Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.The DSS/PSI Programme of Research into Low-Income Families (PRILIF) studied low-income families with dependent children. The study was conducted by the Department of Social Security (DSS) (now the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)), and the Policy Studies Institute (PSI). The PRILIF series began in 1991, when a nationally-representative survey of low-income families was undertaken to study the effects of Family Credit on labour market opportunities. The series finished in 2001, and comprised seven waves, deposited at the UK Data Archive (UKDA) in three parts:DSS/PSI Programme of Research into Low-Income Families, 1991-1995 (held under SN 3977)DSS/PSI Programme of Research into Low-Income Families, 1996 and 1998 (SN 4425)DSS/PSI Programme of Research into Low-Income Families, 2001 (SN 5406)The PRILIF series examined five main policy issues:how lone parents could improve their incomes, combining paid work, benefits and maintenance paymentsthe effectiveness of child supportthe failure of some families to claim their benefit entitlementthe persistent dfficulties experienced by some families, especially the lowest paid couples, in maintaining themselves in paid jobsthe wider effects of the use of income-tested in-work benefits on incentives to workThe main focus of the research was on families on the margins of work and concerned the influence of different sources of income (benefits, maintenance and earnings) on their labour market participation and family welfare. A similar survey series, the Families and Children Study (held under SN 4427), is also conducted by the DWP. More information on the PRILIF study, including details of publications, may be found on the PSI web site.
The findings from the 1991 survey tended to strengthen a case for policies aimed to 'make work pay' even though for some families, particularly the lowest-paid couples, cash incentives and gains in living standards were small. Respondents from the original 1991 survey were re-contacted and re-interviewed in 1996 and 1998.
Main Topics:
The 1996 and 1998 cohort recall surveys covered household composition, family history, maintenance, health, children's health and caring, education and training, housing, work, wages, child care, savings, benefits, income support, expenditure, family credit, job search, incentives, family history. The 1996 and 1998 partner surveys covered housing, health, education, work and wages. The 1996 and 1998 PSI postal questionnaire covered emotional states and self-esteem, skills, attitudes to work, family roles and social security benefits.
The 1996 and 1998 PRILIF studies revisited only respondents from the original 1991 cohort sample.
Multi-stage stratified random sample
See documentation for further details.
Face-to-face interview
Postal survey
Self-completion
