Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung

Cross-sectional survey 'Life Situation and Social Security 2005 (LSS 2005)'

Data source:

The Cross-Sectional Survey "Life Situation and Social Security 2005" (LSS 2005) was carried out by the Institute for Applied Social Sciences (infas) commissioned by the Institute for Employment Research (IAB) between November 2005 and March 2006. 20,832 persons affected by the German "Hartz IV” reform were interviewed including:

1. recipients of unemployment or social assistance of employable age (15-64) who were registered as unemployed or job seekers in December 2004 (partial sample 1) and
2. employable persons in need of assistance aged 15-64 who were registered as unemployed or as job seekers in January 2005 and who were recipients of Unemployment Benefit II (ALG II) according to the German Social Code Book II (partial sample 2).

For reasons of data availability on the date of drawing (January 2005), an initial partial sample was drawn on the basis of the data then available: data from those employment agencies that co-operate with local authorities (ARGE). The second partial sample was drawn slightly later when data from the remaining municipalities has become available.

As the IAB cross-sectional survey is in fact targeted at employable persons in need of assistance aged 15 to 64, underage persons are also included in the survey population. For this target group, which requires special treatment, the questionnaire was specifically adapted.

Contents:

The specific characteristic of the LSS is that it represents a unique dataset which allows for drawing up analyses of the referenced target groups directly after the amalgamation of unemployment and social assistance alongside the introduction of the German Social Code Book II.

In addition to the cross-sectional dataset, the survey provides for a retrospective longitudinal section.

For details on the dataset, please refer to the outline. The questionnaires and the FDZ Datenreport can be find under working tools.

The LSS 2005 was also prepared as a scientific use file for external researchers and is available via the FDZ. For further information, please see the pages on data access.