The National Study of Work-search and Wellbeing | Participants

Participants

How did you get my name and address?

From a list of everyone who has been in contact with a Jobcentre in recent months, regarding Jobseekers Allowance (JSA). This list is a secure list from government that we have received for the purposes of this research project only.

Why have I been selected to take part?

From a list of everyone who has been in contact with a Jobcentre in recent months, regarding Jobseekers Allowance (JSA). This list is a secure list from government that we have received for the purposes of this research project only.

Could taking part affect my benefits?

No. Your involvement in this study would never affect any benefit you receive, nor any dealings you may have with any government department or agency. NatCen is independent of Government and any information given will be held in strict confidence and used for research purposes only.

I don’t receive Jobseekers Allowance anymore. Is the study still relevant to me?

Very much so. This is a study of people who have had contact with Jobcentres, and we want to make sure that we hear both from people who move quickly back into work and from those who take longer to find work or who move onto another type of benefit.

Who is the study for?

The study is commissioned by government, specifically the Health, Work and Wellbeing Directorate, who are based in the Department for Work and Pensions.

Is the study confidential?

Yes. Anything said during the interview will be treated in strict confidence in accordance with the Data Protection Act. Participants' names and any details that could be used to identify a participant, will not be quoted in the research findings. The Deparment for Work and Pensions will not know what any one individual has told the interviewer.

What does the study involve?

If you have been chosen to take part in the study you will have received a letter stating that an interviewer in our Telephone Unit will call to explain what is involved. They will call a few weeks after you get the letter and will arrange with you a convenient interview time. The interview will last about 20-30 minutes.

A small number of people (30) will be selected for the third stage of the study. An interviewer will seek to arrange a convenient time to meet with you and ask you about your experiences in more depth; this would take up to an hour and a half.

When will I get my voucher?

Everyone who takes part will get a £5 voucher for each wave of the survey as a small thank you. It will be sent to you within three weeks of taking part (although will usually reach you sooner than that).

The interviewer asked for permission to combine my survey answers with information on DWP administrative records – what does this mean?

We would never combine your answers with administrative record data until you give us permission to do so, which is why the interviewer asks this at the end of the interview. If you do give us permission, this enables us to add to your responses information about what benefits you have received and what programmes you have been involved in. Knowing this makes the research study so much more complete and useful. It also means that we do not need to ask these things directly, so the interview can be shorter.

I gave permission for my data to be combined, but I have now changed my mind.

If you have changed your mind about letting us combine your responses with data from administrative datasets, please call us, freephone (0800 652 4568), with your name and ideally the reference number that was on the letter we sent you. We'd be very happy to update the records.

I gave permission to be re-contacted for the second wave survey, but I have now changed my mind.

Just let the interviewer know when they try to contact you that you have changed your mind.

I refused permission to be re-contacted for the second wave survey or for combining data, but I have now changed my mind.

Please call us freephone (0800 652 4568), with your name and, ideally, the reference number that was on the letter we sent you. We'd be very happy to update the records.

Do I have to take part?

No, participation is voluntary. However, we really hope that you do take part, so that we can capture the real range of experiences among people who have had experience of unemployment. One of our interviewers will call you to discuss the research and find out if you want to take part.