Transformed Labour Force Survey – user guidance

We have created a suite of guidance documents to help our users familiarise themselves with the Transformed Labour Force Survey (TLFS) and get a better understanding of how it compares with the current Labour Force Survey (LFS) and Annual Population Survey (APS).

As the transformation is still ongoing, these user guides cover aspects of the TLFS that have already been implemented and aspects that will be developed in the near future. We will publish updated versions throughout the transformation once the survey has gone through further quality-assured testing and approaches have been finalised. 

Background user guide (PDF, 265.7KB)
Last updated 5 March 2024
Provides context for the transformation and high-level information on the design of the survey, including weighting system, imputation method, data quality and dataset dissemination. 

Wave 1 issued sample by Local Authority (XLSX, 50.3KB)
Released 3 July 2023
Provides the quarterly issued sample size for Wave 1 of the TLFS for each local authority in Great Britain. The figures provided refer to issued addresses, not individuals. 

Variable mapping document (XLSX, 302.1KB)
Last updated 23 May 2024
Compares all the questionnaire variables currently in the TLFS with those of the existing LFS by highlighting the changes and similarities between them. This document includes updates to the questionnaire up until and including April 2023.

Derivation code for derived variables (XLSX, 121.2KB)
Released 5 March 2024
Provides the conditions based on which derived variables are constructed.

Derived variable flow charts (PDF. 325.8KB)
Released 5 March 2024
Visualises the conditions based on which derived variables are constructed. This user guide currently only provides flow charts for one of the core derived variables. Further flow charts will be added later in 2024.

Derived variable specification for highest qualification (XLSX, 106.7MB)
Released 23 May 2024
Because of the complexity of the qualification section in the questionnaire the calculation of the highest qualification cannot easily be represented in a flowchart, Therefore, we have opted to present the specification for the Level of Highest Qualification on which the code was based.

Variable metadata (XLSX, 276.4KB)
Released 3 July 2023
Provides information including the name, format, length and description about each variable contained in the TLFS microdata files. This file also contains the collection of possible values in response to each variable, and the descriptive labels associated with each value. 

Dummy dataset (XLSX, 33.0KB)
Released 14 November 2022
Provides the layout and format of the datasets expected to be produced from the TLFS outputs. This table currently includes the questions asked up to early September 2022 and excludes the variables to be implemented by the end of the transformation.  

Additional information on the wider transformation work is available in our Labour market transformation - update on progress and plans releases. 

We hope you find this information useful. If you have any comments or questions, please email us at labour.market.transformation@ons.gov.uk.