Life Opportunities Survey (LOS)

Summary

LOS is the first major government survey to explore disability in terms of social barriers across Britain (England, Scotland and Wales). The survey has been designed to find out about the interaction of social barriers with impairments. The survey also measures the prevalence of different impairments and conditions and collects information on those who have entitlements under the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA). In addition, the survey also collects information on all equality strands, not just disability. Previous surveys have defined disability using a medical model approach which says that restrictions and limitations in the lives of disabled people are a direct result of their impairment. This definition differs from the social model which focuses on how a person is ‘disabled’ by the barriers imposed upon them by society. Data for a variety of definitions of disability can be delivered by the Life Opportunities Survey (LOS). Outputs can be produced based on a 'social barriers' definition where people are categorised as disabled only if they are disadvantaged by the way in which the wider environment restricts their participation. Outputs can also be provided on medical conditions or impairments by examining the answers to questions about body function or structure. In particular LOS will fill the following evidence gaps: • Prevalence of disability in Britain from a multi-dimensional perspective, including the DDA definition plus detailed information on types of impairment, levels of severity and social barriers. • Data to support outcome based indicators to underpin the cross-government target to achieve substantive equality by 2025. • Information on what happens when people become disabled and the relationship between change in impairment status and subsequent outcomes.

Type of data

Data Source
Survey

Type of Study
Survey same

Data gathering method
Face-to-face

Access to data

Conditions of access
Data are available from the UK Data Service (previously the Economic and Social Data Service, ESDS): http://ukdataservice.ac.uk/ The website contains detailed information on conditions of access, and it is also possible to contact the UK Data Service by phone: +44 (0)1206 872143, or by email: help@ukdataservice.ac.uk

Type of available data (e.g. anonymised microdata, aggregated tables, etc.)
Anonymised microdata

Formats available
Survey data from the UK Data Service are usually available to download in SPSS, Stata and tab-delimited (suitable for use in MS Excel) formats.

Coverage

Coverage Years of collection, reference years, and sample sizes
The last major survey of disability in Great Britain was the Disability Follow-up to the 1996/97 Family Resources Survey (available at the UK Data Archive). Prior to that were the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys (OPCS) national surveys of disability carried out during 1985-88 (also available from the Archive). In 2005, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) sponsored a feasibility study which recommended that a new dedicated disability survey was required. The new survey was needed to meet the following long term information needs on experiences of disabled people living in Great Britain: • dynamics of disability over time, including the factors associated with transitions and onsets of impairment • social participation by disabled people • up-to-date prevalence rates of impairments The sample size of Wave One (2009-2011) is 46,693 cases (households that include 10 or more people have been removed from the data) `Note: Older people are represented in this data source (approximately) according to their proportion in the population. In 2011, over one third of the total UK population (and approximately 40 per cent of the adult population 16+) was aged 50 and over.`

First year of collection
2009-2011

Stratification if applicable
The data includes a variety of demographic variables, including age and sex. The sample is stratified.

Base used for sampling

Geographical coverage and breakdowns
None, although detailed spatial data are available under Special License

Age range
Adults aged 16 and over (as well as some information about children aged 11-15)

Statistical representativeness
Other, please specify

Coverage of main and cross-cutting topics
The last major survey of disability in Great Britain was the Disability Follow-up to the 1996/97 Family Resources Survey (available at the UK Data Archive). Prior to that were the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys (OPCS) national surveys of disability carried out during 1985-88 (also available from the Archive). In 2005, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) sponsored a feasibility study which recommended that a new dedicated disability survey was required. The new survey was needed to meet the following long term information needs on experiences of disabled people living in Great Britain: • dynamics of disability over time, including the factors associated with transitions and onsets of impairment • social participation by disabled people • up-to-date prevalence rates of impairments In 2007 the Office for Disability Issues (ODI) commissioned the ONS to develop a new longitudinal survey of disability. The LOS is a longitudinal survey. This means it will track the experiences of disabled people over time to assess transitions through key life stages, such as moving from childhood to adulthood or in and out of work. It is the first major ONS social survey to explore disability in terms of the social barriers to participation that people experience. The survey compares the experiences of disabled people with those of non-disabled people. The longitudinal design enables three distinct groups to be followed over time: • disabled group • comparison group of non-disabled people • a larger non-disabled group, monitored for the onset of impairment over time Respondents will be interviewed every 12 months, whether they are resident in the original household or have since moved. Following the baseline survey only the first two groups will be interviewed face-to-face. The third group will be monitored over time via a shorter telephone interview to check for the onset of an impairment. If any member of the household has experienced the onset of impairment, they will be invited to take part in a face to face interview. Further information about the LOS series is available from the ONS. The first part is the Integrated Household Survey (IHS) core module. The core module collects basic demographic information and other household information for all members of the household. The second part of the questionnaire is the LOS module. This module is administered to each adult in the household and they are asked questions about: • education and training • employment • economic life and living standards • transport • leisure, social and cultural activities • social contact • housing • accessibility in the home • accessibility of public services • domestic life and social care • discrimination • crime • impairments and health conditions • disability as defined by the Disability Discrimination Act • income and benefits Information about impairments and health conditions of children aged 11 to 15 was collected by parental proxy.

Linkage

Standardisation
There is an ongoing cross-governmental programme of work in the UK which aims to develop and improve standardised inputs and outputs for use in official statistics. This is known as harmonisation, and is led by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). While this work primarily affects government-run surveys, the results have an impact on most national UK data sources. Furthermore, harmonisation has important benefits for all researchers using these surveys, and not just government statisticians. For more information, see: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-method/harmonisation/harmonisation-index-page/index.html

Possibility of linkage among databases
Data are anonymised

Data quality

Entry errors if applicable
In addition to unit non-response, the data include item non-response and may be subject to other errors that are typical of surveys and censuses. This data source is used to prepare official statistics, which are required to meet quality standards. These standards are monitored by the UK Statistics Authority, according to the statutory authority provided by the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007. http://www.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/national-statistician/producers-of-official-statistics/index.html http://www.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/national-statistician/types-of-official-statistics/index.html For more information on data quality, see the survey documentation on the UK Data Service website.

Breaks
There are no major breaks for this data source.

Consistency of terminology or coding used during collection
In general, the consistency of this data source is good. For more information on data quality, see the survey documentation on the UK Data Service website.

Governance

Contact information
Office for National Statistics
Customer Contact Centre
Government Buildings, Cardiff Road
NP10 8XG Newport, South Wales United Kingdom Phone: +44 (0) 1633 455678.
Email:
Url: http://ukdataservice.ac.uk/

Timeliness, transparency
Respondents will be interviewed every 12 months, and data should be available around 12 months after the end of fieldwork