Individual Wellbeing in Northern Ireland, 2024/25 - Background Quality Report
Introduction
Context for quality report.
The report published by PfG Analytics provides figures for Individual Wellbeing in Northern Ireland for 2024/25. The report provides 2024/25 estimates for Northern Ireland across four areas:
- Loneliness
- Self-efficacy
- Personal Wellbeing (Life satisfaction, Worthwhile, Happiness and Anxiety)
- Locus of Control
The statistical product includes a publication containing charts and associated commentary, as well as detailed tables and a dashboard to meet the needs of different users. The background to the publication, as well as key methodology and quality information is included within the publication. In addition, all data is provided in Open Document spreadsheets and can be accessed via the NISRA Data Portal.
This is the fifth iteration of the ‘Individual Wellbeing in NI’ report, which replaced the following three previously published reports:
- Loneliness in Northern Ireland
- Self-efficacy, Locus of Control & Life Satisfaction in Northern Ireland
- Personal Wellbeing in Northern Ireland
Following user feedback and to make data more accessible and comparable for each of these Wellbeing metrics, statistical teams in The Executive Office and the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) produced the first “Wellbeing in Northern Ireland” report in October 2021.
The ‘Individual Wellbeing in Northern Ireland’ report was produced in HTML for the first time in 2023/24. This move to HTML is part of ongoing efforts to produce more timely reports and improve overall user experience.
The data in this report are derived from the Continuous Household Survey (CHS). The CHS is a continuous, representative survey of individuals aged 16 and over, which is designed and conducted by the Central Survey Unit, part of NISRA.
The achieved sample size for the CHS was 4,584 in 2024/25.
The self-efficacy, personal wellbeing and locus of control questions have been included since 2014/15 and eleven years of data are currently available for analysis. The loneliness question has been included since 2017/18 and eight years of data are currently available for analysis. Standard questions are included each year, allowing for comparability over time.
Methodological Considerations
The coronavirus pandemic impacted data collection of wellbeing metrics in 2020/21, 2021/22 and 2022/23, resulting in a change in data collection mode and reduced sample size for 2020/21. For this reason, a dotted line has been added to all time series graphs within the report to highlight the change in methodology between the 2019/20 and 2020/21 reporting years. Users should take this into consideration when comparing the 2023/24 and 2024/25 figures to previous years.
Relevance
The degree to which the statistical product meets user needs in both coverage and content.
Individual Wellbeing is personal and subjective – it encompasses the environmental factors that affect us, and the experiences we have throughout our lives. Wellbeing can fall into traditional policy areas such as economy, health and education. However, wellbeing also crucially recognises the aspects of our lives that we determine ourselves: through our own capabilities as individuals; how we feel about ourselves; the quality of the relationships that we have with other people; and our sense of purpose.
The Individual Wellbeing report provides 2024/25 estimates for Northern Ireland across four areas:
- Loneliness – measures the frequency with which people report feeling lonely.
- Self-efficacy – a person’s belief about their capabilities to exercise influence over events that affect their lives
- Personal Wellbeing – measures how satisfied people are with their lives, their levels of happiness and anxiety, and whether or not they think the things they do are worthwhile
- Locus of Control (LOC) – the degree to which a person feels in control of their life. Individuals with an internal LOC believe in their own influence and control while those with an external LOC believe control over their lives is determined by outside factors
The measures for loneliness and personal wellbeing adhere to GSS UK harmonised principles. The questions appear on a range of surveys both national and regional, which allows comparisons with other UK regions. Comparable data for self-efficacy and locus of control are not available for the UK or the Republic of Ireland. While self-efficacy data are collected as part of the UK longitudinal study, Understanding Society, these are not comparable with the data in this report due to differences in question design.
The data produced in this report are used in the overall monitoring of individual wellbeing in NI. There is an increasing demand for this information to inform the policy-making process, both in NI central government and local government, and thus the user group for this publication is diverse.
Consultation is carried out regularly with key users to ensure the publication covers the main requirements for users. This engagement highlighted the need for data at lower geography levels. Data is now published by Parliamentary Constituency and can be accessed in the accompanying tables.
