1970 British Cohort Study (BCS70)

Measures describe a question asked to a participant during a survey or an item of information requested from a manager when they fill out a data return. For example, ‘Who do you live with?’ is a measure and the possible responses might be, mother, father, brother, sister etc.

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Question/Data item wording	Response scale wording	Need OR provision OR receipt	Description of measure	Start Year	Age of interest	Age from	Age to	Informant	Multiple rater	Reporting term	Sweep title	Standard instrument	Dataset
How many hours do you spend giving help to this child/these children because of their physical, mental, behavioural or developmental conditions in a typical week?	Range: 0..168	Provision;	Hours spent caring for child with care need	2021	51-52	51	52	Participant	No	Current	BCS70: Questionnaire Documentation Main Stage Age 51 Survey	No	BCS
How many hours do you spend giving help to {PARTNAM} because of a physical, mental, emotional or memory problem, in a typical week? Types of help might include: • Basic personal needs like dressing, eating or bathing • Getting around the house e.g. climbing stairs or walking • Taking the right amount of medication at the right time • Dealing with personal affairs e.g. writing letters, managing money If you help them less often than weekly please enter the average hours per week. If unsure, enter your best estimate.	Range: 0..168	Provision;	Hours spent caring for partner	2021	51-52	51	52	Participant	No	Current	BCS70: Questionnaire Documentation Main Stage Age 51 Survey	No	BCS
Do any of your conditions or illnesses reduce your ability to carry out day-to-day activities? INTERVIEWER IF NEEDED: Day to day activities include things like washing and dressing yourself, household cleaning, cooking, using public or private transport, shopping for essentials, walking a defined distance, climbing stairs, remembering to pay bills, lifting objects from the ground or work surface in the kitchen, moderate manual tasks gardening or gripping objects like cutlery and hearing or speaking in a noisy room. Would you say… READ OUT…	1. …Yes, a lot 2. Yes, a little 3. or, Not at all?	Need;	Illnesses which affect ability to complete ADLs/IADLs	2021	51-52	51	52	Participant	No	Current	BCS70: Questionnaire Documentation Main Stage Age 51 Survey	No	BCS
Nowadays, do you regularly or frequently do any of the following things for {IF MALIVE=1 AND PALIVE 1: “your mother”; IF PALIVE=1 AND MALIVE 1: “your father”; IF MALIVE=1 AND PALIVE=1: “your parents”}?	1. Giving lifts in your car if you have one 2. Shopping 3. Providing or cooking meals 4. Helping with basic personal needs like dressing, eating or bathing 5. Washing, ironing or cleaning 6. Dealing with personal affairs, e.g. paying bills, writing letters 7. Decorating, gardening or house repairs 8. Financial help 9. Any other help 10. None of these (no regular or frequent help given) [EXCLUSIVE CODE]	Provision;	Help/care for ADLs/IADLs for parents	2021	51-52	51	52	Participant	No	Current	BCS70: Questionnaire Documentation Main Stage Age 51 Survey	No	BCS
Which, if any, of these types of payments are you {IF CRLIVEPA=1: “or” {PARTNAM}} currently receiving?	1. Jobseeker’s Allowance 2. Income Support 3. Sickness, disability or incapacity benefits (including Employment and Support Allowance) 4. Pension benefits (including State Pension and Pension Credits) 5. Child Benefit 6. Tax credits, such as the Working Tax Credit, Disabled Person Tax Credit or Child Tax Credit 7. Any other family related benefit or payment 8. Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction (including direct payments to your landlord) 9. Carer’s Allowance 10. Income from a Coronavirus state benefit (including Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, Test and Trace Support Payment scheme) 11. Income from any other state benefit 12. None of these [EXCLUSIVE]	Receipt/Provision;	Receipt of care related allowances	2021	51-52	51	52	Participant	No	Current	BCS70: Questionnaire Documentation Main Stage Age 51 Survey	No	BCS
Thinking about your current period of unemployment, how did you come to be unemployed?	1. Fixed term or temporary job ended 2. Made redundant 3. Voluntary redundancy 4. Dismissed from a job 5. Retired 6. Left job for health reasons 7. Career break 8. More money 9. Better job 10. Firm closed down or business failed 11. Left to care for family member 12. Moved to a different area 13. Just decided to leave 14. For some other reason (SPECIFY)	Provision;	Unemployed to care for family member	2021	51-52	51	52	Participant	No	Current	BCS70: Questionnaire Documentation Main Stage Age 51 Survey	No	BCS
What was the main reason you stopped that period of {DACTIVITY4_QQQ} {IF DACTIVITY4_QQQ = 1, 2: “with that employer”}?	1. Fixed term or temporary job ended 2. Made redundant 3. Voluntary redundancy 4. Dismissed from a job 5. Retired 6. Left job for health reasons 7. Career break 8. More money 9. Better job 10. Firm closed down or business failed 11. Left to care for family member 12. Moved to a different area 13. Just decided to leave 14. For some other reason (SPECIFY)	Provision;	Left work to care for family member	2021	51-52	51	52	Participant	No	Current	BCS70: Questionnaire Documentation Main Stage Age 51 Survey	No	BCS
