Government Analysis Function > Guidance hub > Socio-economic background harmonised standard

Socio-economic background harmonised standard

Read the report about our findings from the development of the socio-economic background standard.

Policy details

Metadata item Details
Publication date:7 July 2023
Owner:Government Statistical Service (GSS) Harmonisation Team
Who this is for:Users and producers of statistics
Type:Harmonisation standards and guidance
Contact:Harmonisation@statistics.gov.uk

What we mean by harmonisation

Harmonisation is the process of making statistics and data more comparable, consistent, and coherent. Harmonised standards set out how to collect and report statistics to make sure they can be compared effectively across different data collections in the Government Statistical Service (GSS). Harmonisation produces more useful statistics that give users a greater level of understanding about a topic.

What we mean by socio-economic background

Definitions of socio-economic background can vary. For this standard, we have used the Social Mobility Commission’s definition:

“the term to refer to the particular set of social and economic circumstances that an individual has come from. It permits objective discussion of the influence of these circumstances on individuals’ educational and career trajectories; and it can be objectively measured by capturing information on parental occupation and level of education.”

We decided to use this definition as the Social Mobility Commission are experts in socio-economic background. They have produced an Industry Toolkit for employers to measure socio-economic background in their organisations, which is based on the 2018 Civil Service recommendations on measuring socio-economic background. By using this definition, we can further improve comparability, consistency and coherence for this topic.

Questions and response options (inputs)

The harmonised questions on this topic are designed to collect basic information. They can be used in most surveys. They are not designed to replace questions used in specialist surveys where more detailed analysis is needed.

There are eight questions recommended to measure socio-economic background:

  • School type
  • Free school meals
  • Employee, self-employed or not working
  • Number of employees (employed version)
  • Number of employees (self-employed version)
  • Supervisor status
  • Parental occupation
  • Parental qualification

Online self-completion questions

Question

Which type of secondary school did you attend for the most time between the ages of 11 and 16?

  1. A state-run or state-funded school
  2. A state-run or state-funded school that selected on the basis of academic ability, faith or other grounds
  3. Independent or fee-paying school
    For example, private schools
  4. Independent or fee-paying school, where I received a bursary covering 90% or more of my tuition
    For example, private schools
  5. Attended school outside the UK
  6. I don’t know
  7. Prefer not to say
Routing information

Go to the “Employee, self-employed, not working” question if the respondent selects:

  • “Independent or fee-paying school”
  • “Independent or fee-paying school, where I received a bursary covering 90% or more of my tuition”
  • “Attended school outside the UK”

If the respondent selects any other response option, go to the “Free school meals” question.

Question

If you finished school after 1980, were you eligible for free school meals at any time between the ages of 11 and 16?

  1. Yes
  2. No
  3. Not applicable
    Finished school before 1980, or went to school overseas
  4. I don’t know
  5. Prefer not to say
Routing information

After the respondent has given their answer go to the “Employee, self-employed, not working” question.

Question

When you were aged about 14, was the main or highest income earner in your household an employee, self-employed, or not working?

  1. Employee
  2. Self-employed with employees
  3. Self-employed or freelancer without employees
  4. They were not working
  5. Prefer not to say
Routing information

If the respondent answers “Employee”, go to the “Number of employees (employed version)” question.

If the respondent answers “Self-employed with employees”, go to the “Number of employees (self-employed version)” question.

If the respondent answers “Self-employed or freelancer without employees”, go to the “Parental occupation” question

If the respondent answers “They were not working” or “Prefer not to say”, go to the “Parental qualification” question.

Question

When you were aged about 14, how many people worked for the main or highest income earner’s employer?

Guidance: This question is asking about the total number of employees who worked at the branch or location where the job was mainly carried out.

  1. 1 to 24
  2. 25 or more
  3. I don’t know
  4. Prefer not to say
Routing information

After the respondent has given their answer, go to “Supervisor status” question.

Question

When you were aged about 14, how many people did the main or highest income earner employ?

