The Community Life Survey (CLS) is a household survey conducted in England, tracking the latest trends and developments across areas key to encouraging social action and empowering communities, including: volunteering and charitable giving; views about the local area; community cohesion and belonging; community empowerment and participation; influencing local decisions and affairs; and subjective well-being and loneliness.

The CLS was first commissioned by the Cabinet Office in 2012. From 2016-17, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) took over responsibility for publishing results. During 2020, the DCMS also commissioned the Community Life COVID-19 Re-contact Survey (CLRS) (SN 8781) to provide data on how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected volunteering, charitable giving, social cohesion, wellbeing and loneliness in England.

For the 2023-24 and 2024-25 survey years, DCMS partnered with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to boost the CLS to be able to produce meaningful estimates at Local Authority level. This has enabled data collection at the most granular level since data collection commenced. The questionnaire for 2023-24 was developed collaboratively to adapt to the needs and interests of both DCMS and MHCLG, including some new questions and changes to existing questions, response options and definitions in the 2023-24 and upcoming 2024-25 surveys.

Background
Up to 2015-16, the survey used a face-to-face methodology. Following thorough testing (experimental online versions of the survey were released for 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16), the CLS moved online from 2016-17 onwards, with an end to the previous face-to-face method. The survey uses a push-to-web methodology (with paper mode for those who are not digitally engaged). The survey informs and directs policy and action in these areas;

• to provide data of value to all users, including public bodies, external stakeholders and the public; and
• underpin further research and debate on building stronger communities.

The CLS incorporates a small number of priority measures from the Citizenship Survey, which ran from 2001-2011, conducted by the then Department for Communities and Local Government. These measures were incorporated in the CLS so that trends in these issues could continue to be tracked over time. (The full Citizenship Survey series is held at the UK Data Archive under GNs 33347 and 33474.)

Further information may be found on the GOV.UK Community Life Survey webpage.

The Community Life Survey, 2020 -2021 (CLS) covers April 2020 - March 2021 and forms 'Official Statistics', meaning that it meets the high standards of quality set out by the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.

Further information may be found on the GOV.UK "https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/community-life-survey-202021">Community Life Survey, 2020/21 webpage.

Latest edition information

For the second edition (June 2025) two new variables were added: ResponseGroup (‘Grouped predicted response (stratum for assigning paper questionnaires') and ProbPaperIn2ndReminder (‘P(allocated to get paper in second reminder). These variables support research into mode-specific measurement effects.

The Survey Futures project, funded by the ESRC, includes a strand concerned with the issue of mode-specific measurement effects. One of the surveys that would provide important information to support this strand is the CLS 2020-2021, because it included an experiment whereby addresses were probabilistically allocated to either receive or not receive paper questionnaires in one of the reminder mailings. The addition of the two new variables supports this research.

This dataset is drawn from a hyperlocal version of the Community Life Survey, an annual nationally-representative survey that provides official statistics on issues key to encouraging social action and empowering communities.

For this research, Kantar Public undertook surveys in the seven areas identified as having an established and growing community business sector by the Power to Change Empowering Places programme.

Further details about this research can be found on the Empowering Places? Measuring the impact of community businesses at neighbourhood level - A baseline study webpage.

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.The Community Life Survey (CLS) is a household survey conducted in England, tracking the latest trends and developments across areas key to encouraging social action and empowering communities, including: volunteering and charitable giving; views about the local area; community cohesion and belonging; community empowerment and participation; influencing local decisions and affairs; and subjective well-being and loneliness. The CLS was first commissioned by the Cabinet Office in 2012. From 2016-17, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) took over responsibility for publishing results. During 2020, the DCMS also commissioned the Community Life COVID-19 Re-contact Survey (CLRS) (SN 8781) to provide data on how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected volunteering, charitable giving, social cohesion, wellbeing and loneliness in England. BackgroundUp to 2015-16, the survey used a face-to-face methodology. Following thorough testing (experimental online versions of the survey were released for 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16), the CLS moved online from 2016-17 onwards, with an end to the previous face-to-face method. The survey uses a push-to-web methodology (with paper mode for those who are not digitally engaged). The survey informs and directs policy and action in these areas; to provide data of value to all users, including public bodies, external stakeholders and the public; and underpin further research and debate on building stronger communities. The Community Life Survey incorporates a small number of priority measures from the Citizenship Survey, which ran from 2001-2011, conducted by the then Department for Communities and Local Government. These measures were incorporated in the Community Life Survey so that trends in these issues could continue to be tracked over time. (The full Citizenship Survey series is held at the UK Data Archive under GNs 33347 and 33474.) Further information may be found on the GOV.UK Community Life Survey webpage. The Community Life Survey Experimental Online Data, 2014-2015 includes gathered from an online alternative to the face-to-face survey, comprising a sample of 2,323 adults. Data from a postal version of the questionnaire, which was available on request, is also included in the dataset. This questionnaire covered the same topics as the online survey but was reduced in length. Full details can be found in the Web Survey Technical Report which is available in the Documentation section below. End User Licence and Special Licence data Users should note that there are two versions of each Community Life Survey Experimental Online Data experimental online dataset. One is available under the standard End User Licence (EUL) agreement, and the other is a Special Licence (SL) version. The SL version contains more detailed variables relating to: social class; ethnicity; religion; sexual identity and lower level geographical classifications. The SL data have more restrictive access conditions than those made available under the standard EUL. Prospective users of the SL version will need to complete an extra application form and demonstrate to the data owners exactly why they need access to the additional variables in order to get permission to use that version. Therefore, users are strongly advised to order the standard version of the data. The SL version of the Community Life Survey Experimental Online Data, 20132014-2015 is held under SN 7900.

