Changes to health variables on the Annual Population Survey

The estimates of the economic activity of people with heath conditions published from the Annual Population Survey (APS) have undergone several changes since 2010 and this has meant that comparisons over time have become difficult to interpret. There are two sets of changes in particular that have resulted in discontinuities in time series:

  • 1. in January 2010, a rewording of the introduction to the section of the survey covering disabilities; and
  • 2. in April 2013, changes to the wording of the disability questions in order to bring the LFS more into line with the definitions and questions used in other household surveys in the UK (see Table below).

Consequently the estimates from 2010 onwards are not directly comparable with those for previous years. Also, the estimates from April 2013 are not comparable with those for either the 2010-2012 or the pre-2010 periods. In addition, from 2010 onwards it has been possible to produce estimates for women aged 16-64. Prior to 2010, estimates for women were only available for those aged 16-59.

The discontinuity in 2010 resulted from some differences in the reporting behaviour of respondents as a result of the a change in the wording of the questionnaire. It resulted in higher estimates of the number of people either with a disability or long-term health problem. The most prominent effect was an increase, or step change, in the number of economically active people with a disability between Q4 2009 and Q1 2010 of around 300,000, or 8 per cent. At the same time there was a commensurate decrease in the number of people who were not long-term disabled.

The discontinuity in April 2013 resulted from a further change in the reporting behaviour of survey respondents following changes to the wording of the questionnaire. These changes brought the LFS/APS into line with the Government Statistical Service (GSS) Harmonised Standards for questions on disability and also enabled the LFS estimates to be consistent with the definitions used in 2010 Equality Act. The 2010 Equality Act superseded the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995 which was the basis of the previously published LFS estimates. Estimates published prior to the April 2013 to March 2014 period should not be treated as a timeseries due to these discontinuities.

As with all new questions, they are subject to ONS monitoring of responses for several quarters, and should therefore be interpreted with caution, especially when comparing with estimates for previous periods and appear in a new table (T03b) from July 2014.

LFS/APS Questions (before April 2013)

LNGLIM

Do you have any health problems or disabilities that you expect will last more than a year?

  • 1 Yes
  • 2 No

Harmonised Questions (April 2013 onwards)

LNGLST

Do you have any physical or mental health conditions or illnesses lasting or expected to last 12 months or more?

  • 1 Yes
  • 2 No
  • 3 Don't know
  • 4 Refusal"

For further information please contact:

Jonathan Knight (jonathan.knight@ons.gsi.gov.uk)

01633 455253

or

Bob Watson (bob.watson@ons.gsi.gov.uk)

01633 455070