understanding of healthy #ageing, family bonds & labour market participation
@uosmedia.bsky.social @bspsuk.bsky.social @usociety.bsky.social
The extent to which parents rely on others to care for children reflects embedded cultural norms and expectations.
White British families more likely to depend on grandparents for childcare – our research explores why
The extent to which parents rely on others to care for children reflects embedded cultural norms and expectations.
tcnv.link
October 16, 2025 at 9:55 AM
New article by CPC-CG and @cra-soton.bsky.social's Evandrou & Vlachantoni:
Experiences of grandparent care in different ethnic communities offer more nuanced understanding of healthy #ageing, family bonds & labour market participation
@uosmedia.bsky.social @bspsuk.bsky.social @usociety.bsky.social
Experiences of grandparent care in different ethnic communities offer more nuanced understanding of healthy #ageing, family bonds & labour market participation
@uosmedia.bsky.social @bspsuk.bsky.social @usociety.bsky.social
Our latest podcast is out! @ruettenauer.bsky.social and L’myah Sherae from Enact Equality discuss air pollution, and whether it affects immigrant populations disproportionately
Breathing unequal air in the UK
open.spotify.com
October 15, 2025 at 2:10 PM
Our latest podcast is out! @ruettenauer.bsky.social and L’myah Sherae from Enact Equality discuss air pollution, and whether it affects immigrant populations disproportionately
Our latest blog: “socioeconomic disadvantage is still a significant and systemic barrier to success”
Young people’s aspirations rise with parents’ income - Understanding Society
Our capacity to plan for the future shapes our lives, and is affected by family wealth. Most teenagers are optimistic, but life goals are strongly influenced by wealth
www.understandingsociety.ac.uk
October 14, 2025 at 10:01 AM
Our latest blog: “socioeconomic disadvantage is still a significant and systemic barrier to success”
Our Innovation Panel competition is open for another round, and accepting proposals for projects to be included in Wave 20. They can be new survey content or experiments and methodological tests. Deadline is 12 December
Innovation Panel Competition is now open - Understanding Society
Field an experiment or suggest questionnaire content for the next wave of the Innovation Panel.
www.understandingsociety.ac.uk
October 14, 2025 at 9:20 AM
Our Innovation Panel competition is open for another round, and accepting proposals for projects to be included in Wave 20. They can be new survey content or experiments and methodological tests. Deadline is 12 December
Due to staff sickness while Becky's away, we couldn't celebrate this transatlantic link-up at the time, so, belatedly:
Visiting guest Becky Parsons from @usociety.bsky.social attended the @umpsid.bsky.social monthly team leader meeting.
October 14, 2025 at 9:16 AM
Due to staff sickness while Becky's away, we couldn't celebrate this transatlantic link-up at the time, so, belatedly:
In our latest blog, Peter Lynn takes an overview of survey methods, and says understanding and care are more important than budget
How do you build a survey that works? - Understanding Society
Peter Lynn, Associate Director of Understanding Society, tackles the question in an article in Nature: Human Behaviour Peter Lynn, Associate Director of Understanding Society, examines the features of...
www.understandingsociety.ac.uk
October 1, 2025 at 9:13 AM
In our latest blog, Peter Lynn takes an overview of survey methods, and says understanding and care are more important than budget
Reposted by Understanding Society
Childcare more common in higher income families.
Welsh Government uses @usociety.bsky.social to investigate childcare and effects on children
www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/impact/welsh...
Welsh Government uses @usociety.bsky.social to investigate childcare and effects on children
www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/impact/welsh...
September 30, 2025 at 2:17 PM
Childcare more common in higher income families.
Welsh Government uses @usociety.bsky.social to investigate childcare and effects on children
www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/impact/welsh...
Welsh Government uses @usociety.bsky.social to investigate childcare and effects on children
www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/impact/welsh...
Reposted by Understanding Society
New User Guide for @usociety.bsky.social with information on the geographical identifiers and geographical classifications datasets available in Understanding Society and provides information on how they can be used.
www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/documentatio...
www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/documentatio...
September 30, 2025 at 2:05 PM
New User Guide for @usociety.bsky.social with information on the geographical identifiers and geographical classifications datasets available in Understanding Society and provides information on how they can be used.
www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/documentatio...
www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/documentatio...