The collection of loneliness, self-efficacy, personal wellbeing and locus of control measures via the CHS includes population level figures and also allows comparison between different sub groups of the population (e.g. age bands or sex), including Section 75 categories where possible.
Users have previously expressed a need for demographic profiles of those who might have poorer wellbeing, for example, breakdowns of the various sections of our society who are likely to be lonely ‘often or always’. In order to complete this analysis a larger sample size would be required. This will also be reviewed for future publications as sample sizes increase.
Accuracy and Reliability
The proximity between an estimate and the unknown true value.
The data in this report are derived from the Continuous Household Survey (CHS). The CHS is one of the largest continuous surveys carried out in Northern Ireland. The survey is designed and administered by the Central Survey Unit (CSU), NISRA. It is based on a sample of the general population, aged 16 and over, resident in private households and has been running since 1983.
Sample and response rate
The CHS is based on a systematic random sample of addresses drawn from the NISRA Address register (NAR). The NAR is developed within NISRA and is primarily based on the Land and Property Services (LPS) Pointer database of domestic addresses. The Pointer address database for Northern Ireland is maintained by Land & Property Services (LPS), with input from local councils and Royal Mail. The addresses are sorted by district council and ward, so the sample is effectively stratified geographically. A starting point in the sampling frame is randomly selected and then every nth (fixed interval) address is selected by counting through the frame. As the survey is asked to a representative sample of the Northern Ireland population there are no major coverage issues. People living in institutions are excluded.
In 2023/24 and 2024/25, the CHS was based on a systematic random sample of 8,940 addresses. From 2017/18 to 2022/23, the CHS was based on a systematic random sample of 9,000 addresses. From 2014/15 to 2016/17 the CHS was based on a systematic random sample of 4,500 addresses. In 2024/25 the overall response rate was 46% (4,584 individuals). This is lower than the response rate in the previous year (50% in 2023/24) and compared to pre-pandemic levels (55% in 2019/20).
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, NISRA suspended all face-to-face interviews, or CAPI (Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing). They were replaced by telephone interviewing, or CATI (Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing), with all interviews from April 2020 onwards conducted by telephone. Responses from the 2020/21 reporting year showed that switching to CATI and relying on sampled households to contact CSU negatively influenced response rates. With the lifting of some restrictions, from the month of April 2022, CSU implemented the knock to nudge method. This meant that interviewers could once again call at sampled addresses to encourage people to participate in the survey while adhering to the COVID health and safety advice/restrictions. Interviewers were not permitted to enter the property, only to collect contact information to complete the survey using CATI (Computer assisted Telephone Interviewing) at an agreed time.
From July 2022 onwards, CSU reinstated face-to-face interviewing, or CAPI (Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing). This meant that the CHS became dual-modality, allowing for both telephone and face-to-face interviewing. The dual-mode approach continued throughout 2024/25 fieldwork. However, since 2023/24, the interviewers have been advised that face-to-face interviewing should now be used where possible.
Both CAPI and CATI allow plausibility and consistency checks to be incorporated to improve data quality. Data are returned from the field via a Secure File Transfer Portal (SFTP). Data is downloaded onto secure network drives within NIGOV and processed through the CHS data management system. Data are coded and fully validated by CSU statistical staff.
The questionnaire is scripted in Blaise which allows CSU staff to define range and consistency checks for each question and to control routing throughout the questionnaire. The data are subject to further validation checks including treatment of outliers and detailed consistency checking including non-credible checks.
Non-response bias and sampling error
Non-response
The CHS aspires to interview everyone aged 16 or over at a selected household, but non-response, either by the household as a whole or by individuals within the household introduce non-response bias to the results. To counter this, data are weighted in order to produce estimates that better represent the population. The adjustment made to any data may be less than or greater than 1, but will generally be reasonably close to 1. In 2024/25 a chi-square goodness-of-fit test showed that the CHS sample was not representative of the population by age and sex when compared with the Population and Migration Estimates for Northern Ireland. To counter this, a range of different weights have been applied to account for how the various sample groups differ from that they represent. Cases have been weighted to adjust for age and sex. This reduces (but does not completely eliminate) error. All reported means/proportions have been weighted.
