Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.

The aim of this survey was to provide information about the living standards of unemployed people and their families in Great Britain by looking at the implications of levels of income, savings and debts for the material living standards of the families concerned. A particular focus of interest was the extent to which living standards change during a spell of unemployment. The survey was designed to monitor changes that took place during the first three months of unemployment, and changes that took place during the subsequent year, from three to fifteen months after the first signing on.

Main Topics:

Variables Informants' work history and living standards before starting to sign on; changes in living standards during the first three months of signing on; the situation after three months of signing on; labour market experience between the three-month point and the fifteen-month point; changes in income, savings, and debt between the three-month point and the fifteen-month point; the evolution of living standards; the experience of unemployment in terms of psychological well-being. Measurement Scales Living standards; psychological well-being.

Multi-stage stratified random sample

two-stage

Face-to-face interview