Understanding Society User Support: Issueshttps://iserredex.essex.ac.uk/support/https://iserredex.essex.ac.uk/support/support/favicon.ico?15995719382023-11-08T08:27:14ZUnderstanding Society User Support
Redmine Support #1992 (Resolved): household income https://iserredex.essex.ac.uk/support/issues/19922023-11-08T08:27:14ZAelen Valen
<p>Hello,</p>
<p>I'm using Understanding Society together with Eu SILC and I was wondering whether w_fihhmnnet1_dv+ (*12 months) corresponds to the total disposable income in EUSILC (HY020) which is derived as follows:</p>
<p>Total disposable household income (HY020) can be computed as:<br />- the sum for all household members of gross personal income components<br /> <del>gross employee cash or near cash income (PY010G),<br /> - company car (PY021G),<br /> - gross cash benefits or losses from self-employment (including royalties) (PY050G),<br /> - pensions received from individual private plans (other than those covered under ESSPROS) (PY080G),<br /> - unemployment benefits (PY090G),<br /> - old-age benefits (PY100G),<br /> - survivor' benefits (PY110G),<br /> - sickness benefits (PY120G),<br /> - disability benefits (PY130G),<br /> - education-related allowances (PY140G);<br /></del> plus gross income components at household level<br /> - income from rental of a property or land (HY040G),<br /> - family/children related allowances (HY050G),<br /> - social exclusion not elsewhere classified (HY060G),<br /> - housing allowances (HY070G),<br /> - regular inter-household cash transfers received (HY080G),<br /> - interests, dividends, profit from capital investments in unincorporated business (HY090G),<br /> - income received by people aged under 16 (HY110G));<br />- minus<br /> - regular taxes on wealth (HY120G),<br /> - regular inter-household cash transfer paid (HY130G),<br /> - tax on income and social insurance contributions (HY140G).</p>
<p>Many thanks for the support!!!</p> Support #1967 (Resolved): Derived OECD equivalience scale variable which matches scale used to ca...https://iserredex.essex.ac.uk/support/issues/19672023-09-05T22:47:29ZThomas Stephenst.c.stephens@lse.ac.uk
<p>Good afternoon,</p>
<p>Apologies but I have a (hopefully quick) query. I notice that the OECD equivalence scale variable in Understanding Society (ieqmoecd_dv) does not use the same scale as that used for calculating relative poverty in Households Below Average Income (HBAI) (their scale is attached for ease of reference).[1] I am wondering if you have a derived variable which uses the HBAI equivalance scale, or if you could point me to some syntax (ideally using R) which would create one?</p>
<p>Just to provide some further background (and in case useful for other readers):</p>
<p>- I am trying to calculate the median household income in Understanding Society to create an indicator for individuals who live in households in relative poverty. Failing that, I'll use the median from another survey and simply use this as a reference point to create the indicator. To do either of these two things, I obviously need a measure of equivalised household income that matches with that used in the official definition of relative poverty.</p>
<p>- However, I've noticed that HBAI uses a different equivalised scale to the derived variable in Understanding Society, as the basis for their calculation of median incomes. Overall, their scale has the effect of creating a much larger median household income than you get in Understanding Society data, because the numbers are lower - with some 0.67 values (for single households) and with couples getting a "1", whereas the lowest value in ieqmoecd_dv is 1. So when net household income is divided by their scale, some incomes actually go up.</p>
<p>- Their scale also seems to match with the way "equivalised household income" is calculated elsewhere, at least in the ONS<sup><a href="#fn2">2</a></sup> and IFS<sup><a href="#fn3">3</a></sup>. All their studies appear to show a much higher median equivalised income than I've managed to get from Understanding Society by dividing net household income before housing costs (fihhmnnet1_dv) by your equivalence scale (ieqmoecd_dv).</p>
<p>Based on my analysis the distribution of (weighted) net equivalised household incomes I've been able to create using Understanding Society is encouragingly very similar to that used in HBAI and elsewhere<sup><a href="#fn4">4</a></sup>, it is simply the actual values that are lower (and thus the median).</p>
<p>Best wishes,</p>
<p>Tom</p>
