ESDS

ESDS stands for Economic and Social Data Service. It was a United Kingdom–based data service funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and hosted by the University of Manchester. The service was established to provide access to social and economic data for researchers, students, and policymakers, with a focus on data preservation, documentation, and analysis support.

ESDS offered a broad range of holdings drawn from UK and international sources. Data included census and other official statistics, longitudinal studies, and international datasets. The service provided metadata and discovery tools to help users locate relevant datasets, and offered options for data download or secure remote access where permitted. In addition to data access, ESDS supplied guidance on licensing, data use, and methodological documentation, along with user support and training materials.

Access to ESDS typically required user registration and agreement to licensing terms. Some datasets or microdata were restricted and subject to additional permissions or approvals. The service aimed to facilitate reproducible research by providing well-documented data and clear usage guidelines, and it supported researchers in data management and analysis through its resources and help desk.

History and legacy: ESDS operated through the late 1990s and into the early 2010s as part of the UK's effort to improve access to social and economic data. In the early 2010s, ESDS assets and services were incorporated into the UK Data Service, which continues the mission of providing access to social and economic data for the research community.