The consistency and reliability of the activity history data in the Families and Children Study (FACS)

Mike Brewer
Gillian Paull

Published on 15 December 2005

The purpose of this report is to examine the consistency and reliability of the activityhistory data collected in the FACS. Using data from the first five waves of the FACSand from the first thirteen waves of the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS) as acomparison survey, carefully matched samples have been analysed to calibrate thecompleteness and consistency of the activity history data collected in the FACS andto test whether the FACS generates labour market statistics similar to the comparisonsurvey.

The purpose of this report is to examine the consistency and reliability of the activity history data collected in the FACS. Using data from the first five waves of the FACS and from the first thirteen waves of the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS) as a comparison survey, carefully matched samples have been analysed to calibrate the completeness and consistency of the activity history data collected in the FACS and to test whether the FACS generates labour market statistics similar to the comparison survey.