The Citizenship Survey is a biennial survey of adults in England and Wales, covering a range of community based issues, including views about the local area, racial and religious prejudice and discrimination.

It includes questions about a number of topics that cover:

• family networks,
• views of the local area,
• fear of crime,
• local services and political institutions,
• volunteering and charity,
• civil renewal,
• racial and religious prejudice and discrimination, and
• views about rights and responsibilities.

The survey also collects demographic data and background information about respondents.

The survey is based on a nationally representative sample of approximately 10,000 adults in England and Wales with an additional sample of around 4,500 from minority ethnic groups. Face-to-face fieldwork was carried out with these samples between March and September 2005 by interviewers from the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen).

The survey has two main aims:

• to be a major policy tool, informing both the development of policy and its implementation, and
• to provide information for Home Office performance measurement.

However, the survey covers many different areas and relates to the policy responsibilities of many different government departments.

Four inter-linked reports have been produced which set out the findings from the 2005 survey.

• Cross-cutting themes(the current report): this report compares findings on different topics within the survey and looks at the links between them.
• Race and faith topic report: this report explores views about racial and religious prejudice, perceptions of racial discrimination by public service organisations, and experiences of religious and employment-related discrimination.

The data from both the 2001 and 2003 surveys are available from the UK Data Archive: (2001 data) (2003 data). Reports on the 2001 and 2003 surveys.

Additional resources

Forthcoming findings from the 2005 survey:

• Civic participation: findings from the 2003 Home Office Citizenship Survey – early 2006
• Charitable giving: findings from the 2003 Home Office Citizenship Survey – early 2006

Findings from the 2003 survey:

• Pennant, R. (2005) Diversity, trust and community participation in EnglandHome Office Findings, 253, London: Home Office
• Trikha, S. (2005) Children, Young People and their Communities: Summary of Top-level Findings from 2003 Home Office Citizenship Survey London: DfES
• 2003 Home Office Citizenship Survey: People, Families and Communities’ Home Office Research Study 289, London: Home Office
• Active Communities: headline findings from the 2003 Home Office Citizenship Survey
• Home Office Citizenship Survey 2003 Technical Report (pdf)

Findings from the 2001 survey:

• Attwood. C. et al (2003) 2001 Citizenship Survey : people, families and communities.Home Office Research Study 270, London: Home Office
• Home Office Citizenship Survey 2001 Technical Report (pdf, 2MB)

For further information on the Citizenship Survey please contact:

Jenny King – 020 7035 0981 –
Jenny.King18@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
or e-mail citizenship.survey@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
or visit http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/citizensurvey.html#publications