Data that gives context to the pandemic
Please note that these pages are a work in progress and will be updated regularly.
Whilst much of the data specific to COVID-19 is not yet widely available, a number of studies may provide useful data to investigate its societal and social impact. These include surveys that explore topics such as population health, employment and levels of deprivation, as well as geographic differences both inside and outside the UK.
The majority of the data described are known as 'raw', 'primary' or 'source' data in the sense that they represent information that has been collected 'first-hand'; they are original data sources which may then be used for 'secondary' analysis by researchers not involved in the data collection process. The majority of these data are anonymised because they describe the attitudes, behaviour, circumstances and personal details of the individuals being studied. These types of data are heavily used by the academic and government research communities.
The UK Data Service provides access to the following primary data sources:
Study name | Coverage | Topics |
Annual Population Survey 2004-ongoing; individual level data; UK |
2004-ongoing; individual level data; UK |
socio-economic status |
1971, 1981, 1991, 2001, 2011: England, Wales, and Scotland 1991, 2001, 2011: Northern Ireland |
age |
|
1981 to 2011 |
digitised boundary datasets and geographic look-up tables corresponding to the census geography of the UK allows for analysis of spatial relationships of data |
|
1981-2001 England and Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland |
commuting (by age, sex and ns-sec) |
|
1991, 2001 and 2011 |
limiting-long term illness |
|
2011 Census Ad Hoc Household Composition (Age Groups) Safeguarded Tables |
2011 England and Wales |
age |
2017, England |
energy prices |
|
1998- continuing (longitudinal) England |
health |
|
2003-continuing |
community facilities |
|
1960- continuing country and regional level data |
public health indicators |
|
1993-ongoing; household level data; Great Britain and Northern Ireland |
income |
|
Health Surveys: |
1991- continuing (repeated cross-section) |
physiological measures |
1975-1983 biennial Annually from 1984 |
work history |
|
2001-ongoing; household level data; UK |
bank accounts and charges |
|
METER: UK Household Electricity and Activity Survey, 2016-2019 |
2016 – 2019 (latest publication) |
household electricity readings with simultaneous activity records of household members |
2000 – ongoing |
family background |
|
1958 – ongoing |
physical and educational development |
|
Next Steps (previously the Longitudinal Study of Young People in England (LSYPE1)) |
Every year 2004 – 2010 |
education and employment |
1980- continuing country level data |
health |
|
1974 to 2017 country level data |
poverty |
|
1990-ongoing; individuals/families/households in Great Britain; repeated cross-sectional survey topics vary by month |
economic activity |
|
1993 – ongoing |
alcohol, drug and tobacco use |
|
Annually 2009 – continuing (longitudinal) UK household |
cohabitation |
|
1960- continuing country level data |
economic activity |
|
1970 – continuing |
health |
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