3. The Survey

This survey will involve 1000 interviews with resident households. The first wave of the survey will be conducted in autumn 2010. The intention is to repeat it every three years. In practice the survey will be conducted by CEPS/Instead, a public research centre specialised in socioeconomic research.

•  Sampling  

Participating households have been selected randomly, according to a statistical procedure designed to provide a representative sample of all households in Luxembourg. The size of the sample (1000 households) ensures representativeness at the national level. 

• Themes covered by the survey

The survey contains two kind of questions: some treat all household members as a single entity, and others are addressed separately to individual members of the household. Those concerning the household as a whole consider the themes: real estate assets and their financing, other debts and credit constraints, private businesses and financial assets, intergenerational transfers (i.e. inheritances and gifts), consumption and saving. Questions concerning household members individually cover the themes: demographics, employment, pensions and insurance policies and income.

• Interview  

The household will choose the exact date of the interview. The interview lasts approximately one hour. Since most of the interview is on the household as a whole, it is recommended that the person best informed on the financial situation of the household answer these questions.  Other questions will be addressed to every person older than 16, so every member of the household is encouraged to participate. The interview will be conducted using a laptop computer to save your answers more rapidly and accurately.

• CEPS/INSTEAD

 The Centre d’Etudes de Populations, de Pauvreté et de Politiques Socio-Economiques/International Network for Studies in Technology, Environment, Alternatives, Development (CEPS/INSTEAD) is a public research institute specialised in socioeconomic research. This centre combines researchers in different human sciences under the common goal to develop, produce and analyse statistical sources.

In the context of this study, CEPS/INSTEAD will conduct the survey.  Given its professionalism and that of its interviewers, specially trained for this survey and under oath, absolute confidentiality is guaranteed.