Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC)

1. Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC) Pamela Lafferty Statistician CSO Pamela Lafferty Central Statistics Office 2012

2. Format of presentation • Background • Doorstep to dataset • Indicators • What do the CSO do with the data? • What do EUROSTAT do with the data? • Access to the data • RMF • EU data • AMF ISSDA • Q&A session Central Statistics Office 2012

3. Background to EU-SILC • Launched in 2003 (under a gentleman's agreement) replacing the LIIS which was run by the ESRI. • Officially began in 2004 across Europe and is now being carried out in 30 countries across Europe. • Two types of data • Cross sectional data • pertaining to a given time or a certain time period with variables on income, poverty, social exclusion and other living conditions • Longitudinal data • pertaining to individual-level changes over time, observed periodically over, typically, a four year period. Central Statistics Office 2012

4. Background to EU-SILC: Ireland • SILC is a Sample survey in Ireland with a sample of approximately 5000 households per year selected using a two stage sample design • Information is collected continuously throughout the year with up to 130 interviews being conducted each week. • Response rate of close to 76% in 2010. • Income reference period – 12 months prior to the date of interview. • Estimates are weighted up to population totals using a grossing factor which is calculated using a combination of Census and QNHS totals. Central Statistics Office 2012

5. Doorstep to Dataset Data is cleaned & verified Population weight is created Data from Interview CSO Indicators are derived Datasets are created Data is sent to EUROSTAT Data is validated Researchers access the data Data is published RMF is created AMF is created Analysis is completed Central Statistics Office 2012

6. Key Indicators • Household Income • Equivalised income • Income Inequality • At Risk of Poverty rate • Material deprivation • Consistent Poverty rate • EU indicators Central Statistics Office 2012

7. Other important data is collected on: • Health • Childcare • Over-indebtedness • Education • Housing conditions • Special modules e.g. Social Participation, Intergenerational transmission of poverty. Central Statistics Office 2012

8. What do the CSO do with the data? • Main indicators are published by key socio-demographic characteristics. • The results are presented to government officials from relevant government departments. • Results are also presented to the Minister for Social Protection and other Ministers. • Press conference to release the results to the public. • Thematic releases e.g. Elderly, Households with children Central Statistics Office 2012

9. What do the CSO do with the data? • Requests for additional information from a range of users. Examples: • The Department of Health asked us to carry out some analysis on health status by income quintile. • The OECD requested health data by level of education. • Age Action Ireland requested data on the income received by the elderly on private & occupational pensions and private health care by decile. • In 2009 we completed some analysis for Amnesty International on Medical and GP cards. • Department of Social Protection – contribute to the National Anti-poverty Strategy. Central Statistics Office 2012

10. Main results: 2010 Central Statistics Office 2012

11. What do EUROSTAT do with the data? • The data files are transmitted to EUROSTAT from each Member State by November 30th of each year. • EUROSTAT compile the data and calculate the key indicators for the EU and each individual country. • They produce a publication with the main results. • They prepare microdata files that researchers can access. Central Statistics Office 2012

12. Main Results: EU Central Statistics Office 2012

13. Access to the data: Ireland • Resource constraints limit the amount of special analysis. • Encourage users to become Officers of Statistics to gain access to the Research Micro data File (RMF). • This file contains the majority of the information collected with the exception of data which allows a respondent to be identified. Central Statistics Office 2012

14. Access to the data: Ireland • Examples: • ESRI SWITCH Model • Based on SILC data • Assessing the impact of policy changes • Department of Health • Required data for scenario analysis • Wanted to assess the impact on the numbers with medical cards if the thresholds were changed Central Statistics Office 2012

15. Who has access to the RMF? Bona fide researchers from the following institutions also have access to the RMF: • Social Inclusion Division • Dept of Social Protection • UCD, NUIG, TCD • Department of Finance • Department of Health • Central Bank • ESRI Central Statistics Office 2012

16. Access to the data: EUROSTAT EU micro data is available to researchers carrying out statistical analyses for scientific purposes. Individual micro data are anonymised in such a way that statistical units cannot be identified. • Access is in principle restricted to universities, research institutes, national statistical institutes, central banks inside the EU and EEA countries, as well as to the European Central Bank. • Please see the EUROSTAT website for more details. Central Statistics Office 2012

17. What about the AnnonymisedMicrodata File (AMF)? • The RMF is anonymised and sent to ISSDA. • Researchers who do not require micro-data for their analysis or who could not gain access to the RMF then apply to ISSDA directly for access to the data. • Access restrictions for CSO ISSDA data: • CSO data is available from ISSDA for non-commercial, social science research only. Requests for any other use of the data must be directed to the CSO. • Data requests for consultancy or commercial purposes should be directed to the CSO. • Census data (SAPS and COPSAR) is only available from ISSDA for academic use in Ireland Central Statistics Office 2012

18. Freely available facts and figures are essential for driving improvements in public services. It puts information, and therefore power, in the hands of the public and the service providers to challenge or demand innovation in public services. Central Statistics Office 2012