The UK Data Service is delighted to announce the winners of this year’s UK Data Service Dissertation Award. The award celebrates undergraduate dissertations based on the use of archived data available through the UK Data Service.
This year, Alex Bryson, Professor of Quantitative Social Science at UCL’s Social Research Institute, and Paula Surridge, Professor of Political Sociology at the University of Bristol, joined Dr Jen Buckley from the UK Data Service User Support and Training team as judges.
The judging panel reviewed the full dissertations of shortlisted entries before deciding on the three winning entries. Congratulations to the winners, who have all been awarded a prize of £300.
The winners
Emma Chaplin, University of Cambridge
Title: There is Such Thing as a Free Lunch: The Impact of Free School Meals on Household Spending
Emma’s dissertation investigated how household spending changes when households receive free school meals. Analysing data from the Living Costs and Food Survey (LCFS) from 2010-2018, Emma evaluated the impact of the Universal Infant Free School Meal (UIFSM) policy introduced in 2014, which provides a free school meal at lunchtime to all infant school children (4-7 years old).
Emma used a difference-in-differences model to compare household spending patterns before and after the introduction of the policy. A key finding was that the effects varied by household income: lower-income households increased spending on food necessities associated with evening meals, while higher-income households increased spending on luxury goods.
Gabriela Mihaylova, University of Leeds
Title: Proximity Matters: An Investigation into the 15-minute City Concept Applied to Leeds, UK
Gabriela’s dissertation examined the 15-minute city concept. Popular in urban planning research, the concept focuses on how proximity to resources can bring economic, health, environmental and social benefits. The dissertation combined theoretical and empirical approaches to explore the concept.
Using various data sources including data from the UK Census, Gabriela developed a composite indicator to assess the quantity of key amenities at the Lower Layer Super Output Areas (LSOAs) in Leeds, UK. The analysis demonstrated the spatial clustering of amenities and how they are unevenly distributed across Leeds. These findings can contribute to better urban planning strategies by improving the understanding of amenities distribution and the associated demographic factors.
James Marris, University of Durham
Title: The effect of Carbon Pricing on Fuel Poverty in the UK
James’s dissertation explored the regressivity of carbon taxes, focusing on the impact of the Carbon Price Floor (CPF) introduced in April 2013. Using data from Understanding Society, the United Kingdom’s Household Longitudinal Study (UKHLS), he assessed how the CPF influenced the likelihood of individuals being classified as fuel poor.
Employing a difference-in-differences model, James compared the fuel poverty status of individuals in Great Britain, where the CPF was implemented, to those in Northern Ireland, where it was not. The results indicated that the CPF increased the probability of fuel poverty. These findings suggest the need for revenue recycling policies to mitigate increased fuel costs from the CPF, thereby alleviating fuel poverty and maintaining political support for the green transition.