How do I take part in the survey?
If your household has been selected to take part in the survey, it can be completed either online or by phone. You will receive a postcard giving some basic information about the survey followed by an invitation letter a few days later. The invitation letter will provide you with the details you need to complete the survey online or by phone. If you cannot complete the survey the survey online or by telephone, one of our NISRA interviewers will call at your door to help you take part.
Online
When you receive your letter inviting you to take part in the survey, go to nisra.gov.uk/LMS
Select the ‘Start’ button and then enter the household access code that appears on your invitation letter.
You can complete this study on a desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphone. If you need to, you can stop and come back to the study later.
Your responses will be saved each time you move to the next page. You can return to finish any time up to the close of the survey. If you are not able to return to complete the survey, the information you have taken the time to share with us is still useful. Saved data will be submitted and where possible will be used for analysis.
Phone
If you would prefer to take part by phone, please contact NISRA on 028 9025 5118, Monday to Friday, between 9am and 5pm. We will ask for your telephone contact details. We will then arrange for one of our NISRA survey interviewers to call you to complete the survey.
What is the Northern Ireland Labour Market Survey about?
The Labour Market Survey is a survey which gathers important information on our local economy and society. This includes information about work, retirement, unemployment, education and qualifications.
There are no difficult questions and there are no right or wrong answers – we just want to know about your circumstances.
After the initial survey, we will invite you to take part in the survey a further 4 times in total. This is important to track change over time. You will be offered a £10 cash voucher after each survey you complete which means that you can receive up to £50 for taking part. The follow-up surveys are shorter. To protect your information and to keep it secure and confidential, we do not feed forward anything you have previously told us on this survey.
How long will it take to complete?
The survey takes on average 15 minutes to complete. The exact time will depend on the number of people in your household and their individual circumstances.
How do I get a new household access code?
If you need a new household access code to complete the survey online, please call us on 028 9025 5118.
When will I get my £10 cash voucher?
If you have opted to receive a £10 cash voucher by email, you will receive this within 7 working days. It may take up to 28 working days for a £10 cash voucher requested by post to arrive. One voucher per household will be issued upon completion of the survey.
Why should I take part?
This survey is where the official employment and unemployment and economic inactivity rates come from for our local economy. These are reported every month in the news and other media outlets.
It is important that we hear from as many people as possible, whether you are working, not working, searching for work, looking after your family at home, retired or studying so that our statistics accurately reflect what is happening in society.
People who have previously taken part in the Labour Market Survey found that it was quick and easy to complete.
You will be offered a £10 cash voucher to say thank you once your household has completed each survey.
Do I have to take part?
Your response is important to us and it is your chance to have your voice heard. We want to hear from as many different people as possible, regardless of whether they are currently in the labour market or not. By taking part, you are helping NISRA to produce accurate and reliable statistics about the local economy and society.
The survey is not compulsory and you do not have to take part if you do not wish to.
Why have I been asked to take part?
Your address has been randomly selected from a database of residential addresses in Northern Ireland.
Who should take part?
One person (aged 16 or over) can answer on behalf of the entire household.
What will I be asked?
The survey will cover a range of topics such as:
- work
- retirement
- unemployment
- looking after the family or home
- health
- education
- qualifications
- population characteristics
Are translation services available?
If you require the use of a translator to complete the survey, please call us on 028 9025 5118 to arrange an interview, either in person or by telephone.
What about confidentiality and data protection?
Your personal information will remain confidential.
We adhere to the Data Protection Act 2018 and the NISRA Privacy Notice explains how NISRA will use your personal information and protect your privacy.
All answers will be combined with all the responses we receive from the survey to produce statistics and we will never publish any results that could identify anyone.
Who is carrying out the survey?
NISRA Central Survey Unit are carrying out the survey to provide official statistics on the local economy and society.
Technical help
If you are completing online, please ensure that you are using the most up to date software available for your device. Older versions of operating systems may not be compatible with the questionnaire. If you cannot update the software, then you may need to try a different device.