Working with our survey data

The Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) undertake surveys to support evidence-based decision making for our work on the UK Strategy for Financial Wellbeing. The data from the surveys also informs our corporate plan and strategy. 

The data we collect is also available for others to analyse via the Consumer Data Research CentreOpens in a new window. 

The following data sets are available, and we plan to add more over time:

• Debt Need Survey 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023Opens in a new window
• Children and Young People’s Financial Wellbeing Survey, 2019, 2022Opens in a new window
• Adult Financial Wellbeing Survey 2021Opens in a new window

You can find out more about each data set by creating an account at CDRCOpens in a new window and then logging in.

You should bear in mind a few points before applying to access the data:

You will be able to access files containing the raw data from these surveys. These will contain between 10,000 and 23,000 records; each record is the answers given by a participant in the survey.  

You will need to use specialist software to work with this data such as SPSS or Stata. The data is provided in csv format which is compatible with most statistical software. If you do not have people in-house who are experienced users of this type of software, you will need to look at outsourcing the analysis of the data.

Spreadsheet software such as Excel is not suitable for analysing any of our data sets. The number of data fields that we have for each record exceeds the maximum number of columns allowed.

When members of the public give up their time to take part in one of our surveys, we provide them with assurances about how the data will be used. This includes their right not to be identified – as such, all the data we place on CDRC is anonymous.  

We provide access via the Consumer Data Research CentreOpens in a new window as they ask people who make applications to consider the following key areas, which we then assess as part of an application:

• Public Benefit - Will the data be used for the public good?
• Data Security - How will the data be stored and accessed?
• Ethical Standards - Does the organisation or person who want the data comply with recognised standards?
• Training - Are the people who will be working with the data trained to perform the proposed analysis?

We are open to sharing the data with organisations or individuals as long as they can evidence good practice and cover off these points satisfactorily in their application. This keeps the people who respond to our surveys, MaPS and the person applying to use the data safe. 

After you have created an account at CDRCOpens in a new window you can start your application. The application process will ask about your plans for using the data and the training and skills of the people who will be handling the data set. You can find out more, including details of the ‘Safe Research’ training they provide, in their user guideOpens in a new window.

Once you have completed the application CDRC will share this with MaPS and we will decide on whether to grant access. We look at applications and make a decision as quickly as we can. We may ask for clarification on some aspects of your application.

We are always pleased to see our data being used. All that we ask is the opportunity to review and check any publication which uses our data as a source. We would also expect Money and Pensions Service to be cited as a data source in the publication.

Some examples of citations are given below.

This report represents the research and views solely of the authors and of the [insert organisation the authors work for].

The analysis, interpretation and recommendations that originate from our use of the [insert name of The Money and Pensions Service survey] are those of the [insert organisation the authors work for] and are not the responsibility of and do not necessarily represent the Money and Pensions Service.

In footnotes of the body text we would expect more specific reference to the data used, for example:

• [Reference number] Money and Pensions Service Debt Need Survey 2023. x% of people have done y 
• Money and Pensions Service Adult Financial Wellbeing Survey 2021 
• Money and Pensions Service Children and Young People’s Financial Wellbeing Survey 2022  

If you have found any of our statistics or data on our website or anywhere else that you would like to use please get in touch by emailing [email protected]Opens in a new window and we can review to ensure that it is being cited correctly. In some circumstances we may also be able to offer you more up to date data. 

We will do our best to help with simple queries that we can answer by doing small pieces of straightforward analysis using these data sets.

If you have other queries about the data sets or requests for simple pieces of analysis, you can contact us using this email address: [email protected]Opens in a new window.

Also see

• Our research
• Take part in our surveys