We’re investing in data linkage and access across a broad range of Longitudinal Population Studies (LPS) to maximise the visibility, utility and long‑term value of their data.
The project is being led by UK Longitudinal Linkage Collaboration (UK LLC) in collaboration with UK Data Service (UKDS) and is funded through Population Research UK (PRUK).
As a result of this funding, UK-based LPS will be able to apply to join UK LLC and/or UKDS at no cost.
The aim is to increase discoverability and deliver FAIR access to data, which means data that is findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable.
The investment of over £1M will:
- enhance data discovery capabilities
- streamline data access processes and mechanisms
- support linkage and access to linked LPS data
UK LLC and UKDS as key infrastructure for this work
UK LLC is a national community-led research infrastructure providing record-linkage as a service to LPS and FAIR data access via its longitudinal research Trusted Research Environment. Over 22 major LPS have already joined UK LLC, depositing data >500,000 participants which are systematically linked to participants’ NHS, socio-economic and environmental/place-based records.
UKDS is a principal repository for economic, population, and social research data in the UK. UKDS hosts data from many of the UK’s socio-economic focused LPS. UKDS has expertise in the collection, preservation, and dissemination of quality data for teaching, learning and public benefit.
What this means for UK-based LPS
As part of this project, we’ll be inviting LPS who would like to make their data available through central, trusted routes such as linked health, administrative and place-based data via UK LLC and/or archiving via UK Data Service.
It means that LPS can apply to join at no cost, making it an accessible proposition for LPS of all shapes and sizes. This opportunity is funded and time-limited so there will be a triage process to select the studies that can do this most easily within the timeframe.
Through this opportunity, we’ll seek to simplify the infrastructure that underpins data access and linkage, improving both the experience for researchers and the long‑term visibility and usability of the data.
Join our webinar to learn how your study can get involved
We’re hosting a webinar on Tuesday 14 April, 10:00 – 11:00am to outline the opportunity for UK-based LPS.
You’ll hear about the project’s scope, timelines, and how your study can apply. There will be time for questions at the end of the session.
We encourage LPS to apply that have the potential to support both social and biomedical science, and that:
- Have participant volunteers who have provided data to the study;
- Are longitudinal in nature;
- Hold and control the use of study data. For deposit at UK LLC, they must also hold participant identifiers;
Please note that clinical trials are not eligible for this opportunity. If in doubt about the eligibility of your study, please get in touch via info@ukllc.ac.uk.
Following the webinar, the next steps are:
- Friday 17 April 2026 – expressions of interest open for LPS to register
- May 2026 – following shortlisting, LPS invited to complete a full application
- September 2026 – LPS contacted to update them on the application outcome to join UK LLC and/or deposit with UKDS
Simplifying access and linkage to UK longitudinal data
We caught up with two of the co-investigators, Jacqui Oakley (UK LLC Head of Operations), and Abigail Harrison (UK LLC Research Manager) to explore the details behind this work.
Jacqui, you’ve been involved in shaping this project. From your perspective, what opportunities does it open for the UK’s longitudinal population studies?
This project opens the door to greater discoverability and interoperability between LPS, offering an enhanced network of connected data, for increased research capabilities.
If we look at what happens nowadays, researcher pathways to accessing data can vary widely across studies and platforms.
While many studies already make their data available through UK LLC, UKDS, or other domain‑specific repositories, a significant number still lack a clear or standardised route for researchers to request access.
Additionally, we know that many LPS find the record linkage process challenging and expensive – or feel they lack the resources to attempt linkages.
UK LLC now provides record linkage as a service – for both health, socio-economic and place-based/environmental data across the four UK nations. This resource is aimed at researchers of all disciplines.
The idea is that by bringing more studies into established national infrastructures, it will make it easier for researchers to discover and use the rich data that already exists.
The step-change in the scientific potential that this will bring will enable wider and deeper research questions to be answered.
Longitudinal studies will be invited to take advantage of these services, which presents an opportunity for studies to enhance data discovery capabilities, streamline data access process and mechanisms, and support linkage and access to linked LPS data.
Abigail, you’re managing this activity. How will this investment support studies in joining UK LLC?
UK LLC has an established mechanism for new studies to join us which to date has operated on a cost recovery basis. For some studies, this has been a barrier.
Through this project, LPS will be able to become a UK LLC partner study and link their data free of charge.
While studies will still need to commit some resources to support governance processes and prepare their data, UK LLC will take care of everything else.
The benefits of joining UK LLC mean that a wider range of linked LPS data can be analysed in conjunction with other LPS, to enable comparative analysis and strengthen evidence across diverse contexts, populations and life stages.
When it comes to depositing with UKDS, the UKDS Collections Development Policy ensures the ongoing growth of a diverse and valuable data repository for social science and cross-disciplinary research. They acquire, curate, and preserve data across a wide range of disciplines, focusing on research, teaching, and policy needs.
Archiving data with UKDS ensures long-term preservation and access to collections, increasing the transparency and reproducibility of research. They accept high-quality, reusable data collections with clear documentation and meeting ethical and legal compliance. While the primary focus is on social science data, they welcome data with broad relevance, significant coverage, or unique value, provided it meets compliance and the needs of the dedicated user community.
The Data Curation and Publishing team prepares the data in additional formats to meet user needs, curate the documentation and enhance the metadata for long-term preservation as well as to support re-use and discoverability.
Jacqui, what benefits will centralised access bring for researchers, study teams, and the wider public?
Centralising curated and linked LPS datasets offers clear advantages across the whole ecosystem.
For researchers, expanding the UKDS and UK LLC resource will make UK longitudinal data easier to find, access, and combine. It reduces unpredictability in access, supports pooled or meta‑analysis, fills demographic gaps, and strengthens statistical power – particularly for subgroup and under‑represented populations.
