1. Standardisation of Social Variables
WORKING GROUP ON INCOME AND LIVING
CONDITIONS – HOUSEHOLD BUDGET SURVEY
28 September 2017

2. Background of the Project
State of play
Next steps

3. Background 1/3 November 2013, DSS mandate for activities to
'review the definitions, response categories and implementation guidelines of all variables used in several surveys with a view to proposing a single methodology wherever appropriate'
February 2016, the scope of the project defined
List of 28 variables
Prioritised into two groups (P1 and P2)

4. Background 2/3 Process of standardisation, three main steps:
Preparation of draft proposals by Eurostat,
consultation with all concerned WGs, and
discussion and subsequent approval by the DSS.
October 2016, 13 variables endorsed (P1)
March 2017, 14 additional variables endorsed (P2)
Variable 'current household income' not part of the consultation

5. Background 3/3 Standard descriptions for 27 variables
Definition
Standard categories (information to be transmitted)
Implementation guidelines
8 on demography, 2 regional statistics, 5 household (HBS only 2), 6 on labour market, 3 on education, and 3 on health
Simplified version in IESS regulation

6. State of play 1/4

7. State of play 2/4

8. State of play 3/4 Levels of detail (an example)
Variable categories (breakdowns) with different levels of detail
Same variable description can be used in different surveys
Nested breakdowns (data comparable across surveys)

9. State of play 4/4 P3 variables
DSS March 2017, list of P3 to be developed by Eurostat
On the basis of such list, the DSS to decide whether and how this work should be continued
Draft P3 list, upcoming DSS meeting October 2017
10 new variables: concern LFS, SILC, and AES (not in HBS!)
Former P2 variable 'current household income'

10. Next steps Work on the P3 variables
Methodological manual (P1, P2, and possibly P3)
Framework regulation (IESS): Common Act
Standardised social variables, and
Common concepts: private household, usual residence
Implementation of standardised variables
HBS wave 2020 (full implementation?)
HBS wave 2025 (implementation under IESS)

11. Thank you!