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.

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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. Road Pricing (Module MAE): this module was asked on behalf of the Department for Transport and asks for opinions on road pricing. Disability (Module MCA): this module was asked on behalf of the Office for National Statistics and seeks information regarding health problems which are long-lasting in nature and cause problems with normal daily activities. Variables MCA_1b1M and MCA_2b2M have been recoded into smaller groupings. Later life (Module MCE): this module was asked by the Department for Work and Pensions on behalf of a number of other government departments which are interested in what people think of the support available to help older people to continue to live independently in later life. Health and work (Module MCP): this module was asked by DWP on behalf of the Health, Work and Well-being Delivery Unit. Questions relate to health, well-being and work. This version of the data does not contain variables MCP_14, MCP_15M, MCP_16 and MCP_17 as they are considered disclosive.

Multi-stage stratified random sample

Face-to-face interview