Background
The Opinions survey is a multipurpose survey developed by the Office for National Statistics to be a fast, cost-effective and reliable way of obtaining information on a variety of topics too brief to warrant a survey of their own.
From January 2008 Opinions became a part of the Integrated Household Survey (IHS). This has resulted in an increased coherence between Opinions and other major household surveys in the UK and our population estimates being more consistent. In addition to this, demographic and other classificatory information about each member of the household can now be made available to the clients.
The survey is useful for:
- providing quick answers to questions of immediate policy interest
- measuring the efficiency of publicity campaigns
- measuring public awareness of new policies
- providing a sample of respondents for follow-up investigations (subject to respondents’ consent - personal information is never linked to survey responses.)
- question testing and piloting
One of the main strengths of the Omnibus survey is that it allows customers to receive results quickly; the survey has a maximum turnaround of 14 weeks. However, modules of questions are generally booked on the survey approximately six months to a year in advance.
When the survey was first set up in 1990, the service was offered to government departments only. Later, the service was also offered to non-profit making bodies in the academic and voluntary sectors. More recently, demand for the survey has increased - particularly from government departments - and there are more repeat commissions.