A new example of Understanding Society’s impact is up on our website today: the Welsh Government has used Understanding Society to investigate childcare and its effects on children
Childcare more common in higher income families - Understanding Society
Welsh Government uses Understanding Society to investigate childcare and effects on children Welsh Government research investigates childcare effects on children using Understanding Society data
www.understandingsociety.ac.uk
September 30, 2025 at 9:44 AM
A new example of Understanding Society’s impact is up on our website today: the Welsh Government has used Understanding Society to investigate childcare and its effects on children
Reposted by Understanding Society
🔍 Curious about path analysis and mediation analysis?
I just published a beginner-friendly guide with diagrams + R code examples.
👉 Learn how to separate direct, indirect, and total effects.
Read here: longitudinalanalysis.com/introduction... @usociety.bsky.social @esrasurvey.bsky.social
I just published a beginner-friendly guide with diagrams + R code examples.
👉 Learn how to separate direct, indirect, and total effects.
Read here: longitudinalanalysis.com/introduction... @usociety.bsky.social @esrasurvey.bsky.social
Introduction to Path and Mediation Analysis with R - Longitudinal Analysis
Introduction to path analysis and mediation analysis in R. Estimate direct, indirect, and total effects with diagrams, examples, and code.
longitudinalanalysis.com
September 29, 2025 at 1:21 PM
🔍 Curious about path analysis and mediation analysis?
I just published a beginner-friendly guide with diagrams + R code examples.
👉 Learn how to separate direct, indirect, and total effects.
Read here: longitudinalanalysis.com/introduction... @usociety.bsky.social @esrasurvey.bsky.social
I just published a beginner-friendly guide with diagrams + R code examples.
👉 Learn how to separate direct, indirect, and total effects.
Read here: longitudinalanalysis.com/introduction... @usociety.bsky.social @esrasurvey.bsky.social
A new edition of the Pregnancy and Early Childhood (PEACH) datafile has been released.
Bringing together info on pregnancy and early childhood, the file can be linked to the main UKHLS dataset to look at a range of child development and family topics.
www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/news/2025/09...
Bringing together info on pregnancy and early childhood, the file can be linked to the main UKHLS dataset to look at a range of child development and family topics.
www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/news/2025/09...
New edition of the PEACH datafile - Understanding Society
The latest Pregnancy and Early Childhood data is now available from the UK Data Service The latest Pregnancy and Early Childhood data is now available from the UK Data Service.
www.understandingsociety.ac.uk
September 29, 2025 at 11:28 AM
A new edition of the Pregnancy and Early Childhood (PEACH) datafile has been released.
Bringing together info on pregnancy and early childhood, the file can be linked to the main UKHLS dataset to look at a range of child development and family topics.
www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/news/2025/09...
Bringing together info on pregnancy and early childhood, the file can be linked to the main UKHLS dataset to look at a range of child development and family topics.
www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/news/2025/09...
A 🧵 on the timely issue of diversity and social cohesion: immigration is a perennial hot topic, and the latest figures show “the number of people migrating to the UK has been greater than the number emigrating in each year since 1994”
Migration statistics
This Commons Library briefing paper is a guide to understanding UK migration statistics. It explains the concepts and methods used in measuring migration and sets out a range of data on migration in t...
commonslibrary.parliament.uk
September 24, 2025 at 12:24 PM
A 🧵 on the timely issue of diversity and social cohesion: immigration is a perennial hot topic, and the latest figures show “the number of people migrating to the UK has been greater than the number emigrating in each year since 1994”
Reposted by Understanding Society
...or let your ears do the work and listen to our new podcast episode (but admire the cat, too, obviously)
Our podcast is back from its summer break! Our new episode has Adelina Gschwandtner @kent.ac.uk and Ashleigh Brown from RSPCA discussing pets and life satisfaction, and how it’s possible to work out a monetary value for the benefits we get from cats and dogs
Pets and life satisfaction - Understanding Society
Can we put a monetary value on what pets bring to our lives?
www.understandingsociety.ac.uk
September 15, 2025 at 12:27 PM
...or let your ears do the work and listen to our new podcast episode (but admire the cat, too, obviously)
Reposted by Understanding Society
…or our newest ‘explainer’ case study
New case study! Charity @pbe.co.uk used our data to show that the £28 billion annual bill for disability benefits creates £42bn in positive effects
Wellbeing boost from disability benefits outweighs cost - Understanding Society
Wellbeing boost from disability benefits worth £12,300 per person New case study shows wellbeing boost from disability benefits worth £12,300 per person
www.understandingsociety.ac.uk
September 15, 2025 at 12:26 PM
…or our newest ‘explainer’ case study
Reposted by Understanding Society
If you’re looking for some lunchtime reading, you could try our latest blog post…
New blog: Tak Wing Chan @ioe.bsky.social with a detailed look at immigration and social cohesion. Pundits and some research tell us that diversity undermines trust and solidarity, but can we accept findings which don’t take poverty and inequality into account?