For longitudinal studies, this approach supports their responsibility to make data FAIR and increases their visibility to new user communities. It also enables linkages that would be too costly or complex for individual studies to pursue alone.
By doing this, it opens opportunities for new collaborations, and provides scalable, sustainable infrastructure for storage, access, and stewardship.
For the public, centralisation enhances the scientific value derived from taxpayer investment by improving efficiency, strengthening data safeguarding within secure environments, and supporting research that reflects more diverse populations. It also increases transparency about how data is used, backed by a UK‑leading public involvement programme.
The addition of further LPS joining UK LLC and the subsequent linked data will allow approved researchers to analyse a wider range of questions and generate more impactful outputs, including publications and policy-relevant evidence.
Abigail, how are UK LLC and UKDS working together on this project?
Not all longitudinal studies have the governance arrangements or scientific remit of financial support required to support data linkage. For these studies, onboarding into the UKDS may offer a more suitable route for centralised access and long‑term data preservation.
This is why UK LLC and UKDS are partnering on this work. Together, they bring complementary strengths as two of the UK’s established platforms for FAIR longitudinal population data.
The collaboration will enable new access pathways for studies by supporting data deposit in a centralised repository, whether that is through UK LLC, UKDS, or both, depending on each study’s needs and capabilities.
Together, this partnership ensures that every study, regardless of linkage readiness, has a supported, sustainable option for making its data discoverable and accessible for research in the public good.
“The UK Data Service is delighted to partner with UK LLC on this fantastic opportunity to expand access to, and enhance the usability of, a wider range of LPS data. With our strong expertise in data governance and data reuse, we’ll support the development of appropriate pathways for data sharing for eligible LPS and provide preservation or discovery solutions where data cannot be shared.”
Camilla Philpot Thomsen, Associate Director for Data Operations at the UK Data Service
Strengthening the national infrastructure for longitudinal data
By bringing together LPS data, we’re aiming to make a significant step in how longitudinal data can be discovered and accessed. This approach also creates major efficiencies by removing duplicated effort across individual studies and institutions.
UKRI’s strategy and policy direction emphasise the need for greater coordination, improved user journeys, and the development of secure, FAIR, publicly trusted, and cost‑efficient systems to support data‑driven research in the UK.
“This work marks a key advance in the data infrastructure supporting longitudinal population studies by building on the expertise and expanding access to two key existing UKRI investments. Through collaborative efforts to improve discovery and access, it will help build a more efficient data landscape for health and social science longitudinal population studies for the long term.”
Professor Alison Park, Deputy Executive Chair of the Economic and Social Research Council, and Chair of the Population Research UK Programme Board
Many longitudinal population studies have moved in this direction, particularly those with roots in the social sciences, where long‑standing centralised data services are well established.
This PRUK activity is designed to accelerate and broaden this transition. By investing in the infrastructure and collaboration required to support FAIR access, PRUK is helping ensure that a wider range of longitudinal studies, and the diverse research communities who rely on them, can benefit from the functionality, efficiencies, and safeguards these infrastructures provide.
As the partnership between UK LLC, UKDS, and participating studies develops, this work will help shape a more sustainable, and future‑ready data landscape for UK longitudinal research.
Stay connected with us
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About Jacqui Oakley
Jacqui is the Head of Operations at UK LLC and is responsible for overall delivery, finance and governance. As part of the UK LLC Management Group and Executive she provides joint leadership and strategic decision-making. Jacqui has over 14 years of experience working in research funding and strategic development, within UKRI (BBSRC and MRC) and academia (the University of Bristol).
About Abigail Harrison
Abigail is a Research Manager at UK LLC and is responsible for managing the onboarding process for UK LLC partner Longitudinal Population Studies, introducing new place-based datasets and managing the UK LLC User Group. Abigail completed her PhD at University College London in the Consumer Data Research Centre, focusing on geospatial analysis of the retail landscape. There Abigail worked on a research project that helped inform local policy on using smart data in Camden and was the Network Coordinator of the Master’s Dissertation scheme. Before joining UK LLC Abigail worked at the University of Hertfordshire as a Data Analyst, with her role providing insights using student data and geospatial modelling to inform decision-making.
About UK LLC
UK Longitudinal Linkage Collaboration (UK LLC) is the national Trusted Research Environment (TRE) for data linkage in longitudinal research, led by the Universities of Bristol and Edinburgh. It brings together deep longitudinal data, linking these to health (NHS), administrative (DWP, HMRC, DfE) and placed-based (e.g. air and noise pollution, greenspace, and place-based information) and simplifies access to these combined data for research in the public good, enabling discoveries through linked associations between health, social, behavioural, and economic research.
About UKDS
UK Data Service (UKDS) is the principal repository for economic, population, and social research data in the UK. As hosts of the largest trusted digital archive of its kind, our expertise in the collection, preservation, and dissemination of quality data is the culmination of nearly sixty years of sustained investment by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) in the UK’s research data infrastructure.
About our funding models
At Population Research UK, we’re committed to supporting a more interconnected data landscape, where users of LPS benefit from a seamless journey.
We’re established by the Economic and Social Research Council and the Medical Research Council and supported by a £9 million investment from the UK Research and Innovation Infrastructure Fund to deliver and commission services that enhance population research.
To achieve this, our delivery plan uses three complementary funding models: PRUK Hub to centrally deliver community engagement and advocacy; open calls to invite competitive applications where specialist delivery is needed; and partner-led funding applied where our UKRI partners – CLOSER and UK Longitudinal Linkage Collaboration – are best placed to deliver the work, building on existing UKRI supported infrastructure and avoiding duplication.
This project falls under the partner-led funding model, leveraging UK LLC’s expertise and established networks to deliver the project.
