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Finding data overview

The service provides access to over 5,000 computer-readable datasets for research and teaching purposes covering an extensive range of key economic and social data, both quantitative and qualitative, spanning many disciplines and themes. Comprehensive online information, and links to access data, are available for each dataset. Searching and browsing information about data, including user guides and documentation, is free and does not require registration. Registration is only necessary to access the raw data.

• search the Data Catalogue, using a basic, advanced or variable search
• browse data by subject
• browse most commonly used data - major studies
• browse recent data releases
• conduct a thesaurus-aided search
• identify data from other data archives around the world

Searching and browsing results in a catalogue record which provides: a description of the study; its coverage, methods and outputs; references to publications based on the data; variable lists and frequencies where appropriate; user guides and documentation; and direct links to access the data.

The Data Catalogue includes records for relevant qualitative datasets held in other repositories and important cross-national datasets held at archives in other countries. These provide access information and, where possible, a link to the associated documentation.

Access to the data is via registration using federated access management (shibboleth) user authentication. Access to some data is limited to users at UK higher or further education institutions. To analyse the data, users usually need to have access to the appropriate data analysis software, although a range of data are available to explore online, with the facility to produce online tabulations and charts. See How to access data for information on registering and access.

For information about managing and sharing data see: Manage and share data.