Household Savings Survey

About the SURF
Dataset
Activities

SURF for Schools is a synthetic unit-record file (SURF) containing 300 records and 11 variables based on data from the 2001 Household Savings Survey (HSS).

These records are not about real people, but were generated using statistical techniques to have similar characteristics as respondents to the survey. This modification helps Statistics New Zealand prevent any unintentional disclosure of data about an individual’s personal information.

The data in the HSS SURF shows many of the same patterns as the original dataset, and analysis will give results that are close to the results from the original survey.

The SURF includes a dataset (in Excel format), information on how the dataset was constructed, and seven resources. The resources have been designed to give some ideas on how SURF for Schools can be used at different levels in the classroom, and cover the statistics strand from levels 3 to 8.

For senior levels, the focus is on activities to support the internal statistics achievement standards: AS90193, AS90288, and AS90645. For junior levels, the material covers activities suitable for both the old and the new statistics curricula. The resources include suggested answers.

About the Household Savings Survey

The 2001 HSS was a cross-sectional nationwide survey that collected information on the net worth (assets minus liabilities) of New Zealanders. It was a one-off survey commissioned by the Retirement Commission and conducted by Statistics New Zealand. The survey results provide factual information to feed into the public debate on superannuation, and raise public awareness of retirement issues. The survey results will also be used by the Government for the creation of policy, and by the Retirement Commission for education programmes.

The survey population for the HSS was the usually resident population of New Zealand, aged 18 years and over, living in permanent private dwellings on the North, South, and Waiheke Islands. The total achieved sample size for the HSS was 5,374 households. This sample was made up of a core sample (from 6,600 households that were approached) and an additional 6,600 households that were screened for Māori residents, to provide a Māori booster sample. In both cases all households were randomly selected. Interviewers approached a selected household and, using the computer, randomly selected one person per household to collect information about that person (and their partner if applicable) rather than about the household as a whole.

The overall response rate was 74 percent. For the core sample it was 73 percent while the response rate for the Māori booster sample was 82 percent.

This activity was first released in 2008.

Dataset

The Household Savings Survey Excel dataset is available here:

    List of variables for Household Savings Survey

Activities

Activities have been designed to give some ideas on how SURF for Schools can be used at different levels in the classroom, and cover the statistics strand from levels 3 to 8.

For senior levels, the focus is on activities to support the internal statistics achievement standards: AS90193, AS90288, and AS90645. For junior levels, the material covers activities suitable for both the old and the new statistics curricula. The resources include suggested answers.