A survey on household consumption expenditures – the Household Budget Survey – has been conducted for more than 25 years. It is carried out in all European Union countries and thus allows to follow consumption expenditure trends and changes at both European and national level. Although the survey is only conducted once every five years, its results are widely used for national policy planning, making survey results highly valuable.
Read more about the survey on Eurostat website.
Participation in the survey is crucial to ensure that survey results reflect living conditions of the population accurately and objectively. The data are instrumental in shaping social policies, developing and improving social assistance programmes, supporting low-income families, designing measures to reduce poverty, and addressing other issues important to the society.
If the address was selected with a random sampling method, respondents receive a Central Statistical Bureau (CSB) letter inviting them to take part in the survey. The survey consists of two parts each having a separate questionnaire. The first questionnaire focuses on general economic situation of the household and the second one collects information about household consumption expenditures over a 14-day period.
CSB is required by the Statistics Law to ensure confidentiality of the information provided. The data acquired will only be published as summarised results.
Web interviewing
The recipients of a postal or e-mail invitation to the survey can access the online questionnaire at e.csp.gov.lv during the period specified in the letter. The addressee will need to log in the e-survey system using SmartID, e-signature, or e-identification card for the identity verification. If someone other than the addressee completes the questionnaire, he/she shall be fully responsible for the accuracy of the information provided.
Guidelines for respondents on how to complete the e-survey (available in Latvian only).
Personal interviewing
Upon arrival, the interviewer will present a CSB employee identification card with a photo.
Only one of the household members is asked to give all information about the whole household, therefore this person must be at least 16 years old and well-informed about all household finances, transactions and other affairs.
To verify the identity of your interviewer or to learn more about the survey:
- call the toll-free assistance number at +371 80008811 on weekdays from 10:00 to 18:00; or
- e-mail the CSB at mba@csp.gov.lv.
Data confidentiality
The applicable laws and regulations of the European Union and of the Republic of Latvia allow the CSB to collect and process personal data and mandate it to ensure the protection and confidentiality of the data received. The information acquired will only be published as a summarised data and used to analyse economic and social phenomena and processes.
Responsibility of the respondents, in accordance with Section 14 of the Statistics Law, is to support the production of official statistics by providing truthful information and participating in the survey.