Published on: Jan 21, 2026
On Wednesday 3 December 2025, the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) hosted its Latest Data Release and Data User Event, bringing together researchers, data users, and collaborators for a half-day online programme focused on new data releases, methodological guidance, and future research opportunities.
The event reflected ELSA’s commitment to high-quality longitudinal data and active engagement with its user community, supporting both substantive research and robust methodological approaches, informing policy and practice in ageing.
Welcome and overview
The event opened with a welcome from Professor Andrew Steptoe (UCL), Director of ELSA, who set the scene by highlighting the continued importance of ELSA as a national and international resource for understanding ageing, health, and wellbeing.
Session 1: Wave 11 data update
The first session focused on the Wave 11 data release, chaired by Professor Paola Zaninotto (UCL), ELSA Deputy Director, who provided an overview of the scope and content of the latest wave.
Wave 11 includes over 7000 interviews, alongside a self-completion component and health visits, with fieldwork conducted between October 2023 and October 2024. Continuity with previous waves has been carefully maintained, while selected modules were updated to reflect emerging research priorities.
New content introduced in Wave 11 includes questions on vaccination, out-of-pocket expenditure (including healthcare, transport, and fuel), and changes in travel behaviour in response to rising costs. The self-completion questionnaire also includes new items on climate change attitudes and beliefs, and indoor air pollution, opening important new avenues for research on environmental perceptions and behaviour in later life.
The health visit component remains a major strength of ELSA, with detailed measures of physical functioning (including walking speed, grip strength, balance, chair rises and leg raises), biomarkers from blood and hair samples, blood pressure, and lung function. These data continue to support research linking social and behavioural factors with biological ageing processes.
End of life questionnaire
Dr Clément Meier (University of Lausanne) presented updates on the end of life questionnaire, outlining how information collected from family members or carers provides essential insights into circumstances surrounding death, care, and wellbeing at the end of life.
Life History module Dr Darina Peycheva (UCL) introduced the Wave 11 Life History module, which extends ELSA’s life-course perspective by collecting detailed retrospective data on childhood, education, work, health, relationships, and care provision. New content includes measures of early educational experiences, positive and adverse childhood experiences, social support in childhood, and unpaid care provision, with particular relevance for research on dementia, inequalities, and long-term health trajectories.
Future plans The session concluded with Dr Dharmi Kapadia (University of Manchester) outlining future plans for ELSA, including Waves 12 and 13. Planned developments include refreshed samples including minority ethnic groups, to enhance representation, web-first data collection methods, new modules on climate change attitudes and behaviours, indoor air pollution, and expanded content relevant to the lives of people from ethnic minority backgrounds.
Session 2: Using ELSA data
The second session shifted focus to practical guidance for data users, beginning with a data user perspective from Dr Giorgio Di Gessa (UCL).
Lina Lloyd (NatCen Social Research) and Domenico Rivera (UK Data Service) then provided an overview of the types of ELSA data available and how to access them through the UK Data Service, highlighting licensing arrangements and support for users. Methodological sessions followed on weighting, presented by Dr Shaun Scholes (UCL), and derived variables, presented by Zoe Oldfield (Institute for Fiscal Studies). These talks offered practical advice on best practice when working with ELSA data, particularly for longitudinal and comparative analyses.
The session concluded with a Q&A panel, bringing together speakers from UCL, the University of Manchester, NatCen, and the Institute for Fiscal Studies, and providing an opportunity for users to raise questions about data access, design, and analysis.
Session 3: Gateway to Global Aging Data
The final session of the day was delivered by Dr Drystan Phillips (University of Southern California), who introduced the Gateway to Global Aging Data. This session demonstrated how ELSA fits within a wider international family of ageing studies, enabling harmonised, cross-national research and facilitating comparative analyses across countries and contexts.
Looking ahead
The 2025 Data User Event highlighted the breadth, depth, and continued evolution of ELSA, from rich new Wave 11 content to enhanced life-course data and growing opportunities for international comparison. Above all, the event underscored the central role of ELSA participants, whose long-term commitment makes this research possible.
We look forward to seeing how researchers and policymakers use these data to generate new insights and practice on ageing, health, and wellbeing, and to continuing our dialogue with the ELSA data user community.