General Household Survey
The General Household Survey (GHS)
is a continuous national survey of people living in private households, conducted
on an annual basis by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The main aim
of the survey is to collect data on a range of core topics, covering household,
family and individual information. This information is used by government departments
and other organizations for planning, policy and monitoring purposes and to
present a picture of households, family and people in Great Britain.
The GHS started in 1971 and has been carried out continuously since then, except
for breaks in 1997-1998 when the survey was reviewed and 1999-2000 when the
survey was redeveloped. Following the 1997 review, the survey was relaunched
from April 2000 with a different design.
Following its review, the GHS now consists of two elements: the continuous survey
and trailers (modules included at certain intervals). The continuous survey
is to remain unchanged for the five-year period April 2000 - March 2005, apart
from essential changes to take account of, for example, changes in benefits
and pensions. The GHS has retained its modular structure and this allows a number
of different trailers to be included each year, to a plan agreed by sponsoring
government departments.
The GHS
Summary Quality Report from ONS is a useful document which includes key
information about the survey (using dimensions of quality defined by Eurostat).
The GHS pages on the National Statistics web site also contain some detailed
information about the survey.
Transition to a Longitudinal
General Household Survey
The 2005-2006 GHS fieldwork is the
first to be undertaken under a new longitudinal survey design. The new design
is also accompanied by a slight change in substantive emphasis, which leans
towards a greater range of questions on social exclusion. The changes to the
GHS aim to satisfy new EU requirements to produce comparable data from a Survey
of Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC).
For more information go to the slides
from the 2006 GHS User
Meeting.
Recent data
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