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. Head of Household Information (Module 70a): this module covers occupation and supervisory status of head of household. It was asked only if the respondent was not head of household. Withheld Deposits (Module 193): this module was asked on behalf of the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR), and would have been included in the Survey of English Housing, but no space was available. It was asked in England only, to help the DETR compile a sample of respondents who had at some time in the past three years had a deposit that they had paid prior to moving into privately rented accommodation withheld when they left. Second Homes (Module 4): this module was asked on behalf of the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR). It had 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. Drinking (Module 192): this module was asked on behalf of the Department of Health. It is based on the 'Drinking' module (113) asked in February and March 1997 (see SN:3920), with some questions omitted and some new questions added, which were designed to measure the likely impact on drinking of an initiative to add unit labelling to drinks sold in supermarkets and off-licences. Alcohol brought into the UK from EU countries (Module 164): this module was asked on behalf of Customs and Excise, and aimed to assess the extent of cross-border shopping since the Single European Market was introduced. It is only concerned with alcohol bought in other EU countries in outlets other than duty-free shops. Back Pain (Module 196): this module was asked on behalf of the Department of Health and asks about back pain experienced in the 12 months prior to the survey. It includes questions about the number of days back pain was experienced, visits to health services for the pain, its cause, whether activities restricted or time taken off work during the four weeks prior to the survey due to back pain. Public Confidence in Official Statistics (Module 197): this module followed on from pilot work begun in the November 1996 survey, and aimed to measure: 1) whether people have heard of ONS or its component parts - the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys, and the Central Statistical Office and 2) the level of public confidence in official statistics (those produced by ONS). Marriage and Cohabitation (Module 179): this module was asked on behalf of the Lord Chancellor's Department and Oxford University, and queried respondents' opinions of various aspects of relationships. The module was asked only of respondents who were married for the first time and have children aged under 16, or were cohabiting and had never been married. In the March 1998 survey it was asked of cohabiting respondents only. Evaluation of Physical Activity (Health Promotion) Advertisements (Module 160): the purpose of this module was to evaluate advertisements run by the Health Education Authority (HEA) encouraging physical activity and exercise. It focused on respondents' awareness of the advertisements, and their knowledge of amount of physical activity beneficial to health. It was used on respondents in England only. Attitudes to disability benefits (Module 191/191a): this module was asked on behalf of the Department of Social Security and the questions focus on three different sorts of benefit claimants - the disabled who can claim 'income replacement' benefit, people injured at work and carers. Attitudes to in-work subsidies and unemployment benefit (Module 194/194a): this module was asked on behalf of the Department of Social Security and focuses on attitudes to top-up benefits for low-paid workers with jobs, attitudes to unemployment benefit, and attitudes to unemployed couples with and without children. Sexual Health (Module 198): this module was asked on behalf of the Health Education Authority (HEA), in order to monitor knowledge of sexual health matters and their awareness of HIV and AIDS. HIV Testing (Module 199): this module was asked on behalf of the Department of Public Health, Barking and Havering Health Authority in conjunction with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and aimed to assess knowledge and attitudes about testing for HIV. 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. Vulnerable consumers of financial products (Module 195): this module was asked on behalf of the Office for Fair Trading, who were conducting a enquiry into vulnerable consumers of financial services such as banking, savings and investments, credit and insurance.
Multi-stage stratified random sample
Face-to-face interview
