Understanding the immense changes in patterns of social, individual and community life continues to be one of the
major roles and challenges for social science research.
People's lives and how they unfold over the lifecourse in relation to education, employment, leisure, consumption and health are a topic of major national interest.
Demographic changes such as an increasing proportion of older people in the population (and a reducing retirement age) raise issues not only concerning social policy and employment, but also about participation, independence, and trust and responsibility between generations.
People's mental and physical health and their experience of health services are intimately related to social and lifestyle factors, and to expectations and aspirations.
Social science research in this theme includes longitudinal surveys which provide a national resource to users in public policy as well as industry, and to academics engaged in social analysis. The continued development of such methods and the capacity in social science for research in this area is central to this theme.