This paper investigates the role of pre-pandemic levels of social interactions in mitigating the impact of mobility restrictions, implemented to curb the spread of COVID-19, on feelings of loneliness. Using individual-level data from the U.K. Household Longitudinal Study (U.K.HLS) on ’Understanding Society,’ we analyze the relationship between loneliness and both neighborhood social cohesion and […]

Main findings: 1) Living in a privately rented home is associated with faster biological ageing; 2) The impact of renting in the private sector, as opposed to outright ownership (with no mortgage), was almost double that of being out of work rather than being employed; 3) It was also 50% greater than having been […]

Impact assessments relating to the Tobacco and Vapes Bill introduced in the House of Commons on 20 March 2024.

The impact of air pollution on individuals’ happiness and life satisfaction (LS), and its relationship to other factors became the focus of recent research. Though, the underlying mechanism of how air pollution impacts LS remains unclear. In this study, we examined the direct and indirect effect of air pollution on individuals’ LS through health […]

[…] COVID-19 survey to the answers respondents have given in previous (and future) waves of the annual Understanding Society survey thus allowing a more in-depth look at the impact of the pandemic. The COVID-19 survey is funded by the UKRI Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the Health Foundation. Aim: Our core aim is […]

Background: Long-term health conditions can affect labour market outcomes. COVID-19 may have increased labour market inequalities, e.g. due to restricted opportunities for clinically vulnerable people. Evaluating COVID-19’s impact could help target support. Aim: To quantify the effect of several long-term conditions on UK labour market outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic and compare them to […]

[…] of excess body weight on employment outcomes, including productivity, labour supply, and discrimination. In this review, we provide a systematic synthesis of the evidence on the causal impact of excess body weight on labour market outcomes worldwide. Methods: We searched Econ Lit, and Web of Science databases for relevant studies published from 1st Jan […]

Objective: To estimate the impact of the UK nationwide campaign to End loneliness on loneliness and mental health outcomes among older people in England. Design: Quasi-experimental design, namely, a difference-in-differences approach. Setting: Local authorities across England. Participants: Older adults aged 65 and over participating in waves 4-8 (2008-2017) of the English Longitudinal Study of […]

[…] questionnaire content in waves 14 and 15 of the main survey to improve the identification of and data we provide about families across households. The changes will significantly enhance the data we produce for scientific and policy research and impact and this Working Paper should help users understand the rationale and nature of these changes.