Household Expenditure Survey Review

Contract summary

Industry

• Research services - 73110000

Location of contract

United Kingdom

Value of contract

£64,509

Procurement reference

PU-22-0108

Published date

10 November 2021

Closing date

13 October 2021

Closing time

12pm

Contract start date

29 October 2021

Contract end date

31 March 2022

Contract type

Service contract

Procedure type

Call-off from a dynamic purchasing system

Contract is suitable for SMEs?

Yes

Contract is suitable for VCSEs?

Yes

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Description

The Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) has carried out a recent review into the Living Costs and Food (LCF) survey. This is a long-standing household survey collecting expenditure data that is used as part of Household Final Consumption Estimates (HHFCE), the Retail Price Index (RPI) and is published in ONS "Family Spending" release.

Household expenditure data collection through the LCF is complex and expensive as it relies on detailed recollection of expenses over the previous months, as well as recording of expenditure over a two-weeks period using a diary. Over the last few years, the LCF, as many other social surveys, has suffered from declining response rates impacting on the quality of the data it collects. At the same time, user needs around expenditure data are growing, with additional requirements for low-level breakdowns including by product, region and socio-demographic characteristics. While alternative data sources covering part of the household expenditure data needs exist (e.g. supermarkets scanner data), the OSR review highlights a continuing need for the foreseeable future of a household-based survey to meet user needs.

The Supplier will be responsible to provide the Customer with a recommended high-level statistical blueprint for household expenditure data collection, including a high-level survey de-sign. The Supplier will need to ensure such survey design meets the user needs of the Customer for household expenditure data. The Supplier will also need to advise on whether non-survey data may address part of the Customer's needs for household expenditure data.

The project seeks to answer the three following research questions:
• What household expenditure data do our users need and for what purpose?
• What alternative data may be available to meet household expenditure user needs?
• What is the best design for a household expenditure survey to meet user needs, including quality and cost requirements?

The required outputs from this contract will be a total of four reports/technical papers. One for each of the research questions above, as well as a paper reviewing international designs for household expenditure surveys.

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Award information

Awarded date

21 October 2021

Contract start date

29 October 2021

Contract end date

31 March 2022

Total value of contract

£64,509

This contract was awarded to 1 supplier.

NATIONAL CENTRE FOR SOCIAL RESEARCH

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About the buyer

Address

Government Buildings,Cardiff Road
NEWPORT
NP108XG
Wales

Email

PU.Projects@ons.gov.uk