Is there a trade-off between diversity and social cohesion? - Understanding Society
Material deprivation, not social diversity, threatens to stretch and tear the social fabric diversity and social cohesion
www.understandingsociety.ac.uk
September 15, 2025 at 12:25 PM
If you’re looking for some lunchtime reading, you could try our latest blog post…
Reposted by Understanding Society
It was great to contribute to this study for @usociety.bsky.social on the epigenetic correlates of major depression, and to be listed alongside such incredible co-authors!
www.nature.com/articles/s44...
www.nature.com/articles/s44...
A methylome-wide association study of major depression with out-of-sample case–control classification and trans-ancestry comparison - Nature Mental Health
The authors report a meta-analysis of methylome-wide association studies, identifying 15 significant CpG sites linked to major depression, revealing associations with inflammatory markers and suggesti...
www.nature.com
September 16, 2025 at 12:16 PM
It was great to contribute to this study for @usociety.bsky.social on the epigenetic correlates of major depression, and to be listed alongside such incredible co-authors!
www.nature.com/articles/s44...
www.nature.com/articles/s44...
If you’re looking for some lunchtime reading, you could try our latest blog post…
New blog: Tak Wing Chan @ioe.bsky.social with a detailed look at immigration and social cohesion. Pundits and some research tell us that diversity undermines trust and solidarity, but can we accept findings which don’t take poverty and inequality into account?
Is there a trade-off between diversity and social cohesion? - Understanding Society
Material deprivation, not social diversity, threatens to stretch and tear the social fabric diversity and social cohesion
www.understandingsociety.ac.uk
September 15, 2025 at 12:25 PM
If you’re looking for some lunchtime reading, you could try our latest blog post…
New blog: Tak Wing Chan @ioe.bsky.social with a detailed look at immigration and social cohesion. Pundits and some research tell us that diversity undermines trust and solidarity, but can we accept findings which don’t take poverty and inequality into account?
Is there a trade-off between diversity and social cohesion? - Understanding Society
Material deprivation, not social diversity, threatens to stretch and tear the social fabric diversity and social cohesion
www.understandingsociety.ac.uk
September 15, 2025 at 9:39 AM
New blog: Tak Wing Chan @ioe.bsky.social with a detailed look at immigration and social cohesion. Pundits and some research tell us that diversity undermines trust and solidarity, but can we accept findings which don’t take poverty and inequality into account?
New case study! Charity @pbe.co.uk used our data to show that the £28 billion annual bill for disability benefits creates £42bn in positive effects
Wellbeing boost from disability benefits outweighs cost - Understanding Society
Wellbeing boost from disability benefits worth £12,300 per person New case study shows wellbeing boost from disability benefits worth £12,300 per person
www.understandingsociety.ac.uk
September 11, 2025 at 10:59 AM
New case study! Charity @pbe.co.uk used our data to show that the £28 billion annual bill for disability benefits creates £42bn in positive effects
Reposted by Understanding Society
PODCAST from @usociety.bsky.social about pets!
Can we put a monetary value on what pets bring to our lives?
Interviews with Adelina Gschwandtner (Kent) and Ashleigh Brown (RSPCA)
www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/podcasts/pet...
Can we put a monetary value on what pets bring to our lives?
Interviews with Adelina Gschwandtner (Kent) and Ashleigh Brown (RSPCA)
www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/podcasts/pet...
September 9, 2025 at 9:15 AM
PODCAST from @usociety.bsky.social about pets!
Can we put a monetary value on what pets bring to our lives?
Interviews with Adelina Gschwandtner (Kent) and Ashleigh Brown (RSPCA)
www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/podcasts/pet...
Can we put a monetary value on what pets bring to our lives?
Interviews with Adelina Gschwandtner (Kent) and Ashleigh Brown (RSPCA)
www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/podcasts/pet...