Family Resources Survey 2003-04
Comparisons with other surveys
Some of the information collected by the FRS is also available in other Government surveys and comparisons of results can be a useful method of validation.
DWP and ONS have jointly investigated the reasons for the FRS consistently giving higher estimates, than does the Labour Force Survey (LFS), of the proportion of children in workless households. This proportion is the subject of a DWP Public Service Agreement (PSA) target and is also a key driver in relation to the DWP/HMT joint PSA target to reduce child poverty by 25 per cent between 1998 and 2004. LFS is used to monitor the former, FRS the latter.
A report on this investigation and the recommendations can be found on the FRS website at the following address:
Comparisons of the FRS and other surveys with the 2001 census was undertaken to investigate the characteristics of non-respondents, to assess non-response bias and inform the grossing review.