Frequently Asked Questions

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About the survey

Why is this survey taking place?

The ’Your Community, Your Say’ Survey has been designed to gather information to help the government evaluate the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). This will enable the creation of better policies aimed at building people's sense of pride in their communities and providing opportunities to live a healthy, enjoyable, and productive life.

Your contribution will help local communities to be understood by the Government, charities and other public sector organisations through tracking important changes over time.

More information about the government’s evaluation strategy of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund can be found here. The evaluation strategy is due to be updated later this year.


Who is conducting the survey?

The survey is being conducted by Verian, an independent research agency, on behalf of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).

Verian is bound by the Market Research Society (MRS) Code of Conduct – a set of agreements that ensure research is conducted in an ethical and safe manner.

To find out more about Verian, please visit www.veriangroup.com.


What is the role of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG)?

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is central to the mission-driven government, from fixing the foundations of an affordable home to handing power back to communities and rebuilding local governments. The work of MHCLG includes investing in local areas to drive growth and create jobs, delivering the homes our country needs, supporting our community and faith groups, and overseeing local government, planning and building safety.

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Taking part

Why did we choose your address?

As it is not possible to ask everyone to take part in the survey, we select a random list of addresses to represent each local area. Your address was selected at random from a list of private addresses held by the Royal Mail.


I don't think this survey is relevant to me

Everyone's views and experiences are valuable, even if you don't participate in any activities or you don't think your views are relevant. The results need to be representative of everyone in each local area.


I don't have access to the internet, but I want to take part

If you are unable to complete the survey online, you can request a paper version of the survey via the contact details below.

Call the survey helpline on 0800 008 3250

Or email Verian at


Who should I contact if I don't want to take part?

Taking part is voluntary, but we hope that you will as this will give us the best possible picture of different communities across England, Scotland and Wales.

If you do not wish to take part, you don't need to do anything, although you may still receive up to three reminders from us, which you may also ignore.

If you do not wish to receive any further reminder mailings, you can either:

Call the survey helpline on 0800 008 3250

Or email Verian at

Please be ready to provide your reference number, address and postcode so we can opt you out of further communication. The reference number is located on the top of the letter.

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How do I complete the survey?

What do you need to do?

You can complete the survey online by following the instructions in the letter you have received.

You simply need to go to this website enter one of the reference numbers and associated password provided and complete the survey by the date shown on the front of the letter. Only people that live in your household are allowed to take part.


What will I be asked about?

The survey covers a range of topics about your life, including questions on:

  • Your demographic information
  • Your feelings towards your neighbourhood and local area
  • Your wellbeing and life satisfaction

Do I have to answer all the questions?

Answering the questions is voluntary. The survey includes some questions about you such as your age, ethnicity, employment history. We ask these sorts of question so we can ensure that everyone's views are captured. However, if you do not wish to answer these sorts of questions then you can select 'prefer not to answer' to move to the next question.


Can I help someone fill in the survey?

Yes, that's fine. If a friend or a relative needs your help in filling in the survey, you can offer help. But the answers should be about their experience only.


How can I claim my voucher?

Once you have completed the survey you will be directed to our voucher website, where you can choose from a range of different shopping vouchers.

If you complete a paper version of the survey, we will post a voucher to you once we have received the completed survey.

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Confidentiality and data protection

Is this survey confidential?

Yes, the information that is collected will only be used for research and statistical purposes. Your contact details will be kept separate from your answers and will not be passed on to any organisation outside of Verian or supplier organisations who assist in running the survey.

Data from the survey will be shared with MHCLG for the purpose of producing and publishing statistics. The data shared with MHCLG won't contain your name or contact details, and no individual or household will be identifiable from the results.

The survey is part of a wider evaluation of the UKSPF. This evaluation is being conducted by a consortium of evaluation partners on behalf of MHCLG led by Frontier Economics (an independent economic consultancy) and Ipsos (an independent research organisation). MHCLG will share your survey answers along with details about the area that you live with these organisations. This data will not include information that can identify you unless we have asked, and you have agreed, for an alternative arrangement.

Your answers will be combined with others participating in the survey. You will not receive any ‘junk mail’ after taking part. For more information about how we keep your data safe, you can visit www.yourcommunitysurvey.co.uk


Will my data be published?

MHCLG will publish an aggregated (grouped together) and anonymised version of this dataset, as Official Statistics derived from this survey on gov.uk. It will not be possible to identify you from any information published.

A dataset containing answers from the survey (not including your name or contact information) will be available to researchers in the UK data service. This will be shared for the purpose of facilitating research in this area. The UK Data Service is a national data service that provides research access to a range of social and economic data collections. To understand more about how the UK Data Service handles your information, please refer to their Privacy Notice here.

The deposited datasets will not contain your name, address, telephone number or email address.


Data Protection

All information will be processed in compliance with the Data Protection Act 2018 and General Data Protection Regulation for the performance of official authority and public interest and will only be held for as long as it is being used to produce statistics. Further information about the way we handle your personal data can be found here. Should you have any specific concerns or queries please contact MHCLG at dataprotection@communities.gov.uk.

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Contact us

If you would like any further details about the survey or have any issues completing the survey you can email us at or call our dedicated helpline team on 0800 008 3250. Please have your reference number to hand.

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