Age 23 Survey

The Age 23 Survey took place between 1981 and 1982. This was the first survey which did not involve your parents. Just under 13,000 of you took part.

What we asked

when-you-were-23-mothersIn a 90 minute interview you were asked about all the jobs, apprenticeships, training and any other education you had done since you were 16, your family life, who you lived with and where you lived, whether you were married, whether you had children, your physical and mental health, smoking and drinking, religion, leisure activities and voting.

When you were 23…

  • Just under half of you were married and over 4 in 5 of those who were not married said that you wanted to get married in the future.
  • Just less than 1 in 5 men had become parents. When asked how many children you would like to have in total the most common answer was 2.
  • Over 8 in 10 men and 6 in 10 women had a job.
  • Almost 9 in 10 read a newspaper with the most common papers read by far being the Sun and the Mirror.
  • Almost 6 in 10 were (or had previously been) members of a trade union or staff association.

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