Insights – the Understanding Society podcast

Understanding Society

Understanding Society is one of the largest household panel studies in the world. We follow thousands of households from across the UK to find out about people's real experiences of living and working in the UK today. Understanding Society asks questions about family life, education, employment, health, finances, social and political attitudes and wellbeing.

The data from the Study is used by university researchers, government departments, charities and think tanks to better understand how the UK population is changing - and what stays the same over time.

Our podcast series takes a look at some of the issues raised by the Understanding Society survey. The podcasts feature researchers who use the data and guest contributors who work in relevant areas.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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20 episodes
Updated July 13

Episodes20

Newest first

July 13 · 27 min
Food banks and mental health
In our last episode before the summer break, we’re looking at the effect food banks have on the mental health of the people who use them. Our guests are Muhammad Waqas, an Assistant Professor in Economics at the University of Bradford, and Helen Barnard, Director of Policy, Research and Impact at Trussell. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
June 22 · 21 min
Health warnings and lifestyles
In this episode, we’re looking at how we change our lifestyles – or not – when we face a health issue such as diabetes or a heart problem. Our guests are Zoey Verdun, a researcher at Imperial College London, and Claire Levy from the Diabetes Research and Wellness Foundation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Nov 26, 2025 · 32 min
Our digital lives and our wellbeing
This episode looks at our increasingly digital lives and how they affect our wellbeing. Our guests this time are Dr. Daniel Wheatley, Reader in the Department of Management at the University of Birmingham, and Abigail Coxon, principal Economist at the Youth Futures Foundation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Oct 15, 2025 · 24 min
Breathing unequal air in the UK
In this episode, host Chris Coates looks at air pollution and in particular how common is it for immigrant populations to live in more polluted areas. His guests are Tobias Rüttenauer, Assistant Professor in Quantitative Social Sciences UCL and L’myah Sherae, Director of Enact Equality, a non-profit organisation which campaigns for racial justice and equality in the UK. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sep 8, 2025 · 25 min
Pets and life satisfaction
In this first episode of our new season, host Chris Coates looks at the link between pets and life satisfaction, and how it’s possible to put a monetary value on the benefit of having a cat or dog. His guests are Adelina Gschwandtner, a senior lecturer in Economics at the University of Kent, and Ashleigh Brown, Scientific and Policy Manager at RSPCA. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jul 23, 2025 · 9 min
Studying for a PhD at ISER
In this episode we’re looking at the some of the people who use the data we gather. Chris talks to Cara Booker, a senior research fellow at the Institute for Social and Economic Research where Understanding Society is based, about studying for a PhD and what to do with the doctorate once you’ve got it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 20, 2025 · 31 min
Families and benefit cuts
In this episode, we discuss how families are affected by benefit cuts and fluctuating incomes, with Gabriele Mari, assistant professor in the School of Social and Behavioural Sciences at Erasmus University Rotterdam, and Sara Ogilvie, Director of Policy, Rights and Advocacy at the Child Poverty Action Group. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mar 19, 2025 · 29 min
The housing crisis
The housing crisis – a simple question of too much demand and not enough supply, or is there more to it? With Rory Coulter, Associate Professor in Human Geography at University College London, and Kevin Garvey, Head of Member Relations at the National Housing Federation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Feb 17, 2025 · 34 min
Arts and wellbeing
What is the relationship between the arts and our mental health? Are they good for our mental health, or are happier people more likely to engage in the arts? The guests for this episode are Hei Wan (Karen) Mak, a senior research fellow in epidemiology and statistics at UCL and Nicky Goulder, CEO of Create, which puts on creative workshops in schools, day centres, prisons, and hospitals. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jan 27, 2025 · 34 min
Education and gender roles
Do education levels affect gender roles in UK households? Do men with degrees do more childcare and housework? With guests: Barbara Okun, Professor of Demography in the Sociology Department and Demography Division at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and Dr Sara Reis, Deputy Director and Head of Research and Policy at feminist economics think tank the Women’s Budget Group. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jan 15, 2025 · 22 min
Our future care needs
In our first episode of 2025, we look at the future care needs of an aging population in the UK, with Taha Bokhari and Abby Jitendra from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, who have written a report about what our ageing population means for care, work, our benefits system and our communities. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dec 3, 2024 · 29 min
Job mobility and the gender pay gap
In this episode, we discuss the effects of parenthood on job mobility and what this means for the gender pay gap with Dr. Silvia Avram, a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Social and Economic Research at the University of Essex, and Alesha De Freitas, Head of Policy, Research and Advocacy (at time of recording) at the Fawcett Society. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Nov 11, 2024 · 13 min
Being part of Understanding Society
In this episode, one of our participants, Neil, talks about what it’s been like to be part of Understanding Society right from the beginning. What does it mean for him, and what changes has he seen in life and society since joining our predecessor, the British Household Panel Survey, in 1991? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Oct 10, 2024 · 29 min
Muslims, Covid, and mental health
In the first episode of a new series of Insights, Chris Coates discusses changes in the mental health of Muslims in the UK during the pandemic with Miqdad Asaria, Assistant Professor of Health Policy at the London School of Economics and Political Science, who has researched this, and Maaria Mahmood, Director of the Muslim Youth Helpline. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 31, 2024 · 13 min
Survey response rates during Covid
In this episode, we’re looking at methodology. Pablo Cabrera Alvarez, a Senior Research Officer at the Institute for Social and Economic Research, talks about survey response rates and what happened to Understanding Society during the Covid pandemic, when interviewers couldn’t get to see participants face to face. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Apr 19, 2024 · 9 min
Housing and ageing
In a new episode of our quick-listen one-to-one podcasts, Dr Amy Clair from the Australian Centre for Housing Research talks to Chris Coates from Understanding Society about research which suggests that private renting can age you faster than being unemployed or smoking. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mar 18, 2024 · 11 min
Pregnancy and early childhood data
In a new episode of our one-to-one podcasts, Edith Aguirre, a senior research officer at the Institute for Social and Economic Research, talks to host Chris Coates about Understanding Society’s ‘PEACH’ file. This brings our data on children under 10 together with data on pregnancy and child development, to help researchers study family dynamics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Feb 20, 2024 · 15 min
Coastal communities
Emily Murray, Director of the new Centre for Coastal Communities at the University of Essex, joins host Chris Coates to talk about the work of the new centre, and her research into the challenges and opportunities of living by the sea Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Feb 6, 2024 · 33 min
Boomerang movers
Emily Grundy, a Professor in the Institute for Social and Economic Research at the University of Essex, and Toby Murray, from the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute, discuss the trend of ‘boomerang’ movers – adult children who move back in with their parents, and what it means for wellbeing Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jan 23, 2024 · 23 min
Loneliness and mental health
What can data tell us about loneliness and its links with poorer mental health? And what, if anything, can we do about it? Discussing this with host Chris Coates are Ann-Marie Creaven from the University of Limerick, and Isabel Taylor from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.