Which of these best describes the accommodation you are living in at the moment?	1. A private residence 2. Sheltered housing 3. A hotel, boarding house or bed and breakfast 4. A hostel for homeless, refuge, YMCA, YWCA, etc. 5. A barracks, nurses’ hall of residence, or other accommodation provided by your employer 6. A room only at workplace 7. A prison or remand centre 8. A hospital, nursing, care home or similar institution	Receipt;	Whether lives in care home	2021	51-52	51	52	Participant	No	Current	BCS70: Questionnaire Documentation Main Stage Age 51 Survey	No	BCS
What is your relationship to {CMNAME}?	1. Partner/spouse 2. Mother (include adopted/step mother) 3. Father (include adopted/step father) 4. Sister (include half/adopted/step sister) 5. Brother (include half/adopted/step brother) 6. Daughter (include adopted/step daughter) 7. Son (include adopted/step son) 8. Other relative 9. Friend 10. Unrelated carer 11. Other person	Receipt;	Whether interview carried out by proxy carer	2021	51-52	51	52	Participant	No	Current	BCS70: Questionnaire Documentation Main Stage Age 51 Survey	No	BCS
The following items are about activities you might do during a typical day. Does your health limit you in these activities? If so, how much? a) Vigorous activities, such as running, lifting heavy objects, participating in strenuous sports b) Moderate activities, such as moving a table, pushing a vacuum cleaner, bowling, or playing golf c) Lifting or carrying groceries d) Climbing several flights of stairs e) Climbing one flight of stairs f) Bending, kneeling or stooping g) Walking more than one mile h) Walking half a mile i) Walking 100 yards j) Bathing or dressing yourself	Yes, limited a lot Yes, limited a little No, not limited at all	Need;	Inability to bathe or dress	2021	51-52	51	52	Participant	No	Current	BCS70 Sweep11 Age51 Self-completion questionnaire	No	BCS
*Note: data for this sweep will be available in early 2024. Do any of your conditions or illnesses reduce your ability to carry out day-to-day activities? INTERVIEWER IF NEEDED: Day to day activities include things like washing and dressing yourself, household cleaning, cooking, using public or private transport, shopping for essentials, walking a defined distance, climbing stairs, remembering to pay bills, lifting objects from the ground or work surface in the kitchen, moderate manual tasks gardening or gripping objects like cutlery and hearing or speaking in a noisy room.	1. …Yes, a lot 2. Yes, a little 3. or, Not at all?	Need;	Ability to complete/not complete ADLs/IADLs	2021	50-52	50	52	Participant	No	Current	2021	No	BCS
*Note: data for this sweep will be available in early 2024. How many hours do you spend giving help to your partner because of a physical, mental, emotional or memory problem, in a typical week? Types of help might include: • Basic personal needs like dressing, eating or bathing • Getting around the house e.g. climbing stairs or walking • Taking the right amount of medication at the right time • Dealing with personal affairs e.g. writing letters, managing money	If you help them less often than weekly please enter the average hours per week. If unsure, enter your best estimate. Range: 0..168	Provision;	Hours spent giving care to partner	2021	50-52	50	52	Participant	No	Current	2021	No	BCS
IF not looking for paid work [LOOKJOB = 4] Why is that? PROBE: What other reasons?	CODE ALL THAT APPLY 01 There are no jobs in the right place for me 02 There are no jobs with the right hours for me 03 There are no jobs available for me 04 I am in full-time education 05 I am on a training course 06 My family would lose benefits if I was earning 07 I am caring for an elderly or ill relative or friend 08 I cannot work because of poor health/disability 09 I prefer not to work 10 Prefer to be at home with the family rather than working 11 I prefer to look after my children myself 12 I cannot earn enough to pay for childcare 13 I cannot find suitable childcare 14 Child has health problems/suffers from a disability 15 My husband/wife/partner disapproves 16 I have a new baby 17 Other reason (specify)	Provision;	Reason for not seeking employment inc. caring responsibilities.	2012	41-43	41	43	Participant	No	Current	2012	No	BCS
*Note: data for this sweep will be available in early 2024. Which, if any, of these types of payments are you currently receiving?	1. Jobseeker’s Allowance 2. Income Support 3. Sickness, disability or incapacity benefits (including Employment and Support Allowance) 4. Pension benefits (including State Pension and Pension Credits) 5. Child Benefit 6. Tax credits, such as the Working Tax Credit, Disabled Person Tax Credit or Child Tax Credit 7. Any other family related benefit or payment 8. Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction (including direct payments to your landlord) 9. Carer’s Allowance 10. Income from a Coronavirus state benefit (including Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, Test and Trace Support Payment scheme) 11. Income from any other state benefit 12. None of these [EXCLUSIVE]	Receipt;	Receipt of benefits including carer's allowance	2021	50-52	50	52	Participant	No	Current	2021	No	BCS
