Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 1997-2022: Secure Access

DOI

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.

The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) is one of the largest surveys of the earnings of individuals in the UK. Data on the wages, paid hours of work, and pensions arrangements of nearly one per cent of the working population are collected. Other variables relating to age, occupation and industrial classification are also available. The ASHE sample is drawn from National Insurance records for working individuals, and the survey forms are sent to their respective employers to complete. While limited in terms of personal characteristics compared to surveys such as the Labour Force Survey, the ASHE is useful not only because of its larger sample size, but also the responses regarding wages and hours are considered to be more accurate, since the responses are provided by employers rather than from employees themselves. A further advantage of the ASHE is that data for the same individuals are collected year after year. It is therefore possible to construct a panel dataset of responses for each individual running back as far as 1997, and to track how occupations, earnings and working hours change for individuals over time. Furthermore, using the unique business identifiers, it is possible to combine ASHE data with data from other business surveys, such as the Annual Business Survey (UK Data Archive SN 7451). The ASHE replaced the New Earnings Survey (NES, SN 6704) in 2004. NES was developed in the 1970s in response to the policy needs of the time. The survey had changed very little in its thirty-year history. ASHE datasets for the years 1997-2003 were derived using ASHE methodologies applied to NES data. The ASHE improves on the NES in the following ways:the NES questionnaire allowed too much variation in employer responses, leading to wide variations in the dataweightings have been introduced to take account of the population size (significant biases were a known problem in NES data)the significant numbers of employees who change jobs between the sample selection and survey reference dates are retained in the ASHE sample, whereas these were dropped from the NESLinking to other business studies These data contain Inter-Departmental Business Register (IDBR) reference numbers. These are anonymous but unique reference numbers assigned to business organisations. Their inclusion allows researchers to combine different business survey sources together. Researchers may consider applying for other business data to assist their research. Observations from Northern Ireland The ASHE data held by the UK Data Archive include very few observations from Northern Ireland. Users requiring access to Northern Ireland data are advised to contact the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency, who administer this aspect of the survey. Local unit reference variable, luref The local unit reference variable 'luref', is generated to indicate multiple occurrences of the same local unit for disclosure checking purposes. It is inconsistent across years and is not an IDBR reference number. It should not be used to link ASHE with other business datasets.For Secure Lab projects applying for access to this study as well as to SN 6697 Business Structure Database and/or SN 7683 Business Structure Database Longitudinal, only postcode-free versions of the data will be made available.Latest Edition InformationFor the twenty-second edition (August 2023), a data file for 2011-2021 with pension variables has been added to the study.

Main Topics:

The ASHE contains a small number of variables for each individual, relating to wages, hours of work, pension arrangements, and occupation and industrial classifications. There are also variables for age, gender and full/part-time status. Because the data are collected by the employer, there are also variables relating to the organisation employing the individual. These include employment size and legal status (e.g. public company).  Various geography variables are included in the data files.

Simple random sample

Postal survey

Identifier
DOI https://doi.org/10.1787/52ab4e26-en.
Source https://ifs.org.uk/publications/impact-house-prices-pension-saving-early-adulthood
Metadata Access https://datacatalogue.cessda.eu/oai-pmh/v0/oai?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=oai_ddi25&identifier=0b8bac1747485e8e22ae728f4447ccc9e8a09f903e404abe831a6b72e69fd2a5
Provenance
Creator Office for National Statistics
Publisher UK Data Service
Publication Year 2011
Funding Reference Office for National Statistics
Rights <a href="https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/information-management/re-using-public-sector-information/uk-government-licensing-framework/crown-copyright/" target="_blank">© Crown copyright</a>. The use of these data is subject to the <a href="https://ukdataservice.ac.uk/app/uploads/cd137-enduserlicence.pdf" target="_blank">UK Data Service End User Licence Agreement</a>. Additional restrictions may also apply.; <p>The Data Collection is available to users registered with the UK Data Service.</p><p>Commercial use is not permitted.</p><p>Use of the data requires approval from the data owner or their nominee. Registered users must apply for access via a DEA Research Project Application.</p><p>Registered users must complete the Safe Researcher Training course and gain <a href="https://uksa.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/digitaleconomyact-research-statistics/better-useofdata-for-research-information-for-researchers/" target="_blank">DEA Accredited Researcher Status</a>.</p><p>Registered users must be based in the UK when accessing data.</p><p>The Data Collection must be accessed via a secure connection method in a safe environment approved by the UK Data Service.</p>
OpenAccess true
Representation
Language English
Resource Type Numeric
Discipline Economics; History; Humanities; Social and Behavioural Sciences
Spatial Coverage United Kingdom