  1. 1 to 24
  2. 25 or more
  3. I don’t know
  4. Prefer not to say
Routing information

If the respondent answers “25 or more”, go to the “Parental qualification” question.

If the respondent selects any other response option, go to the “Parental occupation” question.

Question

When you were aged about 14, did the main or highest income earner formally supervise any other employees?

Guidance: A supervisor is responsible for overseeing the work of other employees on a regular basis.

  1. Yes
  2. No
  3. I don’t know
  4. Prefer not to say
Routing information

After the respondent has given their answer, go to the “Parental occupation” question.

Question

When you were aged about 14, what was the occupation of the main or highest income earner?

  1. Professional occupations
    Such as teacher, nurse, physiotherapist, social worker, welfare officer, artist, musician, software designer, accountant, solicitor, medical practitioner, scientist, or engineering professions
  2. Managers, including senior, middle, or junior
    Such as finance manager, chief executive, office manager, retail manager, bank manager, restaurant manager, warehouse manager
  3. Clerical and intermediate occupations
    Such as secretary, personal assistant, clerical worker, office clerk, call centre agent, nursing auxiliary, or nursery nurse
  4. Routine, semi-routine manual or service occupations
    Such as postal worker, machine operative, security guard, caretaker, farm worker, catering assistant, sales assistant, HGV driver, cleaner, porter, packer, labourer, waiter/waitress, bar staff
  5. Technical and craft occupations
    Such as motor mechanic, plumber, printer, electrician, gardener, train driver
  6. I don’t know
  7. Prefer not to say
Routing information

After the respondent has given their answer, go to the “Parental qualification” question.

Question

When you were aged about 14, what was the highest level of qualification achieved by either of your parents or guardians?

  1. Degree level or degree equivalent or above
    For example, first or higher degrees, postgraduate diplomas, NVQ/SVQ level 4 or 5
  2. Qualifications below degree level
    For example, an A-Level, SCE Higher, GCSE, O-Level, SCE Standard/Ordinary, NVQ/SVQ, BTEC
  3. No qualifications
  4. I don’t know or cannot remember
  5. Prefer not to say
  6. Not applicable

End of socio-economic background questions.

 

Face-to-face interview questions

Question

Which type of secondary school did you attend for the most time between the ages of 11 and 16?

  1. A state-run or state-funded school
  2. A state-run or state-funded school that selected on the basis of academic ability, faith or other grounds
  3. Independent or fee-paying school
    For example, private schools
  4. Independent or fee-paying school, where I received a bursary covering 90% or more of my tuition
    For example, private schools
  5. Attended school outside the UK
  6. (Spontaneous) Don’t know
  7. (Spontaneous) Prefer not to say
Interviewer instructions and guidance

You should use a showcard because of the length of the question.

Allow the respondent time to answer, then prompt with responses if needed. This is known as “prompt as necessary”.

Routing information

Go to the “Employee, self-employed, not working” question if the respondent selects:

  • “Independent or fee-paying school”
  • “Independent or fee-paying school, where I received a bursary covering 90% or more of my tuition”
  • “Attended school outside the UK”

If the respondent selects any other response option, go to the “Free school meals” question.

Question

If you finished school after 1980, were you eligible for free school meals at any time between the ages of 11 and 16?

  1. Yes
  2. No
  3. (Spontaneous) Not applicable
  4. (Spontaneous) Don’t know
  5. (Spontaneous) Prefer not to say
Interviewer instructions and guidance

You should use the “not applicable” option for respondents who finish school before 1980 or if respondents went to school overseas for most of the time.

Allow the respondent time to answer, then prompt with responses if needed. This is known as “prompt as necessary”.

Routing information

After the respondent has given their answer, go to the “Employee, self-employed, not working” question.

Question

When you were aged about 14, was the main or highest income earner in your household an employee, self-employed, or not working?

  1. Employee
  2. Self-employed with employees
  3. Self-employed or freelancer without employees
  4. They were not working
Interviewer instructions and guidance

Allow the respondent time to answer, then prompt with responses if needed. This is known as “prompt as necessary”.

