Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.The Opinions and Lifestyle Survey (formerly known as the ONS Opinions Survey or Omnibus) is an omnibus survey that began in 1990, collecting data on a range of subjects commissioned by both the ONS internally and external clients (limited to other government departments, charities, non-profit organisations and academia).Data are collected from one individual aged 16 or over, selected from each sampled private household. Personal data include data on the individual, their family, address, household, income and education, plus responses and opinions on a variety of subjects within commissioned modules. The questionnaire collects timely data for research and policy analysis evaluation on the social impacts of recent topics of national importance, such as the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the cost of living, on individuals and households in Great Britain. From April 2018 to November 2019, the design of the OPN changed from face-to-face to a mixed-mode design (online first with telephone interviewing where necessary). Mixed-mode collection allows respondents to complete the survey more flexibly and provides a more cost-effective service for customers. In March 2020, the OPN was adapted to become a weekly survey used to collect data on the social impacts of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on the lives of people of Great Britain. These data are held in the Secure Access study, SN 8635, ONS Opinions and Lifestyle Survey, Covid-19 Module, 2020-2022: Secure Access. From August 2021, as coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions were lifting across Great Britain, the OPN moved to fortnightly data collection, sampling around 5,000 households in each survey wave to ensure the survey remains sustainable. The OPN has since expanded to include questions on other topics of national importance, such as health and the cost of living. For more information about the survey and its methodology, see the ONS OPN Quality and Methodology Information webpage.Secure Access Opinions and Lifestyle Survey dataOther Secure Access OPN data cover modules run at various points from 1997-2019, on Census religion (SN 8078), cervical cancer screening (SN 8080), contact after separation (SN 8089), contraception (SN 8095), disability (SNs 8680 and 8096), general lifestyle (SN 8092), illness and activity (SN 8094), and non-resident parental contact (SN 8093). See Opinions and Lifestyle Survey: Secure Access for details.
Main Topics:Each month's questionnaire consists of two elements: core questions, covering demographic information, are asked each month together with non-core questions that vary from month to month.
The non-core questions for this month were: Televisions (Module 177): this module was asked on behalf of the Department of National Heritage, to ascertain how many households have a television that did not work at the time and did not have another TV set that did work, and whether they intended to get the broken television set repaired in the next seven days after the interview took place. Local Authority Tenants (Module 186): this module was asked on behalf of the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR), and only applied to those respondents renting from local authorities in England and Wales. It combines a repeat of the 'Tenant's Charter' module run in 1991/2 and 1992/3 with questions based on ones from the 1994 module 'Information for LA Tenants' and the Survey of English Housing. SEH Development Questions (Module 190): this module was asked of respondents who were council or Housing Association tenants and private renters, in England only. It was asked to assist the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR) in the development of new questions for the Survey of English Housing. Second Homes (Module 4): this module was asked on behalf of the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR). It has appeared in previous Omnibus surveys in a slightly different form. The module queried respondents on ownership of a second home by any member of the household and reasons for having the second home. Expectation of House Price Changes (Module 137): this module asks respondents' views on changes to house prices in the next year and next five years. Oral Health (Module 189): this module was asked on behalf of the Eastman Dental Institute of the University of London, in order to find out how respondents' oral health detracts from or adds to their quality of life. Smoking (Module 130): this module assesses people's smoking habits, past and present, attitudes to smoking in different scenarios, and awareness of cigarette advertising. Gas and Electricity Supply (Module 188): this module was asked on behalf of the University of Warwick, in order to find out what motivates domestic customers to switch to a different energy supplier. PEPs and TESSAs (Module 185): this module was asked on behalf of the Inland Revenue, to gain more information about the distribution of PEPs and TESSAs and in particular the extent to which the two groups overlap.
Multi-stage stratified random sample
Face-to-face interview