Sampling Error
The 95% confidence intervals for each estimate have been included in the data tables which accompany the report. These confidence intervals represent the ranges either side of the CHS estimates which are 95% certain to include the true values for the population.
For example, 17.9% of the Northern Ireland population reported that they were lonely “at least some of the time” in 2024/25; we can be 95% certain that the true (if we surveyed everyone and not just a sample) 2024/25 figure for the Northern Ireland population falls between 16.8% and 19%.
It is the nature of sampling variability that the smaller the group whose size is being estimated, the (proportionately) less precise that estimate is. Estimates for groups where the achieved sample is less than 100 have been omitted from the report, as they are unlikely to be reliable. These instances have been denoted by an asterisk (*) in the tables.
Timeliness and Punctuality
Timeliness refers to the time gap between publication and the reference period. Punctuality refers to the gap between planned and actual publication dates.
PfG Analytics, who produce the report, received the final validated dataset in June 2025. ‘Individual Wellbeing in Northern Ireland, 2024/25’ was published in January 2026. The publication was slightly delayed compared to previous years due to additional data validation checks being conducted to ensure accuracy.
The report was published on the planned date, as preannounced on the Executive Office’s ‘About TEO Official Statistics’ page and Gov.uk.
Accessibility and Clarity
Accessibility is the ease with which users are able to access the data, also reflecting the format in which the data are available and the availability of supporting information. Clarity refers to the quality and sufficiency of the metadata, illustrations and accompanying advice.
The ‘Individual Wellbeing in Northern Ireland, 2024/25’ report was published in HTML format on the Executive Office website on the pre-announced publication date. The report is also available in alternative formats upon request.
A link to the report was emailed to a list of key users and a link to the publication was published on all NISRA social media channels on the morning of its release.
Within the report, a number of charts have been provided with titles, axis names and footnotes added to help clarify certain information where applicable. Additionally, the report includes ‘Technical Notes’ which provides summary background information, definitions and methodological explanations.
Accompanying data tables, in Microsoft Excel and OpenDocument Spreadsheet format, are also available on the Executive Office website and on the NISRA Data Portal.
Questions with regards to accessibility and clarity have been included in the user survey.
To enable users to easily access data by subpopulation breakdowns, the statistical team have worked with the NISRA Tech Lab to create the Individual Wellbeing in NI Dashboard. The dashboard contains time series data for all subpopulation breakdowns and can be exported for use in your own reports and research publications.
The contact details for the producing statisticians have been included in the Annex section of the report.
Coherence and Comparability
Coherence is the degree to which data that are derived from different sources or methods, but refer to the same topic, are similar. Comparability is the degree to which data can be compared over time and domain.
The statistics contained within the report are derived solely from the CHS. The self-efficacy, personal wellbeing and locus of control questions have been included since 2014/15 and eleven years of data are currently available for analysis. The loneliness question has been included since 2017/18 and eight years of data are currently available for analysis. Standard questions are included each year, allowing for comparability over time.
Loneliness
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) Guidance for Measuring Loneliness recommends loneliness questions for adults and children and how to interpret and report findings. The CHS incorporates the recommended direct measure of loneliness. The direct measure of loneliness is used in various surveys across the UK, as reported by the Government Statistical Service (GSS) Harmonisation team for loneliness. This will allow for comparison across different administrations.
Personal Wellbeing
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) Guidance for Measuring Personal Wellbeing recommends four measures (Personal wellbeing ONS4) and how to interpret and report findings. The CHS incorporates the recommended four measures of personal wellbeing.
The ONS4 are used in various surveys across the UK, as reported by the Government Statistical Service (GSS) Harmonisation team for Personal Wellbeing. This will allow for comparison across different administrations.
