Scottish Social Attitudes
Information about taking part in the survey
Since 1999 Scottish Social Attitudes has been tracking the views and opinions of the public on big issues facing Scotland.
Every year, we invite the Scottish public to share their views on a range of topics. This year these are the performance of public services, politics, the role of government, how people organise their finances and attitudes towards gambling.
Households are randomly selected from across Scotland to take part in the study. This way we are able to get a truly unbiased picture of attitudes in Scotland.
If your household has been selected to take part, you will receive an invitation letter in the post. For some households, we are asking the resident with the next birthday to complete the survey. For others, up to two members of your household can take part. For more information, please refer to the instructions in your invitation letter.
> Click on the survey link if you have been invited to take part in the survey.
Your answers are combined with others and then used by a number of charities, government departments, public bodies and researchers to understand what the Scottish public really thinks about the issues of the day. The more people who take part in this study, the more accurate the results will be. We are very keen to hear the views of people from all different backgrounds and circumstances.
Find out more about what taking part in the survey will involve below.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Scottish Social Attitudes survey?
Scottish Social Attitudes is the longest-running study of public attitudes in Scotland. It is carried out by the Scottish Centre for Social Research, and since 1999 this highly respected study has been tracking the views and opinions of the public on the big issues facing the nation. It's the only survey of its kind.
Every year we ask people from across Scotland what they think about a range of topics like performance of public services, politics, how the country is run, attitudes towards public health issues and attitudes to migration. This means that we can not only show what people in Scotland think about important issues today, but we can also show how opinions and views have changed over the years.
Why have I been selected to take part?
Your address has been picked from the Postcode Address File. This is a list of every address in Great Britain. It is held by the Post Office and is available to the public.
In order to get a truly unbiased picture of people's attitudes, we randomly select addresses from a publicly available list of postcodes. That way, everyone has an equal chance of taking part.
Whoever you are, whatever you think, your opinion is important to us.
Why take part?
Scottish Social Attitudes is the only study of its kind. The study is respected by the media, politicians and charities. By taking part you will be helping us to uncover the views of people in Scotland today. What we find out is used to inform policy and make a difference to the lives of people across the nation.
The findings of the study are often featured in the news, on television and radio, and discussed in Parliament. In previous years, the survey has been widely used by national charities, government departments, public bodies, academia and independent researchers. This year the survey is funded by the Scottish Government, Public Health Scotland and the Economic and Social Research Council.
Taking part is an opportunity to shape what's debated in Parliament and what's talked about online and in the newspapers. We rely on your help to ensure that the opinions and views of people like you are represented. It doesn't matter if you have a strong opinion or not - we are interested in whatever you have to say.
What will I receive for taking part?
As a thank you, we will send a £15 Love2Shop shopping voucher to each person in your household who takes part.
We will never ask for your bank details or passwords.
What’s involved?
If your household has recently received a letter asking you to take part, you can participate by completing the Scottish Social Attitudes online survey. Follow the link printed on your letter to access the survey. You will be asked to enter both your access code and your postcode (entering your postcode is solely a verification step to confirm that the recipient(s) of the letter are the ones participating in the survey, and we do not use your postcode for any other purpose). Up to two adult members of your household can take part in the study.
If your household hasn’t been selected to take part, thank you for your interest, but unfortunately, we can only talk to those people whose households have been selected.
Can I take part if I can't complete the online survey?
You can also complete the survey over the phone, by speaking to one of our telephone interviewers. Please phone us free on 0800 652 9295 to complete the survey or to make a telephone appointment. We can be completely flexible about when you take part.
What will you ask me about?
Your views and opinions are the reason we can continue asking the important questions that shape our understanding of society. We will ask you about a variety of topics including the performance of public services, politics, the role of government, how people organise their finances and attitudes towards gambling. For many questions you will be asked to pick from a selection of common answers. And don’t worry – you don’t have to answer any questions you don’t want to.
You don’t need any special knowledge to participate – we want to hear what you think about the major issues affecting Scotland today. And it doesn't matter if you don’t have a strong opinion – we are interested in whatever you have to say. If you don’t know much about an issue – it’s still important for us to know that.
Do I have to answer all the questions?
Taking part is voluntary and you do not have to answer any questions you don’t want to. You can skip a question without giving an answer and move to the next one. You can stop the survey at any time.
What will happen to my answers?
We will treat the information you give us in the strictest confidence and in accordance with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. The results collected are used for research purposes only. Your answers will be combined with others and any information that could directly identify you will be removed before we analyse and share the data.
We publish the findings in a report which is free to download. Any reports written will not identify anyone who took part in the survey. An anonymised version of the data is provided to funders and archived with the UK Data Service, where it is accessible to people for research purposes only.
Your answers will not be identifiable in the data. You will never receive any junk mail as a result of speaking to us. We never pass on your details to other organisations for commercial purposes. You can read more about how your data will be used at the foot of the page in our privacy notice.
Where can I get more information?
If you have any questions at all, you can get in touch with us by phone or by email.
Freephone: 0800 652 9295
Email: ssa@scotcen.org.uk
Useful contacts
Due to the nature of the study and the wide range of topics approached, sensitive topics might occasionally be included in the survey. If you would like more information or support on any of the topics covered in the questionnaire the following organisations may be of help:
Citizens Advice Bureau
For advice on a range of issues. They have offices all over the UK and you can also access advice on their website.
Money Helper
A free and impartial government-backed service that provides information and guidance about money and pensions.
Samaritans
For support if you’re having a difficult time or you’re worried about someone else.
Mind UK
For more information and support for mental health. Mind also provides links for other support networks.
Frank
For facts, support and advice on drugs and alcohol.
The Government
You might also find relevant information regarding your specific situation on the UK or Scottish government websites:
https://www.gov.uk
https://www.gov.scot/
For information on claiming benefits visit https://www.gov.uk/browse/benefits.
NHS information
Each nation within the UK provides its own health information which includes advice plus details of local services.
Scotland www.nhs24.scot
Contact number: 111
National Bereavement Service
Provides practical and emotional assistance for those who’ve experienced bereavement.
The National Gambling Helpline
A free helpline and chat service run by GamCare, which also offers an online support community and information on local support.
GamLEARN
A lived experience network for people who have been impacted directly or indirectly by gambling related harm.
Gamblers Anonymous Scotland
Gamblers Anonymous Scotland offer a free 24 hour helpline and information on regular meetings and recovery programmes.
Shelter
For information and advice on a range of housing problems.
https://scotland.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice
Refuge
The largest domestic abuse organisation in the UK. Supporting women and their children, helping them to overcome the physical, emotional, financial and logistical impacts of abuse and rebuild their lives – free from fear.
Respect Men’s Advice Line
Provides confidential advice for any man experiencing domestic abuse from a partner or ex-partner.
Galop
Offers support for LGBTQ+ people who are victims of domestic abuse, sexual violence, hate crime, and other forms of abuse.
The Scottish Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline
Provides confidential information and support to anyone affected by forced marriage or domestic abuse.
Privacy
We will handle your data in accordance with Data Protection legislation. The results collected will be used for research and statistical purposes only.
Contact us
If you’ve any questions at all, you can get in touch with us by phone or by email. You can contact a member of the Scottish Social Attitudes team using the free phone number 0800 652 9295.
Alternatively, email your enquiry to: ssa@scotcen.org.uk.