Relevance & Research Question: We live in a digital age with high level of use of technologies. Surveys have also started adopting technologies including mobile devices for data collection. There is a move towards online data collection in the UK, including the plan to collect 75% of household responses through the online mode of data collection in the UK 2021 Census. However, evidence is needed to demonstrate that the online data collection strategy will work in the UK and to understand how to make it work effectively. No research has been conducted so far in the UK to address respondent’s online choice of device or behaviour in mixed-device online surveys. This project is very timely and will fill this gap in knowledge.

Methods & Data: This analysis uses all publically available UK social surveys which had an online component (Understanding Society Innovation Panel, Community Life Survey, European Social Survey, 1958 National Child Development Survey, Second Longitudinal Stud of Young People in England). Descriptive analysis and multinomial logistic regressions (where possible) are used to study significant correlates of different device use in mixed-device online surveys.

Results: Distributions of different device use by demographic and socio-economic characteristics as well as significant correlates of device use will be presented. Comparisons to other countries (Netherlands, Germany, Spain and the US) will be drawn.

Added Value: The originality of the analysis lies in addressing the underresearched area of different device use including mobile device use in mixed-device online surveys in the UK. The findings from this analysis will be instrumental to better understanding the trends in device use and response behaviour in mixed-device online surveys in the UK more generally and, specifically, in informing best practice for the next UK Census 2021.The knowledge about characteristics of respondents who choose to use different devices in online surveys in the UK can help target certain groups more effectively. It also can help improving the design of the surveys and response rates as well as reducing survey costs and efforts. This analysis lays foundations for future analysis of data quality issues in mixed-device online surveys in the UK.