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March 2024

Understanding Society wellbeing data dashboard

Towards a Wellbeing Data Lab - capacity build for wellbeing policy making

Understanding Society wellbeing data dashboard
In partnership with

We are increasing the availability of accurate, credible and timely wellbeing data for exploratory analysis, evaluation and decision-making.

What is the Understanding Society survey?

Understanding Society is the UK’s largest longitudinal household panel study. Data is collected annually from approximately 25,000 households across all four UK nations. 

Supporting social, economic and academic research, the study aims to track changes in the lives of people, and in their homes and communities. 

It explores six core domains:

  1. Education and training
  2. Employment
  3. Family
  4. Household and social connectedness
  5. Civic engagement
  6. Income, consumption and wealth
  7. Health and health behaviours 

Identifying a need

Through our work with local and national policy makers, and our knowledge of evaluation practice, we know there is an appetite for wellbeing data among a range of non-academic audiences. Yet, not all audiences have the time or technical expertise to delve into Understanding Society’s rich and complex dataset.

What was done?

Together with the Institute for Social and Economic Research we have developed a data dashboard to support and enhance the UK data infrastructure.

This makes the Understanding Society data from 15 wellbeing variables more readily available to a broader range of users and allows them to explore wellbeing data by socio-demographic characteristics. 

The project consolidates our long-standing effort to improve the use of national wellbeing statistics and increase engagement with data on how we are doing as individuals at national, regional, and local level.

The dashboard data structure was developed by Dimitris Vallis, Research Associate at the Policy Institute, King’s College London.

Who is this for?

Academics, policy makers, commissioners, funders and practitioners interested in understanding wellbeing trends over time by specific populations.

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In this project

Blog - March 2024
Improving wellbeing data access and literacy: New Understanding Society wellbeing data dashboard
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Online tool - March 2024
Understanding Society Wellbeing Dashboard
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