Economic activity status of the Household Reference Person variable: Census 2021

Definition of economic activity status of the Household Reference Person, categories, and changes since the 2011 Census for use with research and analysis using Census 2021 data.

Last updated:
28 November 2023

Mnemonic: hrp_economic_activity
Applicability: Person
Type: Derived variable

Definition

People aged 16 years and over are economically active if, between 15 March and 21 March 2021, they were:

  • in employment (an employee or self-employed)
  • unemployed, but looking for work and could start within two weeks
  • unemployed, but waiting to start a job that had been offered and accepted

It is a measure of whether or not a person was an active participant in the labour market during this period. Economically inactive are those aged 16 years and over who did not have a job between 15 March to 21 March 2021 and had not looked for work between 22 February to 21 March 2021 or could not start work within two weeks.

The census definition differs from International Labour Organization definition used on the Labour Force Survey, so estimates are not directly comparable.

This classification splits out full-time students from those who are not full-time students when they are employed or unemployed. It is recommended to sum these together to look at all of those in employment or unemployed, or to use the four category labour market classification, if you want to look at all those with a particular labour market status.

Classification

Total number of categories: 10

Code Name
1 Household Reference Person: Economically active (excluding full-time students): In employment
2 Household Reference Person: Economically active (excluding full-time students): Unemployed: Seeking work or waiting to start a job already obtained: Available to start working within 2 weeks
3 Household Reference Person: Economically active and a full-time student: In employment
4 Household Reference Person: Economically active and a full-time student: Unemployed: Seeking work or waiting to start a job already obtained: Available to start working within 2 weeks
5 Household Reference Person: Economically inactive: Retired
6 Household Reference Person: Economically inactive: Student
7 Household Reference Person: Economically inactive: Looking after home or family
8 Household Reference Person: Economically inactive: Long-term sick or disabled
9 Household Reference Person: Economically inactive: Other
-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

Broadly comparable

We changed some of the wording on the Census 2021 questionnaire and removed some of the options that people could choose from.

What does broadly comparable mean?

A variable that is broadly comparable means that it can be generally compared with the same variable used in the 2011 Census. However, changes may have been made to the question or options that people could choose from or how write-in answers are classified.

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