| Sweep status | In consultation |
|---|---|
| Dates | 2028-29 |
| Age | 27 |
| Respondents | Cohort members, co-resident partners (where applicable) |
| Survey mode | Online and face-to-face |
| Data access | Data are expected to be available from the UK Data Service in 2030 |
| Description |
The next sweep of data collection for the Millennium Cohort Study will take place in 2028-29 when participants are aged 27. This is a critical opportunity to capture data to support key research and policy questions for years to come.
We are currently seeking input on the draft questionnaire. Please review the draft questionnaire and send your thoughts and recommendations via email: clsconsultations@ucl.ac.uk by Sunday, 22 November 2026.
The Age 27 Sweep will gauge how young adults are navigating the labour market at a time of rapid social and technological change.
Information captured on mental and physical health will determine whether this generation continues to face higher risk of mental illness and obesity, at the same time providing a foundation for future studies of healthy ageing.
The sweep will also capture how life journeys are diverging for different groups, particularly around traditional life milestones like family formation and home ownership, which will facilitate intergenerational comparisons in pathways to and through adulthood.
The sweep will consist of a core survey with cohort members (60 minutes online or 75 minutes face-to-face) as well as a 20-minute questionnaire for resident partners (where applicable).
The proposed content will be reviewed in light of feedback received during the next round of consultation. The current draft questionnaire is based on provisional timing estimates. It may be necessary to reduce the content to ensure the survey can be completed within the intended average time.
We’ve been gathering input from the scientific, policy and practice communities on what information to capture in the Age 27 Sweep. Researchers, policymakers and other stakeholders shared their ideas with us at series of in-person events, at an online event, and also in writing, earlier this year.
We are very grateful for all the many valuable suggestions we received. Our consultation report gives a summary of all the feedback and explains how we have incorporated this in the design of the Age 27 Sweep questionnaire.
We are now inviting comment on the draft of the questionnaire. Please review the content and send thoughts and recommendations via email to: clsconsultations@ucl.ac.uk by Sunday, 22 November 2026. Please note, at this stage we are looking for comments on the decisions we have taken and will not be able to consider new proposals.
| 13 March 2026 | Consultation opens |
|---|---|
| 22 April - 21 May | Consultation events (London, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Belfast, online) |
| 1 June | Deadline for online submissions |
| 28 October | Response to submissions and draft questionnaire published |
| 22 November | Deadline for comments on draft questionnaire |
| 29 January 2027 | Final questionnaire published |
Darina Peycheva
MCS Survey Manager
Email: d.peycheva@ucl.ac.uk
