Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.The Opinions and Lifestyle Survey (OPN) is an omnibus survey that collects data from respondents in Great Britain. Information is gathered on a range of subjects, commissioned both internally by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and by external clients (other government departments, charities, non-profit organisations and academia).One individual respondent, aged 16 or over, is selected from each sampled private household to answer questions. Data are gathered on the respondent, their family, address, household, income and education, plus responses and opinions on a variety of subjects within commissioned modules. Each regular OPN survey consists of two elements. Core questions, covering demographic information, are asked together with non-core questions that vary depending on the module(s) fielded.The OPN 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. The OPN has 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 gov.uk OPN Quality and Methodology Information (QMI) webpage.Changes over timeUp to March 2018, the OPN was conducted as a face-to-face survey. From April 2018 to November 2019, the OPN changed 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 module 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 under Secure Access conditions in SN 8635, ONS Opinions and Lifestyle Survey, Covid-19 Module, 2020-2022: Secure Access. (See below for information on other Secure Access OPN modules.)From August 2021, as coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions were lifted across Great Britain, the OPN moved to fortnightly data collection, sampling around 5,000 households in each survey wave to ensure the survey remained sustainable. Secure Access OPN modulesBesides SN 8635 (the COVID-19 Module), other Secure Access OPN data includes sensitive modules run at various points from 1997-2019, including 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 the individual studies for further details and information on how to apply to use them.
For the second edition, January 2012, corrected weights were added to all data files and revised module instructions added to the study documentation.
Main Topics:
The non-core questions for this month were: Tobacco consumption (Module 210): this module was asked on behalf of HM Revenue and Customs to help estimate the amount of tobacco consumed as cigarettes. Due to the potentially sensitive nature of the data within this module, cases for respondents aged under 18 have been removed. Disability monitoring (Module 363): this module was asked on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) which is interested in information on disability. The final two questions of the module ask about awareness of the Disability Discrimination Act. The Disability Monitoring Module aims to identify the scale of problems those with long-term illnesses or disabilities have accessing goods, facilities and services. Due to the potentially sensitive nature of the data within the module, certain variables have been removed. A Special Licence version of Module 363 is held under SN 6724 and contains the following extra variables: M363_3M, M363_6AM, M363_6b, M363_7M, M363_26, M363_27, M363_28 and M363_29. Legal services (Module MBT): this module was asked on behalf of the Ministry of Justice. It is designed to find out about people’s use of legal services for personal matters only. Morale and motivation (Module MBF): this module was asked on behalf of the Office of Manpower Economics which is interested in issues such as work-life balance, job satisfaction and work pressure. Attitudes to charities (Module MAR): this module was asked on behalf of the Home Office, which is specifically interested in examining levels of trust and confidence in charities. The questions are designed to collect data on the public’s perception of charities. Cancer awareness (Module MBR): this module was asked on behalf of the Department of Health. The questions are designed to collect data on the public’s awareness of cancer.
Multi-stage stratified random sample
Face-to-face interview
