Our studies

The UCL Centre for Longitudinal Studies (CLS) is home to four of the UK’s national cohort studies, which follow tens of thousands of people from birth and across the whole of their lives.

Each of our four studies follows large, nationally representative groups of people born in a given year. Our oldest study charts the lives of a group of Baby Boomers born in the late 1950s, while our youngest keeps up with a group born at the turn of the new century.

In 2021, CLS also became part of the management teams for three new longitudinal studies: the Early Life Cohort Feasibility Study, Children of the 2020s, and the COVID Social Mobility & Opportunities Study. These new studies will follow groups of young people whose formative years have been shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic and other recent world events.

1958 National Child Development Study

Following the lives of 17,000 people born in a single week in 1958 in Great Britain.

1970 British Cohort Study

Following the lives of 17,000 people born in a single week in 1970 in Great Britain.

Next Steps

Following the lives of 16,000 people in England born in 1989-90.

Millennium Cohort Study

The most recent of Britain's cohort studies, following 19,000 young people born in the UK at the start of the new century.

Getting started with longitudinal data

Take a look at our guide to using the rich longitudinal data sets. We’ve included tips on identifying the research you need, how you go about downloading the data and preparing the data for analysis.

Evidence and impact

Our briefings and impact library includes summaries of our research findings as well as reports highlighting the impact of our cohort studies. You can search by study, topic and keyword.