University of Bristol: UK longitudinal studies partnership awarded £6.4 million MRC/ESRC funding

The UK Longitudinal Linkage Collaboration (UK LLC) – a partnership between leading UK longitudinal studies, including Children of the 90s at Bristol – has been awarded £6.4 million of funding by the Medical Research Council and the Economic and Social Research Council.

UK LLC provides a data linkage resource to their partner studies and offers the research community a clear and efficient route to accessing linked longitudinal data. The award, which runs until the end of 2028, will allow UK LLC to cement its position as a unique research resource, enabling cross-sector working and supporting research responses to immediate situations and future policy needs.

Professor Nic Timpson, Principal Investigator at Children of the 90s, said: “We were delighted to learn of the support allocated to the Longitudinal Linkage Collaboration (LLC). The LLC is an important step forward in the world of longitudinal population studies, providing a safe and participant-facing approach to the challenge of bringing the UK’s amazing cohort studies, surveys and other resources together around secure access to data.

“The effort has been set up following a long process of learning in our studies and experience and following the step-changes made during the pandemic. The UK has a rich collection of research resources and volunteer led studies and the LLC offers a real chance to generate synergy between them. We wish everyone in the team all the best of luck and are glad to be part of the effort.”