*Note: data for this sweep will be available in early 2024. Thinking about your current period of unemployment, how did you come to be unemployed?	1. Fixed term or temporary job ended 2. Made redundant 3. Dismissed from a job 4. Left because pregnant 5. Left job for health reasons 6. Just decided to leave 7. Left work to care for family member 8. Firm closed down or business failed 9. Never worked 10. For some other reason (SPECIFY)	Provision;	Leaving work to care for family member	2021	50-52	50	52	Participant	No	Current	2021	No	BCS
*Note: data for this sweep will be available in early 2024. What was the main reason you stopped that period of activity with that employer?	1. Fixed term or temporary job ended 2. Made redundant 3. Voluntary redundancy 4. Dismissed from a job 5. Retired 6. Left job for health reasons 7. Career break 8. More money 9. Better job 10. Firm closed down or business failed 11. Left to care for family member 12. Moved to a different area 13. Just decided to leave 14. For some other reason (SPECIFY)	Provision;	Leaving work to care for family member	2021	50-52	50	52	Participant	No	Current	2021	No	BCS
*Note: data for this sweep will be available in early 2024. Which of these best describes the accommodation you are living in at the moment?	1. A private residence 2. Sheltered housing 3. A hotel, boarding house or bed and breakfast 4. A hostel for homeless, refuge, YMCA, YWCA, etc. 5. A barracks, nurses’ hall of residence, or other accommodation provided by your employer 6. A room only at workplace 7. A prison or remand centre 8. A hospital, nursing, care home or similar institution	Receipt;	Living in care home or hospital	2021	50-52	50	52	Participant	No	Current	2021	No	BCS
*Note: data for this sweep will be available in early 2024. Nowadays, do you regularly or frequently do any of the following things for your partner’s mother/father/parents?	1. Giving lifts in your car if you have one 2. Shopping 3. Providing or cooking meals 4. Helping with basic personal needs like dressing, eating or bathing 5. Washing, ironing or cleaning 6. Dealing with personal affairs e.g. paying bills, writing letters 7. Decorating, gardening or house repairs 8. Financial help 9. Any other help 10. None of these (no regular or frequent help given)	Provision;	Helping partner's parents with ADLs/IADLs	2021	50-52	50	52	Participant	No	Current	2021	No	BCS
*Note: data for this sweep will be available in early 2024. Nowadays, do you regularly or frequently do any of the following things for your mother, your father, your parents?	1. Giving lifts in your car if you have one 2. Shopping 3. Providing or cooking meals 4. Helping with basic personal needs like dressing, eating or bathing 5. Washing, ironing or cleaning 6. Dealing with personal affairs, e.g. paying bills, writing letters 7. Decorating, gardening or house repairs 8. Financial help 9. Any other help 10. None of these (no regular or frequent help given)	Provision;	Helping parents with ADLs/IADLs	2021	50-52	50	52	Participant	No	Current	2021	No	BCS
What was the main reason you stopped that period of activity with that employer”}?	1. Fixed term or temporary job ended 2. Made redundant 3. Voluntary redundancy 4. Dismissed from a job 5. Retired 6. Left job for health reasons 7. Career break 8. More money 9. Better job 10. Firm closed down / business failed 11. Left to care for family member 12. Moved to a different area 13. Just decided to leave	Provision;	Leaving work to care for family member	2016	45-47	45	47	Participant	No	Current	2016	No	BCS
INTERVIEWER: Enter carer’s first name. What is your relationship to [^cohort member’s name]? INTERVIEWER: The person you are talking to is the cohort member’s…	01 Mother (include adopted/step mother) 02 Father (include adopted/step father) 03 Sister (include half/adopted/step sister) 04 Brother (include half/adopted/step brother) 05 Daughter (include adopted/step daughter) 06 Son (include adopted/step son) 07 Other relative 08 Friend 09 Unrelated carer 10 Other person (SPECIFY)	Provision;	Identity of carer who is answering on behalf of participant	2012	41-43	41	43	Carer	No	Current	2012	No	BCS
Nowadays, do you regularly or frequently do any of the things on this card for your parents/your mother/your father partner’s name’s? 01 Giving them lifts in your car if you have one 02 Shopping for them 03 Providing or cooking meals 04 Helping with basic personal needs like dressing, eating or bathing 05 Washing, ironing or cleaning 06 Dealing with personal affairs e.g. paying bills, writing letters 07 Decorating, gardening or house repairs 08 Any other help IF cohort member does any tasks for parent(s) How many hours do you spend doing this/these things for your parents/your mother/your father, partner’s name’s, parents/mother/father, parents/mother/father in a typical week?	Part 1: Yes No Part 2: Range: 0..997	Provision;	Providing care to others and time spent caring.	2012	41-43	41	43	Participant	No	Current	2012	No	BCS
You said that you [or [^partner’s name/your husband/wife/partner] receive some other type of state benefit? What kind of benefit is this?	Sickness/Disability/Incapacity: Incapacity Benefit, Employment and Support Allowance, Severe Disablement Allowance, Carer’s Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, Return to Work Credit, Attendance Allowance, Industrial Injury Disablement Benefit, War Disablement Pension, Sickness and Accident Insurance, Any other disability related benefit or payment	Receipt;	Receipt of benefits including carer's allowance	2012	41-43	41	43	Participant	No	Current	2012	No	BCS

