Economic status
Housing statistics and English Housing Survey, glossary, published by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities in 2019, defines economic status as:
- working full-time/part-time: full-time work is defined as 30 or more hours per week. Part-time work is fewer than 30 hours per week. Where more than one answer is given, ‘working’ takes priority over other categories (with the exception that all those over State Pension age who regard themselves as retired are classified as such, regardless of what other answers they give).
- unemployed: this category covers people who were registered unemployed or not registered unemployed but seeking work.
- retired: this category includes all those over the State Pension age who reported being retired as well as some other activity.
- full-time education: education undertaken in pursuit of a course, where an average of more than 12 hours per week is spent during term time.
- other inactive: all others; they include people who were permanently sick or disabled, those looking after the family or home and any other activity.
NB On occasions, full-time education and other inactive are combined and described as other economically inactive.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- Skills shortage.
- Skills.
- Apprenticeships levy.
- BSRIA call for more vocational training.
- CIOB reacts to 2020 Winter Economy Plan.
- CIOB responds to skills strategy for Northern Ireland.
- Civil engineering soft and digital skills.
- Construction Industry Training Board CITB.
- Construction recruitment agency.
- Consultancy vs contingent labour.
- Diversity and inclusion in the construction industry.
- Diversity in the construction industry.
Featured articles and news
The future workforce: culture change and skill
Under the spotlight at UK Construction Week London.
A landmark moment for postmodern heritage.
A safe energy transition – ECA launches a new Charter
Practical policy actions to speed up low carbon adoption while maintaining installation safety and competency.
Frank Duffy: Researcher and Practitioner
Reflections on achievements and relevance to the wider research and practice communities.
The 2026 Compliance Landscape: Fire doors
Why 'Business as Usual' is a Liability.
Cutting construction carbon footprint by caring for soil
Is construction neglecting one of the planet’s most powerful carbon stores and one of our greatest natural climate allies.
ARCHITECTURE: How's it progressing?
Archiblogger posing questions of a historical and contextual nature.
The roofscape of Hampstead Garden Suburb
Residents, architects and roofers need to understand detailing.
Homes, landlords. tenants and the new housing standards
What will it all mean?
The Architectural Technology podcast: Where it's AT
Catch-up on the latest episodes.
Edmundson Apprentice of the Year award 2026
Entries now open for this Electrical Contractors' Association award.
Traditional blue-grey slate from one of the oldest and largest UK slate quarries down in Cornwall.
There are plenty of sources with the potential to be redeveloped.
Change of use legislation breaths new life into buildings
A run down on Class MA of the General Permitted Development Order.
Solar generation in the historic environment
Success requires understanding each site in detail.





















Comments
[edit] To make a comment about this article, click 'Add a comment' above. Separate your comments from any existing comments by inserting a horizontal line.