The Longitudinal Study (LS) is a linked sample from the 1971, 1981 and 1991 Censuses together with their associated demographic events (births, deaths, marriages and divorces).
The sample is just over 1%, selected on the basis of four birthdays during the year. It is widely used for research on mortality because deaths can be linked to prior census characteristics, and it is also of great value for looking at social transitions of more than 10-, 20-, or 30-year intervals.
The raw data are not released per se because it would be easy to recognise individuals in the information. Instead, researchers request tables or statistical analyses that are vetted before release.
The LS will be linked to the 2001 Census by 2004.
More information about the LS can be found in CHCC CAS Unit 1: A Quick Introduction to the Census. [Note: This link opens in a new window]