The ESRC review of UK government social classifications

Abstract

The UK has two official socio-economic classifications (SECs), Social Class based on Occupations (SC) and Socio-economic Groups (SEG). Each is based on different principles and conceptions and there is no straightforward mapping between them (see [61]). Given this fact, and given also that the two schemes have remained largely unaltered for decades while society itself has changed rapidly, the Census Division of the former UK Office of Population Censuses and Surveys (OPCS, but now Office for National Statistics, ONS) requested the UK Economic and Social Research Council to undertake a zero-based review of SC and SEG. Were official SECs still necessary? If so, might it be that two occupationally-based SECs could be one too many? And could anything be done to counter the fact that occupationally-based classifications ignore the 40% of the population who are not in paid employment? This paper summarises the key conclusions of the Review to date. Part I relates the history and characteristics of Social Class based on Occupations and, more briefly, of Socio-economic Groups. Part 2 outlines the principal conclusions and recommendations of the Review to date. Parts 3 and 4 discuss the conceptual basis of a proposed revision to the current SECs and Part 5 indicates a range of other concerns relevant to the revision of social classifications.