Claus Moser was born in Berlin and came to England with his family in 1936. After school at Frensham Heights in Surrey he went to LSE to study statistics, and then from 1943-46 served in the R.A.F.

Much of his professional life has been spent in the academic world. From 1946-67 he was on the staff of LSE, for many years as Professor of Social Statistics. His main work related to social survey methodology and applying statistical methods to social issues.

After a period as Head of Government Statistics ( 1967-78 ) and as Deputy Chairman of N.M.Rothschild (1978-84), he returned to the academic life as Warden of Wadham College, Oxford (1984-93). He was also Chancellor of Keele university and of the Open University of Israel. He has been on a number of Government and other public Committees, notably as Statistical Adviser to the Robbins Committee on Higher Education and on the more recent National Commission on Education. While Chairman of the Basic Skills Agency, he produced a report on literacy and numeracy. He is a Trustee of the Rayne Foundation and Adviser to the Paul Hamlyn Foundation. Earlier he was President of the Royal Statistical Society and also of the British Association for Science.

Much of Lord Moser's life has been devoted to the arts, both as an enthusiastic pianist as well as in involvements with major organisations such as the Royal Opera House where he was Chairman for a number of years. In recent years, he has been at the British Museum, on the Board of Trustees and as Chairman of its Development Trust.

Lord Moser is an advisor to the Mapping Needs Project.