ESSnet on Consistency Workshop Gresham Hotel, Dublin, 24th and 25th of April 2012

Overview of the UK survey frame . Overview of the UK survey frame Andrew Allen , ONS , UK Dublin 24/25 April 2012

Data sources, frequency & thresholds Current & Frozen frames Introduction Data sources, frequency & thresholds Current & Frozen frames Survey use Survey feedback

Register data source & frequency VAT threshold £77,000 (Euro 93,000) PAYE - employment tax threshold £8,000 (Euro 9,700) Company Registrations

Primary Sources VAT New registrations received daily Monthly updates of turnover but some VAT traders report quarterly PAYE new registrations received quarterly

Company Registrations Daily extract direct from companies house which contains details of company:- - registrations - de-registrations - name changes - classification etc

Register regularly updated Conclusion: Register is regularly updated. Target population –all UK enterprises But quite a high tax threshold - very small businesses coverage a weakness. No single identifier or source in UK

Register and Survey Universe Multiple sources and identifiers means matching processes required Name and address matching software and rules used Some businesses on the register are excluded from the survey universe until they match to another source Proving survey used to help matching – 12,000 per year

A set of common criteria are used by surveys to ensure consistency. Survey universe A set of common criteria are used by surveys to ensure consistency. Non matched businesses are held in a super universe. Example – surveys use one criteria. Business Demography uses a wider criteria.

Live Register : register births and death updated continually Frozen /current frame Live Register : register births and death updated continually Current variables can be updated each day. Frozen variables updated only annually. This solution in place to satisfy both short term and annual survey users

Classification , Employment ,Turnover Frozen variables Classification , Employment ,Turnover If new administrative or survey data received , the current variables are updated but frozen left fixed. Once a year in December - Current to Frozen copy over.

Frozen variables are not totally frozen. Frozen exceptions Frozen variables are not totally frozen. Changes to employment of more than 1000, or to the 2 digit classification are made in year. At this level of change, there is an impact on results. Results may not be credible unless we change.

Coordinated Survey Selection The short –term survey samples are selected at the same time to improve consistency. Monthly Business Survey , Retail Sales, Construction, Quarterly Business Survey To avoid businesses being classified in two different places for example.

These sample selections are not coordinated. Annual surveys These sample selections are not coordinated. Selections to suit processing timetable and delivery requirements for each survey. Possible source of inconsistency between annuals. Also with short-term surveys.

Priority rules for different surveys Less feedback now Survey feedback Priority rules for different surveys Less feedback now Feedback in sampled cells leads to bias Trade off between bias and sending survey questionnaires to incorrect businesses

Business Register & Employment Survey Special case – survey designed to supply local units to the register and to produce annual employment estimates (SBS) Sample bias problem solved by sampling from different permanent random number start point – independent Also by modelling the employment auxiliary variable, to move all units onto the same period

Any Questions?