Since September 2020, PAMCo is using a methodology known as ‘online first’. 

The two-phase ‘online first’ was conducted as follows in 2023:

• The first stage used a postal methodology. Sampled addresses were mailed and up to two household members aged 15+ were invited to complete an online (or paper) self-completion questionnaire. There were three mailings in total, in order to maximise response, with the paper questionnaire sent to all non-responders in the third mailing.   
• This was followed by a field stage in which non-responsive households were visited in-person by Ipsos interviewers. Participants were invited to take part in an in-home CAPI interview and those who declined that option were invited to self-complete the survey online or on paper. The proportion of field interviews completed using CAPI in 2023 was 59% of the field stage or 30% of the total reporting sample (before clones added).
• A minimum of three calls was prescribed at the field stage for each potentially productive address, before attempts to interview could be abandoned. Interviewers were encouraged to make as many calls as possible, varying them by time of day. The in-person visits to non-responsive households are essential to obtain a representative sample.

To download the Technical Appendix 2023 click here