Routing information

If the respondent answers “Employee”, go to the “Number of employees (employed version)” question.

If the respondent answers “Self-employed with employees”, go to the “Number of employees (self-employed version)” question.

If the respondent answers “Self-employed or freelancer without employees”, go to the “Parental occupation” question.

If the respondent answers “They were not working”, go to the “Parental qualification” question.

Question

When you were aged about 14, how many people worked for the main or highest income earner’s employer?

  1. 1 to 24
  2. 25 or more
  3. (Spontaneous) Don’t know
  4. (Spontaneous) Prefer not to say
Interviewer instructions and guidance

This question is asking about the total number of employees who worked at the branch or location where the job was mainly carried out.

Allow the respondent time to answer, then prompt with responses if needed. This is known as “prompt as necessary”.

Routing information

After the respondent has given their answer, go to the “Supervisor status” question.

Question

When you were aged about 14, how many people did the main or highest income earner employ?

  1. 1 to 24
  2. 25 or more
  3. (Spontaneous) Don’t know
  4. (Spontaneous) Prefer not to say
Interviewer instructions and guidance

Allow the respondent time to answer, then prompt with responses if needed. This is known as “prompt as necessary”.

Routing information

If the respondent answers “25 or more”, go to the “Parental qualification” question.

If the respondent selects any other response option, go to the “Parental occupation” question.

Question

When you were aged about 14, did the main or highest income earner formally supervise any other employees?

  1. Yes
  2. No
  3. (Spontaneous) Don’t know
  4. (Spontaneous) Prefer not to say
Interviewer instructions and guidance

A supervisor is someone who is responsible for overseeing the work of other employees on a regular basis.

Allow the respondent time to answer, then prompt with responses if needed. This is known as “prompt as necessary”.

Routing information

After the respondent has given their answer, go to the “Parental occupation” question.

Question

When you were aged about 14, what was the occupation of the main or highest income earner?

  1. Professional occupations
    Such as teacher, nurse, physiotherapist, social worker, welfare officer, artist, musician, software designer, accountant, solicitor, medical practitioner, scientist, or engineering professions
  2. Managers, including senior, middle, or junior
    Such as finance manager, chief executive, office manager, retail manager, bank manager, restaurant manager, warehouse manager
  3. Clerical and intermediate occupations
    Such as secretary, personal assistant, clerical worker, office clerk, call centre agent, nursing auxiliary, or nursery nurse
  4. Routine manual, semi-routine manual or service occupations
    Such as postal worker, machine operative, security guard, caretaker, farm worker, catering assistant, sales assistant, HGV driver, cleaner, porter, packer, labourer, waiter/waitress, bar staff
  5. Technical and craft occupations
    Such as motor mechanic, plumber, printer, electrician, gardener, train driver
  6. (Spontaneous) Don’t know
  7. (Spontaneous) Prefer not to say
Interviewer instructions and guidance

You should use a showcard because of the length of the question.

Allow the respondent time to answer, then prompt with responses if needed. This is known as “prompt as necessary”.

Routing information

After the respondent has given their answer go to the “Parental qualification” question.

Question

When you were aged about 14, what was the highest level of qualification achieved by either of your parents or guardians?

  1. Degree level or degree equivalent or above
  2. Qualifications below degree level
  3. No qualifications
  4. (Spontaneous) Not applicable
  5. (Spontaneous) Don’t know
  6. (Spontaneous) Prefer not to say
Interviewer instructions and guidance

The “not applicable” option is available for respondents who may have grown up in care and did not grow up with parents or guardians.

You should pause after reading all response options to give the respondent time to answer. This is known as a “running prompt”.

End of socio-economic background questions.

 

Telephone interview questions

Question

Which type of secondary school did you attend for the most time between the ages of 11 and 16?

  1. A state-run or state-funded school
  2. A state-run or state-funded school that selected on the basis of academic ability, faith or other grounds
  3. Independent or fee-paying school
  4. Independent or fee-paying school, where I received a bursary covering 90% or more of my tuition
  5. Attended school outside the UK
  6. (Spontaneous) Don’t know
  7. (Spontaneous) Prefer not to say
Interviewer instructions and guidance

If needed, you can give the example of “private schools” for the response options that mention “independent schools”.

