Methods development

The first stage of the PSE: UK research involved producing a series of working papers to review developments in methods for measuring poverty, deprivation, social exclusion and standard of living. The overall aim of this series of working papers was to advance our knowledge and understanding of how best to conceptualise and measure poverty and social exclusion. Improvements were made to both the Necessities of Life questionnnaire and the main Standards of Living questionnaires used in PSE 1999 survey and the PSE Northern Ireland 2002/3 survey. The final questionnaire used in the 2012 surveys, with top line results, can be found under Questionnaires. In addition, the project team reviewed the qualitative work to be undertaken under this grant. 

The views expressed in these working papers are those of the author(s). The papers are published under the Creative Commons licence and you may copy and distribute them as long as the Creative Commons licence is retained and attribution given to the original author(s).

Methods series working papers

  • Community engagement in challenging times

    Author/s: Gabi Kent
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    PDF icon WP Methods No.25 -Community__ Engagement for Challenging Times (Kent Nov13).pdf459.92 KB

    As part of our commitment to public engagement, the PSE has sought to create a model or process to connect low income communities with PSE research, to amplify their voices by linking their local experiences to a national research project and to share their findings via digital media tools, such as the PSE website.

    This working paper describes an experimental collaboration between members of the Poverty and Social Exclusion project (PSE), the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland and communities from some of the most deprived wards in Northern Ireland during a period of unprecedented social welfare changes. This pilot engagement process devised and tested in collaboration with these communities, presents one model for building partnerships between national research projects and local low-income and hard to reach individuals, communities and their advocates, as part of a mutually beneficial process. Visit the Communities in Action section for more information on this unique collaboration.

    Category: Methods development
    Subjects: Low-income households, Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland paper, Social exclusion, Working papers

  • Disabled people and their relationship with poverty

    Author/s: Pauline Heslop
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    PDF icon WP Methods No 23 - Disabled People (Heslop 2013).pdf249.92 KB
    This working paper explores the existing UK literature about disabled people’s relationship with poverty. It begins with an overview of methodological complexities in relation to measuring ‘disability’ and measuring poverty in relation to disabled people.  Disabled people are currently affected by the wide-ranging reforms to disability-related benefits introduced by the Welfare Reform Act 2012 and taking effect from April 2013 and the paper concludes with a review of recent initiatives and their anticipated impact on disabled peoples’ lives.
     
    Category: Methods development
    Subjects: Benefits, Deprivation, Disability, Poverty measurement, Public services, Working papers

  • A review of the qualitative evidence relating to the experience of poverty and exclusion

    Author/s: Simon Pemberton, Eileen Sutton, Eldin Fahmy
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    PDF icon WP Methods No.22_qualitative_literature_review_PSEUK (Pemberton et al).pdf499.17 KB

    This working paper provides a review of the qualitative evidence base relating to the experience of poverty and social exclusion in the UK for which to date few systematic reviews exist.  Its principal objective is to identify gaps in the current evidence base in order to inform the design and conduct of the Phase II Qualitative Research of the PSE 2011, ‘Understanding Experiences of Low Income During Recession’.  It is also intended that the review will act as a resource for further aspects of PSE UK research.

    Category: Methods development
    Subjects: Deprivation, Low-income households, Social exclusion, Working papers

  • Main PSE UK survey sampling frame

    Author/s: David Gordon
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    PDF icon WP Methods No.21 - PSE Main Survey Sampling Frame (Gordon, Oct 2011).pdf376.86 KB

    The Poverty and Social Exclusion in the UK (PSE: UK) survey will re-interview respondents to the 2010/11 Family Resources Survey (FRS) who have provided permission to be contacted again. A sampling frame is required to select a minimum achieved sample of 4,000 households and 6,000 individuals in Britain and a minimum achieved sample of 1,000 households and 1,500 individuals in Northern Ireland. This paper sets out details of the sampling frame to be used.

    Category: Methods development
    Subjects: Poverty forecast, Poverty measurement, Social exclusion, Working papers

  • Cognitive Testing of the 2011 UK Poverty and Social Exclusion Survey

    Author/s: Eldin Fahmy, Simon Pemberton and Eileen Sutton
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    PDF icon WP Methods No.17 - Cognitive Testing Report (Fahmy, Pemberton, Sutton).pdf667.07 KB

    This paper summarises findings derived from a series of twenty cognitive interviews conducted with members of the UK general public in June and July 2011 as part of the design process for the PSE: UK main survey questionnaire. Cognitive interviewing is designed to identify cognition, recall, judgement and response problems associated with survey questions, as well as to identify any sensitivity issues arising for respondents. The aim of this work is to reduce misinterpretation and confusion created by unclear questions and thereby to help reduce measurement error in the estimates derived from the sample survey data.

    Category: Methods development
    Subjects: Deprivation, Poverty forecast, Poverty measurement, Social exclusion, Working papers

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