Survey sample and response tracker

We have created this prototype survey sample and response tracker to improve transparency on the operational performance of our surveys. It currently includes two surveys, with plans to add further surveys over time, informed by user feedback.

ONS has been working to increase the number of achieved interviews and response rates (interviews achieved as a percentage of people, households or businesses approached) for some of our surveys, following a period of decline.

This has been an important step to restore confidence in our surveys, but these figures are not the only measure of survey quality.

They cannot tell us anything about bias, or how representative the data are. They are also not a direct indicator of the quality of statistical outputs made using these data, which typically have techniques applied to further improve quality (such as imputation for missing data).

Direct comparisons should not be made between the individual surveys in this tracker, as they vary in their design, such as sampling methods, collection periods and participation incentives, which can affect how many interviews are achieved. Importantly, the number of interviews achieved can increase even if response rates decline if more people, households or businesses are approached to take part.

Overview of surveys in this tracker

The Labour Force Survey (LFS) is a longitudinal study that collects information on employment circumstances from GB households across multiple waves and is used in key labour market and employment statistics.

Labour market survey data for Northern Ireland are collected by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) and shared with ONS for use in our published statistics. ONS conducts the LFS for England, Wales and Scotland; these data are represented in this tracker to demonstrate the operational performance of ONS-run surveys.

Achieved household interviews for the Labour Force Survey (LFS)

All waves, Great Britain, Quarter 2 (Apr to June) 2016 to Quarter 1 (Jan to Mar) 2026

Household response rates for the LFS

All waves, Great Britain, Quarter 2 (Apr to June) 2016 to Quarter 1 (Jan to Mar) 2026

Notes

1. Q1 refers to January to March; Q2 refers to April to June; Q3 refers to July to September; Q4 refers to October to December.
2. Data exclude imputation for household non-response in a particular wave. This is where a household is unavailable for interview, but was interviewed in the previous wave, so responses from the previous wave are rolled forward.
3. Several short-term survey collection adjustments were implemented from Q3 2020 in response to the pandemic; for more information see Impact of COVID-19 on ONS social survey data collection and Volume 1: Background and methodology of our Labour Force Survey user guidance.
4. Several changes were made to the operation and processing of LFS data since Q4 2023; for more information see Section 2 of Labour Force Survey quality update: September 2025 and Volume 1: Background and methodology of our Labour Force Survey user guidance.

Related links for LFS

• Labour Force Survey performance and quality monitoring reports
  Response rates, sample size and quality assessment of the Office for National Statistics quarterly Labour Force Survey.
• Labour Force Survey quality update
  Assessment of Labour Force Survey data quality, including the impact of recent changes on the statistics, response levels and rates, and respondent characteristics.
• Labour Force Survey Quality and Methodology Information (QMI)
  Quality and Methodology Information for the Labour Force Survey detailing the strengths and limitations of the data, methods, and data uses and users.

The Opinions and Lifestyle Survey (OPN) asks residents of Great Britain about their views and experiences of daily life and events, and is used in well-being, health and cost of living statistics.

Achieved individual interviews for the Opinions and Lifestyle Survey (OPN)

Great Britain, 14 May 2020 to 26 April 2026

Individual response rates for the OPN

Great Britain, 14 May 2020 to 26 April 2026

Notes

1. Shading on chart shows changes in data collection frequency. Changes in data collection frequency, sample size, and incentive measures have affected the achieved sample over time. For more information, see Opinions and Lifestyle Survey: sample sizes, response rates and user requested data.

Related links for OPN

• Opinions and Lifestyle Survey: sample sizes, response rates and user requested data
  Survey information including sample sizes, response rates and user requested data for the Opinions and Lifestyle Survey (OPN).
• Opinions and Lifestyle Survey Quality and Methodology Information (QMI)
  Quality and Methodology Information for the Opinions and Lifestyle Survey (OPN), including strengths and limitations, recent improvements and quality characteristics.

We are developing this tracker to provide insights into the operational performance of our surveys at ONS, and welcome user feedback on the tracker’s current or future content as we continue to develop it. You can share your feedback by emailing the team at survey.strategy.qhub@ons.gov.uk.

Related links

ONS economic statistics and surveys improvement plans and updates Our improvement plans for surveys and economic statistics and updates on progress.

Response rates

There is no single internationally accepted method for calculating response rates that is used across national statistics institutes. Approaches vary depending on survey design and purpose. For this reason, you cannot compare the response rates between these surveys or compare response rates with international surveys.

For the Labour Force Survey (LFS) the response rate (RR) equals full response (FR) plus partial response (PR), divided by FR plus PR plus outright refusal (OR) plus circumstantial refusal (CR) plus refusal to headquarters (RHQ) plus non-contact (NC) plus refusal to re-interview (RRI) (for only Waves 2 to 5). More information can be found in Section 7 ‘Understanding response rates’ of our LFS Performance and Quality Monitoring Report.

For the Opinions and Lifestyle Survey (OPN), the response rate is the number of adults who fully participated (the achieved sample), as a proportion (%) of those who were invited to participate (the issued sample).