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.The Community Life Survey (CLS) is a household survey conducted in England, tracking the latest trends and developments across areas key to encouraging social action and empowering communities, including: volunteering and charitable giving; views about the local area; community cohesion and belonging; community empowerment and participation; influencing local decisions and affairs; and subjective well-being and loneliness. The CLS was first commissioned by the Cabinet Office in 2012. From 2016-17, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) took over responsibility for publishing results. During 2020, the DCMS also commissioned the Community Life COVID-19 Re-contact Survey (CLRS) (SN 8781) to provide data on how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected volunteering, charitable giving, social cohesion, wellbeing and loneliness in England. BackgroundUp to 2015-16, the survey used a face-to-face methodology. Following thorough testing (experimental online versions of the survey were released for 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16), the CLS moved online from 2016-17 onwards, with an end to the previous face-to-face method. The survey uses a push-to-web methodology (with paper mode for those who are not digitally engaged). The survey informs and directs policy and action in these areas; to provide data of value to all users, including public bodies, external stakeholders and the public; and underpin further research and debate on building stronger communities. The Community Life Survey incorporates a small number of priority measures from the Citizenship Survey, which ran from 2001-2011, conducted by the then Department for Communities and Local Government. These measures were incorporated in the Community Life Survey so that trends in these issues could continue to be tracked over time. (The full Citizenship Survey series is held at the UK Data Archive under GNs 33347 and 33474.) Further information may be found on the GOV.UK Community Life Survey webpage. The Community Life Survey 2021-2022 was conducted between October 2021 and September 2022, with samples issued on a quarterly basis. The survey was conducted via an online and paper survey method called Address Based Online Surveying (ABOS). This is an affordable method of surveying the general population that still employs random sampling techniques. ABOS is a type of 'push to web' methodology, with a paper mode for those who are not digitally engaged. Further information can be found on the GOV.UK Community Life Survey, 2021/22 webpage.

The Community Life survey is a household self-completion survey of adults aged 16+ in England. The survey provides evidence on social cohesion, community engagement and social action.

This report summarises the results from the survey and provides comparisons between London and the rest of England.

There are other surveys that provide more granular evidence on these topics within London, but this survey has been selected to provide a regional comparison.

Further details of the breakdowns presented in this report can be accessed through the data tables on the Community Life survey webpage.

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.The Community Life Survey was first commissioned by the Cabinet Office in 2012-2013. It is a household survey conducted in England, tracking the latest trends and developments across areas key to encouraging social action and empowering communities, including:volunteering and charitable giving;views about the local area;community cohesion and belonging;community empowerment and participation;influencing local decisions and affairs; and subjective well-beingUp to 2015-16, the survey used a face-to-face methodology. Following thorough testing, the CLS moved to an online and paper mixed-method approach from 2016-17 onwards (a paper self-completion questionnaire being available as an alternative to the online survey), with an end to previous current face-to-face method. The objectives of the survey are to: The objectives of the survey are to: provide robust, nationally representative data on behaviours and attitudes within communities to inform and direct policy and action in these areas;to provide data of value to all users, including public bodies, external stakeholders and the public; andunderpin further research and debate on building stronger communitiesThe Community Life Survey incorporates a small number of priority measures from the Citizenship Survey, which ran from 2001-2011, conducted by the Department for Communities and Local Government. These measures were incorporated in the Community Life Survey so that trends in these issues could continue to be tracked over time. (The full Citizenship Survey series is held at the UK Data Archive under GNs 33347 and 33474.) Further information may be found on the gov.uk Community Life Survey website. The Community Life Survey Experimental Online Data, 2015-2016 includes the Special Licence data gathered from an online alternative to the face-to-face survey and comprising a sample of 3,256 adults. Data from a postal version of the questionnaire, which was included in a targeted 50% of second reminder mailing packs, is also contained in the dataset. This questionnaire covered the same topics as the online survey but was reduced in length. Full details can be found in the Web Survey Technical Report which is available in the Documentation section below. End User Licence and Special Licence data Users should note that there are two versions of each Community Life Survey Experimental Online Data experimental online dataset. One is available under the standard End User Licence (EUL) agreement, and the other is a Special Licence (SL) version. The SL version contains more detailed variables relating to: social class; ethnicity; religion; sexual identity and lower level geographical classifications. The SL data have more restrictive access conditions than those made available under the standard EUL. Prospective users of the SL version will need to complete an extra application form and demonstrate to the data owners exactly why they need access to the additional variables in order to get permission to use that version. Therefore, users are strongly advised to order the standard version of the data. The standard EUL version of the Community Life Survey Experimental Online Data, 2015-2016 is held under SN 8124.

