UK Data Service

UK Data ServiceThe UK Data Service provides a unified point of access to the extensive range of high quality social and economic data, including Census data, government funded surveys, longitudinal studies, international macrodata, qualitative data and business microdata. It is designed to provide seamless access and support to meet the current and future research demands of both academic and non-academic users, and to help them maximise the impact of their work.

About the UK Data Service

The UK Data Service is a new service which replaces the earlier ESRC investments of the Economic and Social Data Service (ESDS), the Secure Data Service (SDS), the Survey Question Bank and elements of the ESRC Census Programme.

The primary aim of the Service is to provide users with seamless and flexible access to data resources to facilitate high quality social and economic research. To achieve this primary aim, the Service will:

  • act as a trusted national digital repository for a wide range of data providers and users
  • provide a single point of access and support to a broad range of high-quality economic and social research data
  • provide controlled access to sensitive and/or disclosive data through secure settings
  • raise the awareness of the data held by the UK Data Service among those who are not yet using the service, especially among those in business, third sector and at all levels of government
  • extend use of its data holdings to the widest possible academic, policy and practitioner communities for generating greater impact
  • develop and promote common standards and agreed strategies for data preparation, processing, documentation and preservation to promote data sharing and re-use
  • help the social science community to develop the skills necessary to use the data available
  • work with a wide range of stakeholders in the UK and overseas, including data suppliers, data funders and users, institutional repositories and Doctoral Training Centres.

The UK Data Service is governed through a Governing Board which has the responsibility and authority to ensure that the service is developed, managed and maintained in a manner that maximises its benefit as a long-term world class data resource. The Governing Board is chaired by Professor Gordon Marshall, Director of Leverhulme Trust. 

UK Data Service-Census Support

The UK Data Service-Census Support provides bespoke interfaces, query facilities and analysis tools that enable users to access, extract and analyse area statistics, digital boundary data, origin-destination flows and microdata from the 1971, 1981, 1991, 2001 and 2011 Censuses. These tools will be complemented with support from individuals with extensive experience in managing complex datasets and undertaking research projects and teaching initiatives based on census data. Census Support will also work closely with the UK national statistical agencies providing pre-release advice and facilitating user access to 2011 Census and related Beyond 2011 datasets.

The key priorities of the Census Support service are to:

  • maintain delivery of existing services to users of 1971-2001 census data
  • provide users with timely and informed access to outputs from the 2011 Census
  • develop new, more integrated services for improved data access and usability for a wider range of users.

UK Data Service-Census Support covers the census services previously provided by the Census Dissemination Unit (CDU), the Centre for Census and Survey Research (CCSR) the Centre for Interaction Data Estimation and Research (CIDER) and UKBORDERS.

Further information