About the consultation

The next sweep of data collection for the Millennium Cohort Study will take place in 2028-29 when participants are aged 27. The MCS Age 27 Sweep is a critical opportunity to capture data to support key research and policy questions for years to come. The sweep will gauge how young adults are navigating the labour market at a time of rapid social and technological change, marked by hybrid working, job automation and the impact of Artificial Intelligence. 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, in particular around traditional life milestones like family formation and home ownership, which will facilitate intergenerational comparisons in pathways to and through adulthood.

The MCS Age 27 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). In addition, cohort members will be asked to download a study app to support short, low-burden data collection between sweeps.

CLS is seeking input from the scientific, policy and practice communities on what information should be captured in the MCS Age 27 Sweep. Suggestions can include:

• topics, questions or scales for the cohort member or resident partner questionnaires
• ideas for between-sweep data collection through the study app
• proposals for innovative data collection methods including linkages and biomeasures.

Scientific themes

To guide contributions, we are structuring the consultation around four broad themes. The aim of these specified themes is to help structure discussions about what should be included in the survey. This list is not exhaustive and we welcome suggestions on any topic.

1. Families, relationships and housing

Living arrangements and household composition, romantic partnerships and relationship histories, family dynamics, parenting and children, caring responsibilities, and housing circumstances including neighbourhood and local area.

2. Labour market experiences, economic circumstances, education and training

Employment and labour market experiences, job quality and working conditions, unemployment, income and benefits, financial security and debts, future career plans and expectations, education and training, qualifications and skills.

3. Physical health, mental health and cognitive function

Physical health and long-term conditions, mental health, wellbeing and socioemotional functioning, reproductive and sexual health, health behaviours such as sleep, diet, exercise, smoking, vaping, alcohol and drug use, personality and other psychological measures, and cognitive assessments such as memory, attention and decision-making.

4. Identity, participation, values and aspirations

Identity, gender and sexuality, religion, ethnicity and language, social and political attitudes and values, civic and community participation, volunteering and activism, social and cultural activities, digital life and use of technology, experiences of crime and victimisation, and aspirations and expectations for the future.

Guide to topic coverage in the Millennium Cohort Study

To help stimulate your thinking on what is important to include in MCS at age 27, CLS has produced a guide to topics covered in MCS (PDF) at ages 17 and 23, as well as Next Steps at age 25 for a generational comparison. Please read the document before making an online submission or attending a consultation event.

Guide to topic coverage in MCS (PDF)

How to take part

The consultation is open to all. There are two ways to take part.

Please remember to read the guide to topic coverage in MCS (PDF) before contributing to the consultation.

1. Attend an open consultation event

CLS is hosting open consultation events (online and in-person)  during the first phase of the consultation. These sessions will provide an overview of the scope and scientific rationale for the Age 27 Sweep, and background to MCS and its longitudinal content. Delegates will participate in plenary and small group discussions throughout the session on scientific content of the sweep, and participate in a prioritisation exercise to support decision making.

MCS Age 27 Sweep: open consultation event (London, in-person)
Date and time: Wednesday, 22 April 2026, 10:30am to 3:30pm
Location: Friends House, London
Register for this event

MCS Age 27 Sweep: open consultation event (Edinburgh, in-person)
Date and time: Thursday, 30 April 2026, 12:00-4:00pm
Location: University of Edinburgh
Register for this event

MCS Age 27 Sweep: open consultation event (Cardiff, in-person)
Date and time: Thursday, 7 May 2026, 12:00-4:00pm
Location: Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff
Register for this event

MCS Age 27 Sweep: open consultation event (Belfast, in-person)
Date and time: Wednesday, 13 May 2026, 12:00-4:00pm
Location: Titanic Hotel, Belfast
Register for this event

MCS Age 27 Sweep: open consultation event (online)
Date and time: Thursday, 21 May 2026, 10:00am to 12:30pm
Location: Online (Microsoft Teams)
Register for this event

2. Submit your ideas online using the Qualtrics submission form

You will be asked to provide as much detail as possible about your suggestion, including relevant consultation theme, scientific rationale, research questions it could help answer, suggested measures, and any methodological considerations. The form allows you to submit up to 10 proposals at once, or you can make separate submissions.

Online submission form