Scottish Government Long Term Survey Strategy (LTSS) – Summary Version

1. Context and Case for Change

Scottish Government population surveys – chiefly the Scottish Household Survey (SHS) including Scottish House Condition Survey (SHCS), Scottish Crime & Justice Survey (SCJS) and Scottish Health Survey (SHeS) – provide essential evidence used across government, local authorities, public services, academia and the third sector. They offer insights not available from administrative sources: people’s attitudes, experiences, perceptions and lived realities.

However, the environment in which these surveys operate is changing significantly.

Challenges affecting survey sustainability include:

• Declining response rates, reflecting wider UK and international trends and increasing survey burden.
• Rising operational costs and pressures on public budgets.
• Recruitment and retention challenges for fieldwork interviewers.
• Growing expectations for faster, more granular and locally relevant data.
• Persistent inequalities in participation, particularly affecting certain population groups.

Alongside these challenges, new opportunities are emerging:

• Expanding availability of administrative and linked data offers routes to reduce respondent burden and improve quality.
• Digital capability and innovation in survey modes, including mixed‑mode approaches, provide alternatives that may increase efficiency and resilience.
• Methodological advances across the UK and internationally – in sampling, weighting, quality assurance and design – can be adopted to strengthen Scotland’s survey system.
• Knowledge and infrastructure developed through Census 2022 present opportunities for reuse or adaptation in survey delivery.

These shifts highlight the need for a refreshed strategic direction. The updated LTSS seeks to ensure that Scottish Government surveys continue to deliver high‑quality, trusted and relevant evidence by focusing on purpose, user needs, methodological robustness and improved integration with other data sources.

The Scottish Government has published several Long Term Survey Strategies over the past two decades, including the Long Term Survey Strategy 2005–2007, Long Term Survey Strategy 2009–2019, and Long Term Survey Strategy 2018–2022. This refreshed strategy updates that long‑standing approach to reflect the new challenges facing survey research and the need for a modern, sustainable survey system.

This approach also aligns with the wider ambition to modernise Scotland’s analytical system and ensure that public sector evidence is future‑ready, resilient and meets the needs of policymakers and communities.