Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.The Opinions and Lifestyle Survey (formerly known as the ONS Opinions Survey or Omnibus) is an omnibus survey that began in 1990, collecting data on a range of subjects commissioned by both the ONS internally and external clients (limited to other government departments, charities, non-profit organisations and academia).Data are collected from one individual aged 16 or over, selected from each sampled private household. Personal data include data on the individual, their family, address, household, income and education, plus responses and opinions on a variety of subjects within commissioned modules. The questionnaire 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, on individuals and households in Great Britain. From April 2018 to November 2019, the design of the OPN changed from face-to-face 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 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 in the Secure Access study, SN 8635, ONS Opinions and Lifestyle Survey, Covid-19 Module, 2020-2022: Secure Access. From August 2021, as coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions were lifting across Great Britain, the OPN moved to fortnightly data collection, sampling around 5,000 households in each survey wave to ensure the survey remains sustainable. The OPN has since 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 ONS OPN Quality and Methodology Information webpage.Secure Access Opinions and Lifestyle Survey dataOther Secure Access OPN data cover modules run at various points from 1997-2019, on 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 Opinions and Lifestyle Survey: Secure Access for details.
Main Topics:Each month's questionnaire consists of two elements: core questions, covering demographic information, are asked each month together with non-core questions that vary from month to month.
The non-core questions for this month were: Televisions (Module 177): this module was asked on behalf of the Department of National Heritage, to ascertain how many households have a television that did not work at the time and did not have another TV set that did work, and whether they intended to get the broken television set repaired in the next seven days after the interview took place. ACAS awareness (Module 187): this module was asked on behalf of ACAS, the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service, who wished to know how many people had heard of them and how many had a realistic idea of what sort of organisation they are and what they do. The module was asked of all respondents in paid employment. Second homes (Module 4): this module was asked on behalf of the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR). It has appeared in previous Omnibus surveys in a slightly different form. The module queried respondents on ownership of a second home by any member of the household and reasons for having the second home. Expectation of house price changes (Module 137): this module asks respondents' views on changes to house prices in the next year and next five years. Fire safety (Module 33): this module covers fire safety and was asked in connection with Fire Safety Week. Questions assess awareness of fire risks and fire safety measures the respondent has taken. Lone mothers (Module 184): this module was asked on behalf of the Department of Social Security. The questions were taken from a British attitudes survey and compare attitudes towards mothers living in couples with children of varying ages with attitudes towards lone mothers. Smoking (Module 130): this module assesses people's smoking habits, past and present, attitudes to smoking in different scenarios, and awareness of cigarette advertising. Unemployment risk (Module 183): this module was asked on behalf of the Centre for Research in Social Policy at Loughborough University. The questions were designed to investigate respondents' assessment of the risks of being unemployed, their attitude towards unemployment insurance and their recent experience of unemployment. Contraception (Module 170): the Special Licence version of this module is held under SN 6475. PEPs and TESSAs (Module 185): this module was asked on behalf of the Inland Revenue, to gain more information about the distribution of PEPs and TESSAs and in particular the extent to which the two groups overlap.
Multi-stage stratified random sample
Face-to-face interview
