Sample composition and representativeness on Understanding Society

In this article we provide an overview of the sample design of Understanding Society and the consequent nature of design weights and of the procedures that we implement in order to maximise participation by sample members and to produce nonresponse adjustments to the design weights. We then present some indicators of sample representativeness at the initial wave and of the impact that subsequent sample attrition has on this before concluding with some reflections on the nature of representativeness and estimation methods in the context of a highly complex sample design and complex pattern of missing data arising from nonresponse.