The Community Life Survey was first commissioned by the Cabinet Office in 2012-2013. It is a household survey conducted in England, tracking the latest trends and developments across areas key to encouraging social action and empowering communities, including:

• volunteering and charitable giving;
• views about the local area;
• community cohesion and belonging;
• community empowerment and participation;
• influencing local decisions and affairs; and
• subjective well-being

Up to 2015-16, the survey used a face-to-face methodology. Following thorough testing, the CLS moved to an online and paper mixed-method approach from 2016-17 onwards (a paper self-completion questionnaire being available as an alternative to the online survey), with an end to previous current face-to-face method. The objectives of the survey are to: The objectives of the survey are to:

• provide robust, nationally representative data on behaviours and attitudes within communities to inform and direct policy and action in these areas;
• to provide data of value to all users, including public bodies, external stakeholders and the public; and
• underpin further research and debate on building stronger communities

The Community Life Survey incorporates a small number of priority measures from the Citizenship Survey, which ran from 2001-2011, conducted by the Department for Communities and Local Government. These measures were incorporated in the Community Life Survey so that trends in these issues could continue to be tracked over time. (The full Citizenship Survey series is held at the UK Data Archive under GNs 33347 and 33474.)

Further information may be found on the gov.uk Community Life Survey website.

The 2015-16 survey covers July 2015 to April 2016 and forms 'Official Statistics', meaning that it meets the high standards of quality set out by the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.

End User Licence and Special Licence data
Users should note that there are two versions of each Community Life Survey dataset. One is available under the standard End User Licence (EUL) agreement, and the other is a Special Licence (SL) version. The SL version contains more detailed variables relating to: social class; ethnicity; religion; sexual identity and lower level geographical classifications (see Main Topics section for details).

The SL data have more restrictive access conditions than those made available under the standard EUL. Prospective users of the SL version will need to complete an extra application form and demonstrate to the data owners exactly why they need access to the additional variables in order to get permission to use that version. Therefore, users are strongly advised to order the standard version of the data.

The standard EUL version of the Community Life Survey, 2015-2016 dataset is held under SN 8081.

Loneliness outcomes for disabled people in England aged 16 years and over, with analysis by age, sex, impairment severity and region using the Community Life Survey (CLS) data.

Abstract (en): The purpose of this study was to collect extensive information on the sexual experiences and other social, demographic, attitudinal, and health-related characteristics of adults in the United States. The survey collected information on sexual practices with spouses/cohabitants and other sexual partners and collected background information about the partners. Major areas of investigation include sexual experiences such as number of sexual partners in given time periods, frequency of particular practices, and timing of various sexual events. The data cover childhood and adolescence, as well as adulthood. Other topics in the survey relate to sexual victimization, marriage and cohabitation, and fertility. Respondents were also queried about their physical health, including history of sexually transmitted diseases. Respondents' attitudes toward premarital sex, the appeal of particular practices such as oral sex, and levels of satisfaction with particular sexual relationships were also studied. Demographic items include race, education, political and religious affiliation, income, and occupation. Noninstitutionalized United States population aged 18-59 able to complete an interview in English. Multistage area probability sample designed to give each household an equal probability of inclusion. Two samples were obtained: a cross-sectional sample (3,159 cases), and an oversample (273 cases) intended to increase the number of Blacks and Hispanics in the study. Overall response rate was 78.6 percent of the 4,369 eligible respondents selected for inclusion in the study. 2008-04-17 Duplicate value labels were removed from the SPSS setup. Three incorrect and superfluous value labels for variable FIRSTVI were removed from the SPSS setup, codebook, and frequencies. ICPSR produced a Stata setup and SAS, SPSS, Stata, and tab-delimited versions of the data. In addition, the codebook and frequencies were converted to PDF format. Funding insitution(s): Ford Foundation. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (18403). Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Rockefeller Foundation. Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. New York Community Trust. American Foundation for AIDS Research. personal interviews and self-administered questionnaires

Analysis of data from the Community Life Survey looking at how 16- to 24-year-olds engage with their local area, compared with adults aged 25 and over. The data covers England only.

Průzkum Community Life je průzkum doplňování domácností u dospělých ve věku 16 let v Anglii. Průzkum poskytuje důkazy o sociální soudržnosti, angažovanosti komunity a sociální činnosti. Tato zpráva shrnuje výsledky průzkumu a poskytuje srovnání mezi Londýnem a zbytkem Anglie. Existují další průzkumy, které poskytují podrobnější důkazy o těchto tématech v Londýně, ale tento průzkum byl vybrán, aby poskytl regionální srovnání. Další podrobnosti o rozpisech uvedených v této zprávě lze získat prostřednictvím tabulek údajů na internetových stránkách průzkumu Společenství o životě.