Datasets and interview transcripts from a Q-methodology study with 54 individuals with a range of different experiences of, and expertise in relation to, the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants included, for example, seldom-heard and low-income individuals, health practitioners, health and social policy academics and relevant policy makers, key workers, furloughed staff, and individuals directed to shield by the NHS. Participants from England and Scotland rank ordered 60 statements onto a quasi-normal shaped grid according to their point of view in 2021. The dataset includes data from the Q sorts (n=54), socio-demographic survey (n=54) and post-sort qualitative interviews (n=53).Amongst those hit hardest by COVID-19, and the associated social and economic measures put in place to combat it, will be people in low-income settings, and, within that group, those in hard-to-reach groups continually threatened by financial exclusion. People in such situations already live in precarious financial situations which could be amongst the most vulnerable to measures such as social distancing and self-isolation. A Q study was conducted, with a focus on perceptions of COVID-19 and the societal responses to which study participants have been subjected. Q methodology is an established approach to study subjective opinion and beliefs. The views of seldom-heard individuals were complemented and compared with those of a wide range of other participants, for example, health practitioners, health and social policy academics and relevant policy makers, key workers, furloughed staff, and individuals directed to shield by the NHS. We purposively selected 54 individuals with a range of different experiences of, and expertise in relation to, the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants rank ordered 60 statements onto a quasi-normal shaped grid according to their point of view. These data will be useful in enhancing the acceptability of, adherence to and effective delivery of evidence-based strategies for future prevention and containment.

This is a Q methodology study. Purposively sampled participants (n=54) rank ordered 60 statements onto a quasi-normal shaped grid according to their point of view. A socio-demographic questionnaire survey was also conducted (n=54). Semi-structured post-sort interviews with participants (n=53) revealed additional qualitative information on their COVID-19 perspectives. Data were collected during the pandemic using a mix of telephone, postal, online and face-to-face.