This free online workshop will explore whether nonresponse follow-ups are still needed for web surveys of the UK general population.
The workshop, Are nonresponse follow-ups to web surveys of the UK general population still needed? Implications for data quality, will take place online on Tuesday, 7 July 2026, from 2pm to 4pm.
The event will feature research conducted as part of the Survey Futures Phase II project, Do we still need nonresponse follow-ups to web surveys of the UK general population? An analysis of cost-quality trade-offs. The workshop will present key results from the project and implications for survey practice on web nonresponse and follow-ups, with time for discussion.
Workshop summary
The last decade has seen some high-quality surveys adopting web as the primary mode for data collection, a trend that has been accelerated due to the pandemic. Rising fieldwork costs are one of the reasons for the widespread adoption of web mode. To counter lower response rates and maximise inclusiveness, web nonrespondents are often followed up in other mode(s).
There is, however, a risk that respondents answer the survey questions differently depending on the mode of completion. Also, using a combination of modes substantially increases the fixed costs of data collection. As internet access in the UK has expanded to cover almost the entire population, a critical question is whether it is now feasible to conduct web-only surveys of the general population, without follow-ups of nonrespondents, without compromising representativeness.
The workshop aims to bring together survey researchers and practitioners from the UK and internationally to discuss emerging evidence and practical lessons from web nonresponse and follow-ups in general population surveys. It will conclude with a focused discussion on the likely future developments of follow-ups of web nonrespondents.
The workshop is aimed at survey practitioners and researchers from across sectors and career stages engaged in survey design, and will provide practical recommendations informed by the research findings.
The project team includes Gabriele Durrant, Annette Jäckle, Pablo Cabrera-Alvarez, Jamie Moore, Jon Burton and Peter Smith, all from the University of Southampton and University of Essex, with project collaborators and partners representing four survey agencies: Andrew Phelps (ONS), Joel Williams (Verian), Tom Huskinson (Ipsos) and Peter Cornick (NatCen).
All are welcome to attend. Register for free on Eventbrite here.