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.
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