The need for wellbeing information and increased focus on policy making decisions being made through a “wellbeing lens” has led to the personal wellbeing ONS4 questions being included in a number of NI household surveys. Personal wellbeing questions are included in the NI Continuous Household survey, NI Health survey, NI Labour Force Survey, Family Resources Survey and the NI Covid Opinion survey. Following user feedback to make data more accessible and comparable with other Wellbeing metrics, (e.g. loneliness, self-efficacy and locus of control) and in line with the UK Statistics Authority Code of Practice, NISRA made the decision to move the official data source from Labour Force Survey (LFS) to the Continuous Household Survey in 2020/21.
Traditionally the CHS has a larger sample size than LFS and as a result will facilitate a wider range of subpopulation breakdowns. It is anticipated that cross analysis with other wellbeing metrics which appear in the CHS (e.g. loneliness, self-efficacy and locus of control) will be conducted in subsequent years as sample sizes return to pre-pandemic levels.
The introduction of the collaborative “Wellbeing in Northern Ireland” report in 2020/21 and the change in the official source of personal wellbeing measures, means that data published in this report will not be directly comparable with personal wellbeing data published by NISRA prior to 2020/21. To allow comparability over time, a back series of personal wellbeing data from the CHS was conducted for additional analysis and is published on the Individual Wellbeing in NI page.
Self-Efficacy and Locus of Control
Comparable data for self-efficacy and locus of control are not available for the UK or the Republic of Ireland. While self-efficacy data are collected as part of the UK longitudinal study, Understanding Society, these are not comparable with the data in this report due to differences in question design.
Trade-offs between Output Quality Components
Trade-offs are the extent to which different aspects of quality are balanced against each other.
It is the nature of sampling variability that sample size affects the precision of estimates; the smaller the sample size, the (proportionately) less precise the estimate. Where the achieved sample for a group is less than 100, estimates are omitted as they are unlikely to be reliable. These instances have been denoted with an asterisk (*). At times (e.g. in the breakdown for Marital Status) it is possible to combine groups which would otherwise be omitted, thus producing large enough sample sizes to allow for analysis to be carried out.
In previous Loneliness in Northern Ireland publications, the responses for ‘Often/Always’, ‘Some of the time’ and ‘occasionally’ were combined together as ‘More often lonely’ to allow for more in depth analysis. However, users advised us that analysis by individual categories would be more useful as it would allow them to identify those with chronic loneliness. Following further consultation with key users, it was decided that the categories for ‘Often/Always’ and ‘Some of the time’ would be combined to report on the proportion of people reporting feeling lonely ‘At least some of the time’. This ensured sample sizes were still large enough to provide meaningful analysis. A breakdown by all 5 categories has been included in the accompanying tables.
Assessment of User Needs and Perceptions
The processes for finding out about users and uses, and their views on the statistical products.
The statistical team from The Executive Office has met with relevant policy areas and the ‘Loneliness Action group’. The team will continue to liaise with these users to ensure needs and perceptions are met.
The lead statistician for loneliness in NI liaised with the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) with regards to their systemic review on loneliness.
As a result of the findings from the systemic review and user engagement, data is now published by Parliamentary Constituencies and can be accessed in the accompanying tables.
Contact details for the responsible statisticians have been provided within the main report. Feedback can also be provided via this online user survey.
Performance, Cost and Respondent Burden
The effectiveness, efficiency, and economy of the statistical output.
The overall cost of running the CHS cannot be provided as this is commercial-in-confidence.
In 2024/25, responses to the wellbeing questions on the CHS took on average 2-3 minutes for a respondent to complete.
Confidentiality, Transparency and Security
The procedures and policy used to ensure sound confidentiality, security and transparent practices.
NISRA follows the ‘Privacy and data confidentiality methods: a Data and Analysis Method Review (DAMR)’ in the collection and dissemination of these statistics.
The CHS data received by the statistical teams are anonymised (name/address information removed). In addition, the data represent a sample of the population and there is no way to identify the sample chosen from the population. The data are held within TEO’s secure record management system, with restricted access and subject to approved record retention protocols. Responses are presented as weighted percentages and analysis is only carried out if the sample size in the population sub-category is large enough. Therefore, no additional disclosure control is required. Statistical outputs are only seen by authorised staff prior to their publication.
As part of the staff induction process and their ongoing personal development plan, staff regularly complete mandatory training on the Code of Practice and managing information.