RAPID: Population interactions with employment, benefits and pensions - UK
This year, ADR UK is working with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to make an existing linked administrative dataset - with a significant user base across government - available to all accredited researchers through ADR UK trusted research environments.
This development represents a groundbreaking step in data accessibility, offering research access to deidentified information on all individuals (including children) with a National Insurance number across the UK.
The RAPID: Population interactions with employment, benefits and pensions - UK dataset contains 87 million records and includes over 200 variables detailing individuals’ interactions with the tax and benefits systems. This covers income received from employment and self-employment, benefits paid, pension income and demographic information such as age group, sex, employment status, disability codes, and information on registrations for National Insurance (including nationality at registration). The dataset supports geographic analysis and includes the potential to securely connect data for individuals living in the same household when linked to household-based benefit awards.
This dataset has enormous potential, with its coverage of the whole United Kingdom offering unique insights. Already used by numerous government departments, it is a component part of migration and population estimates produced by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and is also used extensively by the Department for Education (DfE).
Key research questions
The dataset could help answer questions such as:
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What is the relationship between income and child or pensioner poverty over time?
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What are the transitions between employment and economic inactivity?
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What is the impact of economic shocks on the labour market, migration, and income?
As one of ADR UK’s flagship datasets, this will be supported with detailed documentation and integrated into upcoming ADR UK Research Fellowship opportunities. Over time, training courses and resources will also be developed to support researchers in using the data effectively.
The dataset will be made available to all accredited researchers via the ONS Secure Research Service. DWP are also exploring whether the data can be made available in the trusted research environments of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
