Sample Characteristic: General population
Scottish Health Survey (SHeS)
SHeS provides a detailed, repeatable picture of the health of people living in private households in Scotland—estimating the prevalence of conditions (especially cardiovascular disease), measuring key risk factors and health‑related behaviours, monitoring trends over time, and enabling comparisons across regions and population subgroups to inform policy and targets. After one‑off surveys in 1995, 1998 and 2003, SHeS has run annually since 2008
Northern Irish Census (NIC)
To produce a comprehensive count of all people and households in Northern Ireland. Taken once every 10 years, so that government, health, education and other services can plan funding and provision. Participation is a legal requirement and the 2021 exercise was delivered as a predominantly online census to maximise response.
Community Services Statistics (CSS)
Community Services Statistics is a monthly report on publicly funded community services for people of all ages using data from the Community Services Data Set (CSDS) reported in England for August 2023. It has been developed to help achieve better outcomes and provide data that will be used to commission services in a way that improves health, reduces inequalities, and supports service improvement and clinical quality.
West of Scotland Twenty-07 (WOS)
The West of Scotland Twenty-07 Study is a population-based multi-cohort study which has followed three cohorts of men and women in the West of Scotland across twenty years. Set up in 1986, the study was designed to investigate the differences in health by socio-economic circumstances, gender, the place where people live, age, ethnic group and family type. Through tracking three cohorts of volunteers, each born roughly twenty years apart, the study provides data at critical points in the lifespan, as participants make the transition from adolescence to working life; through the main part of working life; and from working life to retirement. Additionally, the study was designed to explore the effect of the historical context of people’s lives on their health and circumstances by comparing the different cohorts at the same age at different points in time.
Labour Force Survey (LFS)
The Labour Force Survey (LFS) is a study of the employment circumstances of the UK population. It is the largest household study in the UK and provides the official measures of employment and unemployment. This provides evidence for policy- and decision-making, and for directing resources to where they are needed most.
Scottish Census (ScoC)
Scotland’s Census is the official count of every person and household in the country. There has been a census in Scotland every 10 years since 1801, except 1941. The 2021 census in Scotland was moved to 2022 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The answers people give to census questions help build up a picture of the population. Government and other service providers rely on census data to make important decisions. These can include how money will be spent on: schools, roads, hospitals etc.
Short and Long Term Support (SALT)
The SALT data collection is a set of measures co-produced with stakeholders. It has two main sections, relating to requests for social care support and provision of short term support (described in the Guidance as ‘STS’ measures) and service users and carers receiving eligible support (described as ‘LTS’ measures). SALT has been designed to track service user journeys through the social care system. Support to carers also features in the return, and has its own LTS measure. The SALT return is intended to offer scope for genuine comparability between local authorities, and reliable aggregation to provide national and regional overviews.
Stats Wales (StatWales)
Stats Wales is the Welsh Government’s free-to-use online repository for detailed statistical data for Wales. Stats Wales allows users to view and manipulate datasets on-screen, including the ability to produce charts. Data can be downloaded in a variety of formats and can be saved and shared. The system covers nearly 1,000 datasets, including key information on Wales’ population, economy, government spending and performance as well as the environment, education, transport and health.
UK Census (UKCen)
The UK census is undertaken by the Office for National Statistics every 10 years and gives us a picture of all the people and households in England and Wales. The census asks questions about individuals, their household and home. In doing so, it helps to build a detailed snapshot of the society. Information from the census helps the government and local authorities to plan and fund local services, such as transportation, education and healthcare.
Health Survey for England (HSE)
The Health Survey for England monitors trends in the nation’s health and care, providing information about adults aged 16 and over, and children aged 0 to 15, living in private households in England. Each survey includes core questions (e.g. about smoking, alcohol, general health); measurements such as height, weight, and blood pressure; and analysis of blood and saliva samples. In addition, there are question modules on specific topics that vary from year to year.