<p>REFERENCES:<br />[1] Sourced from p. 22 of this DWP Methodology Report, <a class="external" href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/691919/households-below-average-income-quality-methodology-2016-2017.pdf">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/691919/households-below-average-income-quality-methodology-2016-2017.pdf</a><br />[2] See <a class="external" href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/personalandhouseholdfinances/incomeandwealth/bulletins/householddisposableincomeandinequality/financialyearending2022#average-household-income-data">https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/personalandhouseholdfinances/incomeandwealth/bulletins/householddisposableincomeandinequality/financialyearending2022#average-household-income-data</a> <br />[3] <a class="external" href="https://ifs.org.uk/articles/inequality-fell-first-two-years-pandemic-middle-and-high-income-households-became-worse">https://ifs.org.uk/articles/inequality-fell-first-two-years-pandemic-middle-and-high-income-households-became-worse</a><br />[4] Particularly in Figure 5 here, <br /><a class="external" href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/households-below-average-income-for-financial-years-ending-1995-to-2022/households-below-average-income-an-analysis-of-the-uk-income-distribution-fye-1995-to-fye-2022#about-these-statistics">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/households-below-average-income-for-financial-years-ending-1995-to-2022/households-below-average-income-an-analysis-of-the-uk-income-distribution-fye-1995-to-fye-2022#about-these-statistics</a></p> Support #1835 (Resolved): Number of dependent children (inside or outside of household) - variabl...https://iserredex.essex.ac.uk/support/issues/18352022-12-22T14:13:50ZThomas Stephenst.c.stephens@lse.ac.uk
<p>Good afternoon,</p>
<p>By my reading, Understanding Society doesn't have a variable (derived or otherwise) on the number of dependents an individual has, whether inside or outside their own household - is this correct? Such a variable would capture:<br />- Biological children, adopted children and step children <br />- Who are ALSO dependents (eg aged under 16, claiming child benefit for, etc) <br />- ... Regardless of whether they live in the same household or not</p>
<p>The closest derived variable I've found for tis seems to be ndepchl_dv, which records the number of "own" children "in household." According to the Main Survey User Guide (p. 28), "own" dependent children is interpreted broadly biological, adopted or step; but this still restricts only to children <strong>in the household.</strong></p>
<p>UKHLS has a wealth of other variables but none of them quite give the thing I'm looking for: eg:<br />- rach16_dv captures whether responsible for a child under 16, but is a binary variable and doesn't capture the number (and responsibility isn't the same thing as having a dependent); <br />- nchild only captures biological children (inside or outside of household), and not whether they're dependents;<br />- ncild_dv has the same issue re dependents, although this seems to capture non-biological children too; <br />- Ditto with lnaadopt re dependency</p>
<p>Based on the above, I believe ndepchl_dv is the closest to the variable I'm looking for. I'm assuming it may be possible to derive my own variable using information on the ages of other children, but this wouldn't necessarily equate to a dependent.</p>
<p>Any light you could shed on this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in anticipation.</p>
<p>Best wishes,</p>
<p>Tom</p> Support #1382 (Resolved): Where to find questionnaire modules?https://iserredex.essex.ac.uk/support/issues/13822020-07-21T16:48:23ZShreya Nanda
<p>I am interested in using the Wealth, assets and debt module in my research. However I cannot find this data on the UK data service website. I have downloaded the "Understanding Society: Waves 1-9, 2009-2018 and Harmonised BHPS: Waves 1-18, 1991-2009" dataset, but I cannot find this data in there, nor do I know which other dataset to look in. Would be grateful for any help in locating this data. I am interested in the latest data available.</p> Support #1308 (Resolved): Cross-sectional weights 0 valueshttps://iserredex.essex.ac.uk/support/issues/13082020-01-29T10:33:22ZPascale Bourquin