Allow the respondent time to answer, then prompt with responses if needed. This is known as “prompt as necessary”.

Routing information

Go to the “Employee, self-employed, not working” question if the respondent selects:

  • “Independent or fee-paying school”
  • “Independent or fee-paying school, where I received a bursary covering 90% or more of my tuition”
  • “Attended school outside the UK”

If the respondent selects any other response option, go to the “Free school meals” question.

Question

If you finished school after 1980, were you eligible for free school meals at any time between the ages of 11 and 16?

  1. Yes
  2. No
  3. (Spontaneous) Not applicable
  4. (Spontaneous) Don’t know
  5. (Spontaneous) Prefer not to say
Interviewer instructions and guidance

You should use the “not applicable” option for respondents who finish school before 1980 or if respondents went to school overseas for most of the time.

Allow the respondent time to answer, then prompt with responses if needed. This is known as “prompt as necessary”

Routing information

After the respondent has given their answer, go to the “Employee, self-employed, not working” question.

Question

When you were aged about 14, was the main or highest income earner in your household an employee, self-employed, or not working?

  1. Employee
  2. Self-employed with employees
  3. Self-employed or freelancer without employees
  4. They were not working
  5. (Spontaneous) Don’t know
  6. (Spontaneous) Prefer not to say
Interviewer instructions and guidance

Allow the respondent time to answer, then prompt with responses if needed. This is known as “prompt as necessary”.

Routing information

If the respondent answers “Employee”, go to the “Number of employees (employed version)” question.

If the respondent answers “Self-employed with employees”, go to the “Number of employees (self-employed version)” question.

If the respondent answers “Self-employed or freelancer without employees”, go to the “Parental occupation” question.

If the respondent answers “They were not working”, go to the “Parental qualification” question.

When you were aged about 14, how many people worked for the main or highest income earner’s employer?

  1. 1 to 24
  2. 25 or more
  3. (Spontaneous) Don’t know
  4. (Spontaneous) Prefer not to say
Interviewer instructions and guidance

This question is asking about the total number of employees who worked at the branch or location where the job was mainly carried out.

Allow the respondent time to answer, then prompt with responses if needed. This is known as “prompt as necessary”.

Routing information

After the respondent has given their answer, go to the “Supervisor status” question.

Question

When you were aged about 14, how many people did the main or highest income earner employ?

  1. 1 to 24
  2. 25 or more
  3. (Spontaneous) Don’t know
  4. (Spontaneous) Prefer not to say
Interviewer instructions and guidance

Allow the respondent time to answer, then prompt with responses if needed. This is known as “prompt as necessary”.

Routing information

If a respondent answers “25 or more”, go to the “Parental qualification” question.

If a respondent selects any other response option, go to the “Parental occupation” question.

Question

When you were aged about 14, did the main or highest income earner formally supervise any other employees?

  1. Yes
  2. No
  3. (Spontaneous) Don’t know
  4. (Spontaneous) Prefer not to say
Interviewer instructions and guidance

A supervisor is defined as someone who is responsible for overseeing the work of other employees on a regular basis.

Allow the respondent time to answer, then prompt with responses if needed. This is known as “prompt as necessary”.

Routing information

After the respondent has given their answer, go to the “Parental occupation” question.

Question

When you were aged about 14, what was the occupation of the main or highest income earner?

  1. Professional occupations
  2. Managers, including senior, middle, or junior
  3. Clerical and intermediate occupations
  4. Routine manual, semi-routine manual or service occupations
  5. Technical and craft occupations
  6. (Spontaneous) Don’t know
  7. (Spontaneous) Prefer not to say
Interviewer instructions and guidance

Allow the respondent time to answer, then prompt with responses if needed. This is known as “prompt as necessary”.