England

Aims

The 1970 British Cohort Study (BCS70) is a multidisciplinary national longitudinal birth cohort study. Original aims were to examine the social and biological characteristics of the mother in relation to neonatal morbidity, and to compare the results with the 1958 National Child Development Study. With each successive sweep, the scope of the enquiry has broadened from a strictly medical focus at birth, to encompass physical, educational, social and economic development.

Institution

Centre for Longitudinal Studies (CLS) - Institute of Education (IoE), UCL

Geographic coverage - Nations

England; Scotland; Wales;

Start date

1970

Minimum age at recruitment

Sample Size

9,841

Sample

Study design

Birth cohort

Sample details

All people born in England, Scotland and Wales in one particular week of 1970, including stillbirths. Children born in this week in Northern Ireland were included in birth sweep only. Each cross-sectional target sample also includes all those born anywhere in the world in the same week as the longitudinal sample, who are living in Britain at the time of the sweep and who joined the BCS70 sample during the school years (at least one survey instrument partially completed).

Sex

All

Sample Characteristics

Birth cohort

Sample size at most recent sweep

9,841 (BCS 2012)

Individual data available (e.g. upon special request)?

Yes

Data Access Level

Fully open source

Data Access

UK Data Service

https://cls.ucl.ac.uk/data-access-training/access-ukds/

Regional variable present?

Yes

Local Authority variable present?

No

Complementary Data

Genetic/genomic data
Linked administrative data
Mapping/spatial data

Genetic Data Collected

Yes

Linked Data

Health data
Income/tax and benefits

HDR UK Innovation Gateway

Website

cls.ucl.ac.uk/cls-studies/1970-british-cohort-study

Notes

Previously known as the British Births Survey

Related Measures

Benefits, Biomarkers, Cognitive decline, Cognitive measures, Covid-19 data collection, Diet and nutrition, Education, Household composition, Housing, Income/household income, Language and literacy, Loneliness and social isolation, Mental health measures, Migration and immigration, Neighbourhood and community, Parenting and family, Pensions, Physical health assessment, Political and social attitudes, Quality of life/wellbeing, Sexuality and gender identity, Sleep problems, Social security, Social support, Socioeconomic status and deprivation, Work and employment,

Study Code

BCS

Reference paper(s)

Elliott J & Shepherd P. (2006). Cohort Profile: 1970 British birth cohort (BCS70). International Journal of Epidemiology, 35, 836-843.

doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyl174

Funders

ESRC RCOG National Birthday Trust Fund

Catalogue of Social Care Data

UNITING SOCIAL CARE DATA