Survey Question Bank
Harmonisation and classification zone - ONS: Harmonised concepts and questions
The SQB is working with the ONS Classification and Harmonisation Unit to promote comparability in surveys by providing users with information on harmonised standard questions along with an easy means of tracking their use in major social surveys. The collaboration aims to provide greater visibility of the questions, encouraging their re-use not only to increase comparability across data sources but also to increase efficiencies in survey design by reducing the resources required to develop new surveys.
These web pages will initially focus on the Primary set of harmonised concepts and questions. Later, we will develop content for the Secondary set.
Key ONS resources:
Primary set of harmonised concepts and questions
Primary harmonised concepts and related questions used in surveys held by the ESDS:- Demographic information, household composition and relationships
- Ethnic group
- Economic status and industry
- General health and carers
- Long-lasting health conditions and illnesses: Impairments and disability
- Other primary harmonised standards
Demographic information, household composition and relationships
- Legal marital status
- Living in a couple
- Name
- Gender
- Date of birth
- Age last birthday
- Age
- Name of owner or renter
- Highest income
- Derived HH
- Household reference person
- All persons
- Relationships
Note: Please see Annex A of Version 2.2 of 'Demographic Information, Household Composition and Relationships' for the harmonised definition of a household (August 2011).
- Ethnic group (England)
- Ethnic group (Wales)
- Ethnic group (Scotland)
- Ethnic group (Scotland) alternative version
- Ethnic group (Northern Ireland)
- Ethnic group (Telephone Part 1)
- Ethnic group (Telephone Part 2)
- Paid work
- Government scheme
- Away from job/business
- Unpaid work for own business
- Unpaid work for relative's business
- Looking for work/government training scheme
- Start job/government scheme
- How long
- Main reason not sought work
- Paid job
- Leaving date for last job
- Part-time/full-time course
- Educational status
- Type of education course
- Industry description
- Occupation title current or last main job
- Occupation description current or last main job
- Employee or self-employed
- Supervisory status
- Number of employees (employees)
- Self-employed working on own or with employees
- Number of employees (self-employed)
- Employment status
- Agency working
Note: These additional questions are optional and to be used to collect data on further job details, specifically on agency working.
Note: The 'general health' question measures subjective self-reported well-being for use in social surveys and suitable for data collection using CAPI, CATI and paper-based and online self completion forms.
Long-lasting health conditions and illnesses: Impairments and disability
- Long-standing physical or mental health conditions or illnesses
- Impairments (Optional alternative version)
Note: This optional 'impairments' question is for those surveys wanting to capture impairment type among the general population with or without a long-lasting physical or mental health condition or illness.