Potential guidance and examples for each response option are as follows:

  1. “Professional occupations” — this includes roles such as teacher, nurse, physiotherapist, social worker, welfare officer, artist, musician, software designer, accountant, solicitor, medical practitioner, scientist, or engineering professions
  2. “Managers, including senior, middle or junior” — this includes roles such as finance manager, chief executive, office manager, retail manager, bank manager, restaurant manager, or warehouse manager
  3. “Clerical and intermediate occupations” — this includes roles such as secretary, personal assistant, clerical worker, office clerk, call centre agent, nursing auxiliary, or nursery nurse
  4. “Routine manual, semi-routine manual or service occupations” — this includes roles such as postal worker, machine operative, security guard, caretaker, farm worker, catering assistant, sales assistant, HGV driver, cleaner, porter, packer, labourer, waiter, waitress, or bar staff
  5. “Technical and craft occupations” — this includes roles such as motor mechanic, plumber, printer, electrician, gardener, or train driver
Routing information

After the respondent has given their answer, go to the “Parental qualification” question.

Question

When you were aged about 14, what was the highest level of qualification achieved by either of your parents or guardians?

  1. Degree level or degree equivalent or above
  2. Qualifications below degree level
  3. No qualifications
  4. (Spontaneous) Not applicable
  5. (Spontaneous) Don’t know
  6. (Spontaneous) Prefer not to say
Interviewer instructions and guidance

Degree level qualifications include:

  • first or higher degrees
  • postgraduate diplomas
  • NVQ and SVQ levels 4 or 5

Below degree qualifications include:

  • A-Level
  • SCE Higher
  • GCSE
  • O-Level
  • SCE Standard/Ordinary
  • NVQ/SVQ
  • BTEC

The “not applicable” option is available for respondents who may have grown up in care and did not grow up with parents or guardians.

You should pause after reading all response options to give the respondent time to answer. This is known as a “running prompt”.

End of socio-economic background questions.

 

Using this standard

Guidance for data collection

Question placement

The questions in this standard have been used for diversity monitoring in the workforce. When they are used for this purpose, they have typically been placed with other questions that examine protected characteristics such as ethnicity and sexual orientation.

The Inclusive Data Taskforce Recommendations recognise that questions on socio-economic background have not readily been used on social surveys. We would recommend working with the Harmonisation Team when designing your social surveys to discuss the best placement for the questions. Please contact us at Harmonisation@statistics.gov.uk.

Types of data collection this standard is suitable for

This standard has been developed to be used in self-complete and interviewer-led modes, including telephone interviewing, face-to-face interviewing and online self-completion. We recommend that you use the guidance provided for specific data collection modes.

Using this question in the Welsh language

This harmonised standard was designed in the English language. At present we do not provide a Welsh language translation. This is because user demand for this standard is UK wide and Welsh language testing has not been completed to ensure a translation is comparable and appropriate.

Harmonised standards based on Census research have been tested in the Welsh language, which is why we can provide Welsh versions of them. If you are interested in using a Welsh language version of a harmonised standard that has not been translated, please contact us at Harmonisation@statistics.gov.uk.

Presenting and reporting the data

National Statistics Socio-economic Classification (NS-SEC)

This standard has been designed in two parts:

  • the first part includes employment based questions that concentrate on the classification of the main or highest income earner when the respondent was aged 14
  • the second part includes supplementary questions that add more information about the respondent’s socio-economic background

This standard has based its employment-based questions on NS-SEC self-coded method. The NS-SEC has been designed to capture socio-economic classification, but we have used the questions as a base and have designed our own versions of the questions to capture socio-economic background instead. This is the same approach that was used when socio-economic background questions were first reviewed in response to the Civil Service Recommendations in 2018.

The self-coded NS-SEC groups responses into 5 classes, based on 14 occupational categories. These 5 classes can be further aggregated up to 3 classes. You can find more information about deriving the NS-SEC self-coded method in the ONS’ Guidance on the NS-SEC, rebased on the Standard Occupational Classification 2020 (SOC2020).

