Which data do I need?

Less detailed versions of Secure Data Service data may be available for direct download from the Economic and Social Data Service. Before you apply, it's best to determine which version is most suited to your research project.

When you apply for access to data from the Secure Data Service you will need to document why you need those data and why other versions of the same data are not sufficient for your research.

Different versions of the following datasets in our collection are also available to download from our sister service,  the Economic and Social Data Service (ESDS).  For more information see:

British Household Panel Survey example

For example, there are several different versions of the British Household Panel Survey available to ESDS-registered users.  Each version contains different geographical variables:

Version Access conditions Geographic variables
End User Licence Access Immediate download
  • Government Office Region
  • Region/Metropolitan Area
Conditional Access Agree online to special conditions of use and download one version that contains one 'medium-level geographic identifier'.  To apply for more than one version, complete a Special Licence request form.

Medium-level geographic identifiers:

  • Local Authority Districts
  • Local Authority District Codes
  • Local Education Authorities
  • Primary Care Trusts
  • Travel to Work Areas
  • Rural-Urban Indicators
  • Westminster Parliamentary Constituencies
  • Area Classification for Output Areas
Special Licence Access Complete Special Licence request form to apply for download.  ESDS passes completed form to data owner for their approval.
  • More than one medium-level geographic identifier
  • Census Area Statistics Wards
  • Lower Layer Super Output Areas and Scottish Data Zones
  • Census Code Range
Secure Data Service Access

Complete our Applying process to apply for remote access.  We pass your application to the data owner for their approval and provide you with face-to-face training. Data cannot be downloaded.

 Grid-references

Data Library

Consult our data library for a full list of datasets in the Secure Data Service.

Economic and Social Data Service

Our sister service provides access to less detailed versions of some of the data that we hold.

Contact Us

If you're unsure about which data to request, please contact us for advice.