# ESRC launches world's largest household longitudinal study

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2008/10/13/esrc-launches-world039s-largest-household-longitudinal-study/
- Published: 2008-10-13T12:18:35+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) has launched Understanding Society,
the world’s largest ever household longitudinal study in order to gain new evidence
to inform research on the issues facing our communities.

Initial funding for the project is £15.5 million, which comes from the Department
of Innovation, Universities and Skills and the ESRC and represents the largest single
investment in academic social research resources ever launched in the UK. It is 
envisaged that the project will continue for decades.

The study will collect information from 100,000 individuals, across 40,000 households
from across the UK. It will assist with the understanding of the long term effects
of social and economic change, and will provide tools to study the impact of policy
interventions on the well being of the UK population.

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Professor Ian Diamond, Chief Executive of the ESRC, said: “The study will benefit
policy researchers and policy makers in the UK, and researchers and research users
in a wide range of academic and non-academic environments around the world.”

‘Understanding Society’ will be based at and led by the Institute for Social and
Economic Research (ISER) at the University of Essex, together with colleagues from
the University of Warwick and the Institute of Education. The survey work will be
undertaken by the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen).

www.understandingsociety.org.uk

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