Managerial, administrative, and professional occupations

This class is based on the following occupational categories from the NS-SEC:

  • Level 1. Employers in large establishments
  • Level 2. Higher managerial and administrative occupations
  • Level 3. Higher professional occupations
  • Level 4. Lower professional and higher technical occupations
  • Level 5. Lower managerial and administrative occupations
  • Level 6. Higher supervisory occupations

Intermediate occupations

This class is based on the “Level 7. Intermediate occupations” category from the NS-SEC.

Small employers and own account workers

This class is based on the following occupational categories from the NS-SEC:

  • Level 8. Employers in small establishments
  • Level 9. Own account workers

Lower supervisory and technical occupations

This class is based on the following occupational categories from the NS-SEC:

  • Level 10. Lower supervisory occupations
  • Level 11. Lower technical occupations

Semi-routine and routine occupations

This class is based on the following occupational categories from the NS-SEC:

  • Level 12. Semi-routine occupations
  • Level 13. Routine occupations

Never worked and long-term unemployed

This class is based on the “Level 14. Never worked and long-term unemployed” category from the NS-SEC.

Managerial, administrative, and professional occupations

This class is based on the following occupational categories from the NS-SEC:

  • Level 1. Employers in large establishments
  • Level 2. Higher managerial and administrative occupations
  • Level 3. Higher professional occupations
  • Level 4. Lower professional and higher technical occupations
  • Level 5. Lower managerial and administrative occupations
  • Level 6. Higher supervisory occupations

Intermediate occupations

This class is based on the following occupational categories from the NS-SEC:

  • Level 7. Intermediate occupations
  • Level 8. Employers in small establishments
  • Level 9. Own account workers

Routine and manual occupations

This class is based on the following occupational categories from the NS-SEC:

  • Level 10. Lower supervisory occupations
  • Level 11. Lower technical occupations
  • Level 12. Semi-routine occupations
  • Level 13. Routine occupations

Never worked and long-term unemployed

This class is based on the “Level 14. Never worked and long-term unemployed” category from the NS-SEC.

The other questions are not part of NS-SEC, but they are used to gather more information about the respondent’s socio-economic background, investigating:

  • the schools they went to
  • their eligibility for free school meals
  • the highest level of their parent’s education

Outputs

To output the data gathered from this question you should:

  • work out the sum of “A state-run or state-funded school” responses — this will give you the number of respondents who attended a non-selective state school
  • work out the sum of “A state-run or state-funded school that selected on the basis of academic ability, faith, or other grounds” responses — this will give you the number of respondents who attended a selective state school
  • work out the sum of “Independent or fee-paying schools” responses — this will give you the number of respondents who attended an independent or fee-paying school
  • work out the sum of “Independent or fee-paying schools where I received a bursary covering 90% or more of my tuition” responses — this will give you the number of respondents who attended an independent or fee-paying school with a bursary
  • work out the sum of “Attended school outside the UK” responses — this will give you the number of respondents who attended school outside of the UK
  • combine the “Don’t know” and “Prefer not to say” responses and output them in a separate category

To output the data gathered from this question you should:

  • work out the sum of “Yes” responses — this will give you the number of respondents who were eligible for free school meals
  • work out the sum of “No” responses — this will give you the number of respondents who were not eligible for free school meals
  • output “not applicable” responses in a separate category
  • combine the “don’t know” and “prefer not to say” responses and output them in a separate category

If you are using the 5-class system, you should:

  • work out the sum of “Managerial, administrative, and professional occupations” responses — this will give you the number of respondents whose main or highest income earner was in the managerial, administrative and professional occupations classification
  • work out the sum of “Intermediate occupations” responses — this will give you the number of respondents whose main or highest income earner was in the intermediate occupations classification
  • work out the sum of “Small employers and own account workers” responses — this will give you the number of respondents whose main or highest income earner was in the small employers and own account workers classification
  • work out the sum of “Lower supervisory and technical occupations” responses — this will give the number of respondents whose main or highest income earner was in the lower supervisory and technical occupations classification
  • work out the sum of “Semi-routine and routine occupations” responses — this will give the number of respondents whose main or highest income earner was in the semi-routine and routine occupations classification

