my %hash_of_hashes;

while (<UNITFILES>) {
    my @unitfiles_field = split /,/;

    # this is just an autogen number
    my $record = $unitfiles_field[0];

    my %unitfiles_hash = ( 
         lastname         => $unitfiles_field[1],
         firstname        => $unitfiles_field[2],
         DOB              => $unitfiles_field[7],
         funding          => $unitfiles_field[18],
         URNo             => $unitfiles_field[15],
         Photo_permission => $unitfiles_field[14],
    );

    # add this hash to the hash-of-hashes:
    $hash_of_hashes{$record_no} = \%unitfiles_hash;
}