Linkages and research topics permitted for each LPS

Linkages and research topics permitted for each LPS#

Last modified: 24 Sep 2025

See the tables below to understand the linkages and breadth of research topics that each Longitudinal Population Study (LPS) permits.

The tables below summarise the linkages that are either currently available for each LPS (NHS England and place-based datasets); will be available soon (NHS Wales); or will be available by autumn 2026 (Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC)). Note: linkage to Scottish health records is conditionally approved. Table 1 includes LPS that have obtained the necessary permissions to enable any research in the public good. Table 2 includes the small number of LPS that are working towards obtaining these permissions - these LPS are currently restricted to only COVID-19 research topics. Please note: some datasets, including the linked NHS England GP data (GDPPR dataset) can only be used for research relating to COVID-19.

Participants can always object to UK LLC or specific data linkages. If a participant objects, no new data about them will be shared, but data that have already been provisioned can still be used until the project ends. Please see the UK LLC Privacy Notice for further information.

Table 1 LPS that can be included in ANY public good research (including COVID-19)#

Definition of public good: UK LLC currently follows the National Data Guardian (NDG) guidance to assess public good. We are working with our public contributors to develop a context-specific public good definition (we will update this page in due course).

LPS	NHS England	Neighbourhood geographies¹	Address geographies²	NHS Wales (Coming soon)	DWP (Not yet available)	HMRC (Not yet available)
AIRWAVE	✓	✓	Full address	✗	✗	✗
BCS70	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓
BIB	✓	✓	Full address	✓	✗	✗
ELSA	✓	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓
EXCEED	✓	✓	Postcode	✓	✗	✗
GENSCOT	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗
GLAD	✓	✓	Full address	✓	✗	✗
MCS	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓
NCDS58	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓
NEXTSTEP	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓
NSHD46	✓	✓	Full address	✗	✗	✗
TEDS	✓	✓	Full address	✗	✓	✓
TWINSUK	✓	✓	Postcode	✗	✗	✗
UKHLS	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓
UK-REACH	✓	✓	✗	✓	✗	✗

¹Geographies used to produce official statistics, including administrative, health and statistical geographies (e.g. census geographies such as LSOA)

²Household level using Unique Property Reference Number (UPRN) or postcode level

Table 2 LPS that can ONLY be included in COVID-19 research#

LPS	NHS England	Neighbourhood geographies¹	Address geographies²	NHS Wales (Coming soon)	DWP (Not yet available)	HMRC (Not yet available)
ALSPAC	✓	✓	Postcode	✓	✓	✓
EPICN	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗
FENLAND	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗
NICOLA	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗
NIHRBIO_COPING	✓	✓	Postcode	✓	✗	✗
SABRE	✗	✓	Full address	✗	✗	✗
TRACKC19	✓	✓	Postcode	✓	✗	✗