Mnemonic: hrp_ns_sec
Applicability: Person
Type: Derived variable
Definition
The National Statistics Socio-economic Classification (NS-SEC) indicates a person's socio-economic position based on their occupation and other job characteristics.
It is an Office for National Statistics standard classification. NS-SEC categories are assigned based on a person's occupation, whether employed, self-employed, or supervising other employees.
Full-time students are recorded in the "full-time students" category regardless of whether they are economically active.
Classification
Total number of categories: 10
| Code | Name |
|---|---|
| 1 | Household Reference Person: L1, L2 and L3: Higher managerial, administrative and professional occupations |
| 2 | Household Reference Person: L4, L5 and L6: Lower managerial, administrative and professional occupations |
| 3 | Household Reference Person: L7: Intermediate occupations |
| 4 | Household Reference Person: L8 and L9: Small employers and own account workers |
| 5 | Household Reference Person: L10 and L11: Lower supervisory and technical occupations |
| 6 | Household Reference Person: L12: Semi-routine occupations |
| 7 | Household Reference Person: L13: Routine occupations |
| 8 | Household Reference Person: L14.1 and L14.2: Never worked and long-term unemployed |
| 9 | Household Reference Person: L15: Full-time students |
| -8 | Does not apply* |
*People not living in households.
Background
Read about how we developed and tested the questions for Census 2021.
Comparability with the 2011 Census
Not comparable
This variable is derived from the occupation variable. It cannot be compared with the one from the 2011 Census because the classifications in the occupation variable have changed.
What does not comparable mean?
A variable that is not comparable means that it cannot be compared with a variable from the 2011 Census.
England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland comparisons
Find out more about variables produced for Census 2021 in Northern Ireland and Census 2022 in Scotland.
Census 2021 data that uses this variable
- Household migration by National Statistics Socioeconomic status (NS-SEC) of Household Reference Person (HRP) (country inflow)
- Household migration by National Statistics Socioeconomic status (NS-SEC) of Household Reference Person (HRP) (country outflow)
- Household migration by National Statistics Socioeconomic status (NS-SEC) of Household Reference Person (HRP) (lower tier local authority inflow)
- Household migration by National Statistics Socioeconomic status (NS-SEC) of Household Reference Person (HRP) (lower tier local authority outflow)
- Household migration by National Statistics Socioeconomic status (NS-SEC) of Household Reference Person (HRP) (Middle layer Super Output Area inflow)
- Household migration by National Statistics Socioeconomic status (NS-SEC) of Household Reference Person (HRP) (Middle layer Super Output Area outflow)
- Household migration by National Statistics Socioeconomic status (NS-SEC) of Household Reference Person (HRP) (national inflow)
- Household migration by National Statistics Socioeconomic status (NS-SEC) of Household Reference Person (HRP) (region inflow)
- Household migration by National Statistics Socioeconomic status (NS-SEC) of Household Reference Person (HRP) (region outflow)
- Household migration by National Statistics Socioeconomic status (NS-SEC) of Household Reference Person (HRP) (upper tier local authority inflow)
- Household migration by National Statistics Socioeconomic status (NS-SEC) of Household Reference Person (HRP) (upper tier local authority outflow)