Data and Statistics: UK Data Service

The UK Data Service is a comprehensive resource funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) to support researchers, teachers and policymakers who depend on high-quality social and economic data.

Here you will find a single point of access to a wide range of secondary data including:

• Large-scale government surveys, both UK surveys such as the Labour Force Survey, and cross-national such as the International Social Survey Programme
• International macrodata in the UKDS.stat portal (sourced from the Worldbank, the OECD, the IMF, the UN, the International Energy Agency, and the Human Rights Atlas)
• Business microdata, provided by the Office for National Statistics
• Qualitative studies, such as interview transcripts
• UK Census data from 1971 to 2011

In addition to results of surveys, the UK Data Services includes the Variable and question bank, containing the questions that are asked in surveys.

The UK Data Service is available over the internet. You can access it anywhere you see a link to the UK Data Service or from the Databases A-Z list which you can also find on the Library homepage.  Links to specific sections are in the What is the UK Data Service box.

If you want to download data, you will first have to Register with the UK Data Service. Click on the Register link and complete the online form. See the Advice for new users page for further guidance on registering and downloading data. 

Please note IE10 is not compatible with the UK Data Service. On campus you may use Microsoft Edge or Firefox which can be found from the Start button. 

The UK Data Service has a Youtube channel, featuring videos and screencasts covering a range of topics, such as getting started and sharing research data.

UK Data Service Training Series:

UK Data Service runs free training events to introduce different aspects of the Service. Find out more from their events page. Training and events — UK Data Service

Workshop dates will be announced here  

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