ESDS Government

Annual Population Survey

The Annual Population Survey (APS) represents a major survey which comprises key variables from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) and all the LFS boosts. For the first time the APS will provide survey data that can produce reliable estimates at local authority level. Key topics in the survey include education, employment, health and ethnicity.

The APS combines results from five different sources: the Labour Force Survey (LFS) (waves 1 and 5); the English Local Labour Force Survey (LLFS - not currently available through ESDS); the Welsh Labour Force Survey (WLFS - not currently available through ESDS); the Scottish Labour Force Survey (SLFS - not currently available through ESDS) and the Annual Population Survey Boost Sample ( APS( B)). However, please note that the APS( B) ceased to exist at the end of December 2005 so APS data from January 2006 onwards will contain all the above data apart from APS(B) data.

The APS aims to provide enhanced annual data for England , covering a target sample of at least 510 economically active persons for each Unitary Authority (UA)/Local Authority District (LAD) and at least 450 economically active persons in each Greater London Borough. In combination with local LFS boost samples from Wales (WLFS) and Scotland (SLFS) the survey provides estimates for a range of indicators down to Local Education Authority (LEA) level across the UK .

For further detailed information about methodology users should consult the ' Labour Force Survey User Guide Volume 1: Background and Methodology', which has been included with the APS documentation for reference purposes.

Fieldwork for the 2004 APS was conducted from January to December 2004. The data is available through ESDS in the form of a Special Licence. The 'Special Licence ' APS dataset contains approximately 550 variables and it contains more detail than would be available under a normal End User Licence (EUL) (e.g. unitary authority/local area districts and individual ages). Special Licence users need to read the Guide to good practice: microdata handling and security and agree to abide by its requirements.

Recent news

Secure Data Service Access

APS datasets are now available from the Secure Data Service (SDS). These datasets are more detailed version of existing data available through ESDS. To find out more about the content of these datasets view the online catalogue records for the Annual Population Survey, 2004-2010 and the Annual Population Survey Household, 2004-2009. Before applying for access researchers should read through the catalogue records to determine if the data are suitable for their research and whether less detailed versions of the data are available and could be used instead. More information about the SDS can be found on the Secure Data Service website.

November 2007

A number of variables have recently been removed from the End User Licence version of APS datasets from 2004. However, all these variables are available in the Special Licence version of the APS, which is unchanged. Full details of all variables removed are available on the ESDS web site.

Recent data

• Updated APS, July 2007 - June 2008: Special Licence Access published 01 February 2012.
• Updated APS, July 2006 - June 2007: Special Licence Access published 01 February 2012.
• Updated APS, July 2005 - June 2006: Special Licence Access published 01 February 2012.
• Updated APS, July 2009 - June 2010: Special Licence Access published 01 February 2012.
• Updated APS, July 2008 - June 2009: Special Licence Access published 01 February 2012.
• Updated APS, July 2004 - June 2005: Special Licence Access published 01 February 2012.
• Updated APS, April 2006 - March 2007: Special Licence Access published 31 January 2012.
• Updated APS, April 2008 - March 2009: Special Licence Access published 31 January 2012.
• Updated APS, April 2005 - March 2006: Special Licence Access published 31 January 2012.
• Updated APS, April 2004 - March 2005: Special Licence Access published 31 January 2012.
• Updated APS, April 2009 - March 2010: Special Licence Access published 31 January 2012.
• Updated APS, January - December, 2008: Special Licence Access published 25 January 2012.
• Updated APS, January - December, 2007: Special Licence Access published 25 January 2012.
• Updated APS, January - December, 2009: Special Licence Access published 25 January 2012.
• Updated APS, January - December, 2006: Special Licence Access published 25 January 2012.
• Updated APS, January - December, 2005: Special Licence Access published 25 January 2012.
• Updated APS, January - December, 2004: Special Licence Access published 25 January 2012.
• Receive email notification of data updates.