<p>Hello,<br />We are doing crossectional analysis combining all waves from USoc and the BHPS and include all household members (and all regions of the UK whenever become available). We are basically taking information from different waves, for example, wealth from the waves with wealth modules and labour market outcomes/earnings for when people are in their mid 20s. Currently we are using the crossectional weights from the last wave we observe people so we have constant weights even though we use information from various waves for each unique observation (so depending on which wave this are (a-f)xewght (waves 1-6 BHPS), (g-h)xewghte (waves 7-8 BHPS), (i-j)xewtsw1 (waves 9-10 BHPS), (k-..)xewtuk1 (waves 11 onwarfdd BHPS), a_psnenus_xw (wave 1 Usoc), (b-h)_psnenub_xw (wave 2 onwards of USoc)). We are then adjusting them to account for selection of our sample based on observable characteristics.<br />I have two specific questions:<br />1) Are the weights we are using as our base weight (that is, we are using these weights to create our own adjusted weights) the right ones for this kind of analysis? and<br />2) Why is it the case that some of these weights are 0? I understand why longitudinal weights would be 0, however cannot quite understand why any of the cross-sectional ones would be. It is especially confusing that specific individuals have non-zero cross-sectional weights for some waves and not for others.<br />Any help answering the above 2 questions would be much appreciated.<br />Many thanks and best,<br />Pascale</p> Support #1291 (Resolved): Measurement error in savings datahttps://iserredex.essex.ac.uk/support/issues/12912019-12-10T00:53:19ZMihai Codreanu
<p>Hi,</p>
<p>I am currently working with the savings data in USoc (save, saved, svamt etc.) and the savdocs variable shows that very few (less than 10%) actually have shown to the interviewer any documents on their savings. I was wondering if there is any systematic information on how the distributions given by the variables is compared to real data on savings or more focused wealth-assets surveys (such as WAS). And, secondly if anything has been done to deal with it.</p>
<p>Thanks!</p> Support #868 (Closed): wealthassetsanddebthttps://iserredex.essex.ac.uk/support/issues/8682017-10-20T09:47:48ZAnonymous
<p>Dear staff,</p>
<p>Do you have any information on when the next time data on assets and debt will be collected (the "wealthassetsanddebt" section)?</p>
<p>I would be grateful if you could provide any information on the timing of future collection of these variables.</p> Support #781 (Closed): Data on couple financeshttps://iserredex.essex.ac.uk/support/issues/7812017-05-12T08:57:16ZCharlotte Bendall
<p>Hi- apologies for bothering you, but I am currently researching couple finances and have found the variables wealthassetsanddebt_ip3.svacsj (relating to savings) and wealth assetsanddebt_ip3.nvestsj (relating to investments) on this page: <a class="external" href="https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/documentation/innovation-panel/dataset-documentation/wave/3/questionnaire-module/wealthassetsanddebt_ip3">https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/documentation/innovation-panel/dataset-documentation/wave/3/questionnaire-module/wealthassetsanddebt_ip3</a>. Firstly, I just wanted to check that these are the only questions on the survey that dealt with jointly/ solely held assets within couples? Secondly, I looked at the results for e.g. the first variable (<a class="external" href="https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/documentation/innovation-panel/dataset-documentation/wave/3/datafile/c_indresp_ip/variable/c_svacsj-">https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/documentation/innovation-panel/dataset-documentation/wave/3/datafile/c_indresp_ip/variable/c_svacsj-</a> although the same is also applicable for the results for the second variable, which can be found at <a class="external" href="https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/documentation/innovation-panel/dataset-documentation/wave/3/datafile/c_indresp_ip/variable/c_nvestsj">https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/documentation/innovation-panel/dataset-documentation/wave/3/datafile/c_indresp_ip/variable/c_nvestsj</a>) and was wondering, what are the ‘proxy’ results (apologies if that is an ignorant question)? If I were to wish to calculate each possible arrangement (i.e. sole, joint and both) as a percentage of all of the valid responses, not including where the question was inapplicable, would I just include sole, joint, and sole and joint, or do the ‘proxies’ need to be factored in as well? Thirdly, is this the most up-to-date data that you have on sole/joint savings and investments (am I right in thinking that it dates back to 2013)? Thanks so much</p> Support #508 (Closed): BHPS identifying households or individuals across waves https://iserredex.essex.ac.uk/support/issues/5082016-02-21T10:46:34ZChristopher Boothchristopher.booth@durham.ac.uk
