Last edited 30 Dec 2022

Ethnicity

Ethnicity is a: ‘Classification according to respondents’ own perceived ethnic group.’

Ref English Housing Survey, Energy efficiency, 2018-19, Published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government in July 2020.

A guide to race and ethnicity terminology and language, published by The Law Society in December 2020, suggests ethnicity: ‘is broader than race and has usually been used to refer to long shared cultural experiences, religious practices, traditions, ancestry, language, dialect or national origins (for example, African-Caribbean, Indian, Irish). Ethnicity can be seen as a more positive identity than one forged from the shared negative experiences of racism. It's more commonly used and asked about within diversity questionnaires in the UK.’

See also: Race.

Housing statistics and English Housing Survey, glossary, published by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities in 2019, classifies people as White if they answer one of the following 4 options:

  1. English / Welsh / Scottish / Northern Irish / British
  2. Irish
  3. Gypsy or Irish Traveller
  4. Any Other White background

Otherwise, they are classified as being from an ethnic minority background.

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