ESRC – Enable Discovery and Use of UK Census 2021/2 Data

Funding available for tools, services and activities that enable researchers to find, use and analyse data from the 2021 and 2022 UK censuses for social science-led research.

The aim of the opportunity is to enable the use of UK census 2021/2 data for excellent social science-led research.

The opportunity pursues the following outcomes:

• Services are in place to support researchers who wish to use UK census 2021/2 data for social science-led research
• Tools and research-ready datasets that enable research with census data have been created
• Researchers are more aware of the wide variety of census data that will become available and understand how to access and maximise their use of it
• Researchers are more aware of the services and support (including training) that is available.

This funding opportunity relates to census data produced by the 2021 censuses in England and Wales, and in Northern Ireland; and by the 2022 census in Scotland. This data includes:

• Aggregate and individual-level census data
• Census data linked to other sources of data (including government administrative data)
• Census data linked longitudinally, including through the existing census longitudinal studies.

ESRC encourages projects that take a UK-wide approach. However, projects that do not cover all UK nations or regions are within scope: this should be justified in the outline application.

ESRC could fund activities such as:

• New data services
• User support services
• Methodological research to solve challenges in processing census data for research purposes
• Research-ready data products, including linked datasets
• Software and other tools to support the creation or use of census data infrastructure
• Training and networking related to the use of census data infrastructure, including coordination of, or signposting to, existing training opportunities
• Development of guidance on how to use census data for research
• Communications and engagement to facilitate data use, particularly across the UK censuses collectively (including pre-2021 records).