<p>Hi,</p>
<p>I am looking to analyse a number of variables such as income, wealth and consumption across waves and to see how they change. From what I understand I cannot link households across waves. But to link individuals across waves I have to use the person identifier (PID). I am specifically looking at the data files whhresp and windresp from waves J-R. Within these I can find the variable for household identification number but I cannot find the variable for PID. Please could you help identify where I can find PID so that I can analyse this data for individuals across waves.</p>
<p>Thanks</p> Support #479 (Closed): Urgent - data accesss support https://iserredex.essex.ac.uk/support/issues/4792016-01-06T05:31:37ZChristopher Boothchristopher.booth@durham.ac.uk
<p>I am looking to download data in a format that I can ideally use in excel. If not, I am willing to download any software which will help me access the data. I am confused by the number of different data files available to download and am unsure which is best for me.</p>
<p>After downloading the British Household Panel Survey: Waves 1-18, 1991-2009 data file in tab format I have opened it in excel. However, it is in a format which seems impossible for me to understand.</p>
<p>I would be very grateful if you could provide exact instructions on what file I should download to access the variables I require as follows:</p>
<p>From at least 3 waves or more:</p>
<p>Household makeup / structure / type <br />Household income <br />Household wealth <br />Household financial assets <br />Household housing/property assets</p>
<p>Kind regards,</p>
<p>Chris</p> Support #465 (Closed): Immediate - BHPS data access help https://iserredex.essex.ac.uk/support/issues/4652015-12-14T16:33:05ZChristopher Boothchristopher.booth@durham.ac.uk
<p>Dear Understanding Society User Support,</p>
<p>I have registered for the UK Data Service and acquired BHPS data for my dissertation. However, I have found it difficult to find data on household’s wealth, financial and housing assets and consumption. Looking at the summary table I noticed that waves 5,10 and 15 include information on wealth, assets and debt.</p>
<p>I would be very grateful if you would be able to help me find and access information on the following variables or others of a similar nature from at least 3 waves or more:</p>
<p>Household makeup / structure / type <br />Household income <br />Household wealth <br />Household financial assets <br />Household housing/property assets</p> Support #247 (Closed): Data on Political Attitudes and Household debthttps://iserredex.essex.ac.uk/support/issues/2472014-02-28T14:01:08ZAndreas Wiedemannawiedem@mit.edu
<p>Dear Sir/Madam,</p>
<p>I’m a PhD student in political economy at MIT and study the economic roots of political behavior. I found the BHPS a great source for my resource, but have a particular questions that I haven’t been able to answer so far. I am looking for a longitudinal dataset that has both questions on political attitudes towards government policies, e.g. social redistribution, spending on health care, etc., and information on households’ economic situation, in particular its indebtedness. As far as I can see, the Understanding Society Panel does not have questions on social redistribution. I know that the Wealth and Asset Survey and to a limited extend the BHS Derived Current and Annual Net Household Income Variables get at the latter part, but they do not include the political attitude variables. Hence my question if there is a subset or part of the BHS (or any other survey) that contains both of those dimensions, or is there a way to match households or individuals from the BHS panel to one of those other surveys?</p>
<p>Thanks so much for your help.</p>
<p>Best,</p>
<p>Andreas</p> Support #193 (Closed): Commonwealth Games Questionshttps://iserredex.essex.ac.uk/support/issues/1932013-09-04T10:57:51Zclare leadbetterclare.leadbetter@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
<p>HI There</p>
<p>I was just enquiring whether there was any questions on the Commonwealth Games 2002, or around any other major sporting events in the BHPS. I am aware of the questions asked in Understanding society and Taking Part on the Olympics but am more interested in commonwealth Game questions. Are you aware of any other surveys which may have asked questions around the commonwealth games 2002? Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>Thanks take care</p>
<p>Clare</p>