Family Resources Survey
FRS Latest Release:
The latest national statistics from the Family Resources Survey (FRS) produced by the Department for Work and Pensions were released on 14 June 2012 according to the arrangements approved by the UK Statistics Authority.
The latest release updates the statistics previously released on 12 May 2011.
Statistics from the FRS focuses on the United Kingdom for 2010/11.
To access the latest release in full click here 
Revision to 2008/09 and 2009/10 results
This note outlines the revision to results for 2008/09 and 2009/10 to improve the methodology for direct taxes in Northern Ireland and to adjust for new tenure information from the Department for Communities and Local Government.
Dataset release
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has completed its review of the access arrangements it requires for the sensitive versions of the Family Resources Survey (FRS), Households Below Average Income (HBAI) and Pensioners' Incomes (PI) data previously released under the Special Licence. DWP has concluded that a higher level of security is required for them to continue making these data available.
Potential users of these data will only be able to access them via the UK Data Service’s safe room at the UK Data Archive. Details of the application process are available at Secure Data Service - Special conditions for DWP datasets.
This decision reflects DWP-specific requirements, which are based in part on legislation affecting DWP alone; this is why other organisations are able to release data of similar sensitivity by Special Licence while DWP cannot.
DWP regrets the inconvenience this will place on the user community but without arrangements that meet this higher standard DWP could not give access to data of this sensitivity. However, these additional security requirements have enabled the inclusion of a number of additional variables which were previously not included and will increase the value and scope of the research which these data can support.
We wish to reassure users that DWP and the UK Data Service are working closely to improve access and are discussing options for transferring the data into the UK Data Service’s secure remote access system as soon as is practicable within the legal framework to which DWP data is subject.
Earlier Special Licence versions of these data will be available through the same secure access mechanisms.
The Family Resources Survey - March 2011
The Family Resources Survey is a major study, sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). It provides facts and figures about the living conditions and resources of people in the UK today.
The Family Resources Survey has been running since 1992. Prior to 2002/03 the survey covered Great Britain; from 2002/03 the survey was extended to cover the UK. The fieldwork for the survey in Northern Ireland is managed by the Department for Social Development (DSDNI) and is currently carried out by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency.
The contract for fieldwork for the survey in Great Britain has been re-tendered four times, most recently in 2010. A consortium made up of the Office of National Statistics and the National Centre for Social Research won that contract, for 2011/12 to 2014/15 inclusive. As part of the new contract the cost of the survey has reduced, but the Department has sought to retain as far as possible the accuracy of FRS estimates.
For full details, click on this link.
All releases are available here.
Further information on the statistics is available in the Methodology section of the release.
Contents
Have you been asked to take part?
If you have been asked to take part in the Family Resources Survey and want to know more about it, please visit our respondents' section.
