Millennium Survey of Poverty and Social Exclusion, 1999

The Millennium Survey of Poverty and Social Exclusion (PSE) was designed to update the Breadline Britain Surveys which were conducted by Mori in 1983 and 1990 (see also Gordon et al, Breadline Britain in the 1990s). Firstly, a representative sample of the population of Great Britain was asked for their views on what constitutes the necessities of life in present day Britain. This was done in June 1999 using the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Omnibus Survey. Secondly, a specially selected sample was drawn from respondents to the 1998/99 General Household Survey, and interviewed in detail about their circumstances and their views on a range of issues associated with poverty and social exclusion. This dataset is associated with the second aspect of the survey; the follow-up to the GHS, referred to as PSE.<br> The aims of the PSE survey were:<br> To update the Breadline Britain Surveys;<br> To estimate the size of groups of households in different circumstances;<br> To explore movement in and out of poverty;<br> To look at age and gender difference in experiences of and responses to poverty.<br> It is planned that a similar survey will be carried out in other countries.