Understanding Society User Support

Hello David,

At present, the only possible route to access this data would be to apply to become an ISER Visitor. Please see the attached document for details of the application process. The current Visitor Coordinator is Silvia Avram (https://www.iser.essex.ac.uk/people/savram), whom you may contact directly if you have any further questions.

According to the UK Data Service, which hosts the UKHLS/BHPS data:
“The owners of census microdata have specified that only data users within the EEA and the other countries deemed by the European Commission to be able to safeguard the data can be allowed access to some census microdata held in UK Data Service.”

As the datasets you mention make use of Census information, access is therefore restricted to users based in the UK or in countries deemed to provide an adequate level of data protection. The United States is not currently included on that list.

You can find further details here:
https://ukdataservice.ac.uk/help/data-types/faqs-on-different-types-of-data/ (see the FAQ: “As a researcher living outside the UK, can I access any census microdata available in the UK Data Service?”)

As an alternative, you may wish to explore conducting your analysis using SN6614, which can be downloaded here: https://datacatalogue.ukdataservice.ac.uk/studies/study/6614
You could, for example, use variable gor_dv (Government Office Region). For more information, please see: https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/documentation/mainstage/variables/gor_dv/

I hope this information is helpful

Best wishes,
Roberto Cavazos
Understanding Society User Support Team