Publication of EU Referendum survey using new approach to undertaking polls and survey research

13 June 2016

On Tuesday 21st June NatCen Social Research will publish the results of a new opinion survey about the European Union, including an indication of how people intend to vote in the EU Referendum on June 23rd.

When: 00.01 Tuesday 21st June 2016

What: Publication of EU Referendum survey

Spokespeople: Prof John Curtice, Senior Research Fellow, NatCen and Kirby Swales, Director of NatCen’s Survey Research Centre.

The results come from a new panel survey run by NatCen based on people who responded to the 2015 British Social Attitudes survey (BSA) and using the methodology recommended by the inquiry into the 2015 General Election Polls carried out by Professor Patrick Sturgis.

This is the first time that a mixed mode (online and telephone) panel based on people selected at random has been established in Britain. The results should thus be treated as experimental. However, the panel has been designed to maximise methodological rigour and has three distinctive features that sets it apart:

Respondents to the 2015 British Social Attitudes survey – and thus the members of this panel – were originally selected for interview at random. Unlike most internet polls, they are not drawn from a panel of people who have ‘volunteered’ to take part.

Those who failed to respond to the survey over the internet have, where possible, been followed up by telephone.

The survey has been conducted over an extended period of 4 weeks and has made multiple attempts to reach hard to contact panel members.

A press release and report will be made available to media in advance.

For advance copies or for more information contact Leigh Marshall: leigh.marshall@natcen.ac.uk 0207 549 8506/07828031850 or Sophie Brown: Sophie.brown@natcen.ac.uk 0207 549 9550

ENDS