Annex A – More information on survey response rates
This annex shares response rates for a selection of key statistical surveys. It aims to illustrate response rates across the UK from a range of surveys and producers, highlighting the declining trend in household survey response rates.
- Each of the surveys listed below will have its own specific caveats and may have undergone changes in method that impact their measured response rates. For example, in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the introduction of national lockdown restrictions, many surveys changed their fieldwork operations for the 2020 to 2021 period.
- From April 2020, and for the whole of the 2020 to 2021 survey year, most data collection was conducted by telephone instead of face-to-face. This shift in mode of interview was accompanied by a substantial reduction in the number of interviews achieved. Other surveys were suspended during the same period, carried out for different lengths of time, or experienced other method changes.
- Readers must refer to the original sources for each listed survey response rate to gain a detailed understanding, and prior to replicating or making use of the information provided in this annex.
Office for National Statistics
Labour Force Survey, total response rate, Quarter 1 (January to March) – Office for National Statistics
2020 Q1 – 36.2%
2021 Q1 – 23.6%
2022 Q1 – 22.6%
2023 Q1 – 16.9%
2024 Q1 – 16.7%
2025 Q1 – 21.3%
Living Costs and Food Survey – Office for National Statistics
2017/18 – 43%
2018/19 – 43%
2019/20 – 40%
2020/21 – 24%
2021/22 – 27%
2022/23 – 22%
Living Costs and Food Survey: technical report data tables – Office for National Statistics
Crime Survey for England and Wales – Office for National Statistics
2018/19 – 70%
2019/20 – 64%
2020/21 – suspended (COVID)
2021/22 – suspended (COVID)
2022/23 – 42%
2023/24 – 46% (provisional)
Crime Survey for England and Wales data quality review: June 2024 – Office for National Statistics
Wealth and Assets Survey – Office for National Statistics
Wave 5 (2014-16) – 65%
Round 6 (2016-18) – 63%
Round 7 (2018-20) – 58%
Round 8 (2020-22) – 41%
Wealth and Assets Survey QMI – Office for National Statistics
UK Government departments
Health Survey for England – NHS England
2017 – 60%
2018 – 59%
2019 – 60%
2020 – suspended
2021 – 32%
2022 – 36%
Health Survey for England – NHS England Digital
National Travel Survey – Department for Transport
2019 – 54%
2020 – 16%
2021 – 38%
2022 – 31%
2023 – 32%
NTS 2023: Quality report – GOV.UK
Family Resources Survey – Department for Work and Pensions
2018/19 – 50%
2019/20 – 49%
2020/21 – 23%
2021/22 – 26%
2022/23 – 28%
2023/24 – 32%
Family Resources Survey – GOV.UK
Scottish Government
Scottish Household Survey – Scottish Government
2018 – 64%
2019 – 63%
2020 – not applicable
2021 – not applicable
2022 – 44%
2023 – 46%
Scottish Household Survey 2023 – methodology and fieldwork outcomes – gov.scot
Scottish Health Survey – Scottish Government
2018 – 57%
2019 – 56%
2020 –telephone only
2021 – 31% (part sample approach)
2022 – 38%
2023 – 42%
Scottish Health Survey – gov.scot
Scottish Crime and Justice Survey – Scottish Government
2018/19 – 63%
2019/20 – 63%
2020/21 – no survey carried out due to COVID
2021/22 – 47%
2022/23 – no survey carried out
2023/24 – 46%
Scottish Crime and Justice Survey 2023/24 Technical Report
Welsh Government
National Survey for Wales – Welsh Government
2018/19 – 54.2%
2019/20 – 55.7%
2020/21 – 58.4%
2021/22 – 41.8%
2022/23 – 38.3%
National Survey for Wales: technical information | GOV.WALES
Northern Ireland
Labour Force Survey (NI), Quarter 1 (January to March) – Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency
Q1 2019 – 69.9%
Q1 2020 – 65.8%
Q1 2021 – 21.1%
Q1 2022 – 33.3%
Q1 2023 – 48.0%
Q1 2024 – 36.1%
Q1 2025 – 30.9%
Labour Market Report – Historical | Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency
Northern Ireland Health Survey – Department of Health (NI)
2018/19 – 53%
2019/20 – 59%
2020/21 – 18%
2021/22 – 47%
2022/23 – 56%
2023/24 – 53%
Health Survey (NI): First Results 2023/24 | The Northern Ireland Executive
Northern Ireland Safe Community Survey – Department of Justice (NI)
2019/20 – 56%
2020/21 (NI Safe Community Telephone Survey) – 15%
2021/22 (NI Safe Community Telephone Survey) – 40%
2022/23 (NI Safe Community Telephone Survey) – 49%
2023/24 (NI Safe Community Telephone Survey) – 49%
Northern Ireland Safe Community Survey | Department of Justice