If you are using the three-class system, you should:

  • work out the sum of “Managerial, administrative, and professional occupations” responses — this will give the number of respondents whose main or highest income earner was in the managerial, administrative and profession occupations classification
  • work out the sum of “Intermediate occupations” responses — this will give the number of respondents whose main or highest income earner was in the intermediate occupations classification
  • work out the sum of “Routine and manual occupations” responses — this will give the number of respondents whose main or highest income earner was in the routine and manual occupations classification

For either system you should:

  • output “They were not working” in a separate category
  • combine the “Don’t know” and “Prefer not to say” responses and output them in a separate category

To output the data gathered from this question you should:

  • work out the sum of “Degree level or degree equivalent or above” responses — this will give you the number of respondents whose parents achieved a qualification of degree level or above
  • work out the sum of “Qualifications below degree level” responses – this will give you the number of respondents whose parents achieved a qualification of below degree level
  • work out the sum of “No qualification” responses — this will give you the number of respondents whose parents did not achieve qualifications
  • output “Not applicable” in a separate category
  • combine the “Don’t know” and “Prefer not to say” responses in a separate category

Comparability

Outputs that use this standard are comparable with other surveys that also use this standard. We would not recommend comparing levels of socio-economic background from outputs that use this standard with other outputs that use a different measure.

The Social Mobility Commission uses a reduced set of questions in their cross-industry toolkit. They use an adapted version of the parental occupation question and do not ask:

  • whether the parent was employed or self-employed
  • the size of their organisation
  • whether the parent was a supervisor

This question set uses a 1-step coding process which can be found in their report, “Simplifying how employers measure socio-economic background“. The codes then feed into the three-class version of the NS-SEC, which allows comparability to this standard. But it is important to be aware that this 1-step coding method with an adapted version of the parental occupation question can be more inaccurate. This is because some parts of the question have been removed, which increases the likelihood of respondents being coded to an incorrect SEB group.

Examples of when this standard has been used

Because this is a new harmonised standard, these questions have not been used in surveys or wider yet. The Harmonisation Team will review how and where the questions are being used and the implementation of these questions in around 5 years’ time.

Please contact the Harmonisation Team at Harmonisation@statistics.gov.uk if you are planning to use this standard. We will use the information you share to help us with the review process.

Development of this standard

This standard was developed through a cross-government harmonisation project between 2022 and 2023. The development process involved consultation and topic groups with stakeholders including:

  • Office for National Statistics
  • Cabinet Office
  • Welsh Government
  • The Scottish Government
  • Department for Communities, Northern Ireland
  • Social Mobility Commission
  • Office for Students
  • Other government departments
  • Academics

The socio-economic background harmonisation research report gives details about:

  • the methodology we used when designing the questions
  • our research findings

Further information

Inclusive Data Taskforce and GSS Harmonisation Workplan

In October 2020, the National Statistician established the Inclusive Data Taskforce. It was designed to improve the UK’s inclusive data holdings in a broad range of areas. This includes the 9 protected characteristics of the Equality Act.

The Taskforce recommendations were published in September 2021 and they specifically referred to harmonisation. In response to the recommendations, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) oversaw the publication of an Implementation Plan in January 2022 on the UKSA website. The implementation plan gives information about the current and planned initiatives across the UK statistical system.

The implementation plan refers to a GSS Harmonisation workplan, which was published in February 2022. This was updated following the Harmonisation workplan update published in August 2024. The workplan includes reviewing, refining, and updating harmonised standards.

Administrative Data

This harmonised standard has been designed for survey data collection and outputs. At present, our harmonisation guidance on socio-economic background does not cover administrative data. However, if you have a user need for guidance in this area, please contact us by emailing Harmonisation@statistics.gov.uk.

Contact us

We are always interested in hearing from users so we can develop our work. If you use or produce statistics based on this topic, contact us by emailing Harmonisation@statistics.gov.uk.

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