Using the UK Census Longitudinal Studies: Census linkage through to opportunities for Longitudinal Research and Comparative Analysis

This session will introduce the 3 UK Census Longitudinal Studies data and the 3 user research support units (RSU) - the Centre for Longitudinal Study (LS) Information and User Support (CeLSIUS), the Northern Ireland LS (NILS) RSU (NILS-RSU) and the Scottish LS (SLS) Development Support Unit (SLS-DSU). It will discuss their size and scope, and recent linkage of the 2021/2 Census data. Arrangements for accessing the data from the 3 RSUs and some key areas for research will also be highlighted.

Each of the 3 LS take a sample of the population from Census data and follow it across time, linking in administrative data and with capacity to link further data at low level geographies. The LSs are not based on voluntary surveys; they provide unparalleled coverage and sample sizes which allow research using risk factors and outcomes often unavailable from other sources.

The ONS LS has 50 years of follow-up 1971-2021, it follows a 1% sample of the England & Wales population linked to births, deaths and cancer registration data. The SLS has 30 years of follow-up 1991-2022, and linkages include health, education and environmental data, births, deaths, marriages. The SLS covers a 5% sample of the Scottish population. The NILS covers 28% of their population with 40 years of follow-up 1981-2021 and linkages to datasets such as health (including prescribing data), births, deaths, marriages and property data.

The session will showcase the opportunities for longitudinal research and comparative analysis. It will discuss the similarities and differences between the studies and also highlight the 2021/2 Census linkage. This linkage provides researchers with opportunities to examine a range of new topics owing to new questions introduced and to examine socio-economic and demographic changes taking place since the 2011 Census, a 10-year period that has seen Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic.