Census 2021 data showing the percentages of adults participating in and absent from the labour market, with detail that is unavailable from other sources.
The economic activity status of an adult in the census summarises whether or not they were actively participating in the labour market in March 2021. Non-workers were classified as either unemployed or economically inactive depending on their responses to the census. Those who indicated that they were actively seeking work were defined as unemployed. All other non-workers were defined as economically inactive and were asked about the main reason for not working.
The census provides a snapshot of labour market data and more up to date headline statistics are available via the hub's employment and skills page. The added value if the census is that it provides detailed information that is unavailable from other sources. The charts of economic activity by single year of age on this page are a good example, as are the maps of economic activity for small areas.
Economic activity status by single year of age
Economic activity status by single year of age, North East, 2021
Source:Census 2021 - custom datasets, ONS Information about the data: The census took place on 21 March 2021.
Economic activity status describes whether or not a person was working or looking for work in the week before census. A person can be employed, unemployed (and actively seeking work) or economically inactive (and not actively seeking work).
Respondents on COVID-related furlough schemes at the time were instructed to classify themselves as employed in their census response but ONS research suggests that this advice was not always followed. This has resulted in the census output showing lower levels of employment than official labour market statistics.
Geography: North East LEP area
Source:Census 2021 - custom datasets, ONS. Information about the data: The census took place on 21 March 2021.
Economic activity status describes whether or not a person was working or looking for work in the week before census. A person can be employed, unemployed (and actively seeking work) or economically inactive (and not actively seeking work).
Respondents on COVID-related furlough schemes at the time were instructed to classify themselves as employed in their census response but ONS research suggests that this advice was not always followed. This has resulted in the census output showing lower levels of employment than official labour market statistics. Geography: North East LEP area
Source:Census 2021 - custom datasets, ONS Information about the data:
The census took place on 21 March 2021.
Economic activity status describes whether or not a person was working or looking for work in the week before census. A person can be employed, unemployed (and actively seeking work) or economically inactive (and not actively seeking work).
Respondents on COVID-related furlough schemes at the time were instructed to classify themselves as employed in their census response but ONS research suggests that this advice was not always followed. This has resulted in the census output showing lower levels of employment than official labour market statistics. Geography: North East LEP area
Source:Census 2021 - custom datasets, ONS Information about the data:
The census took place on 21 March 2021.
Economic activity status describes whether or not a person was working or looking for work in the week before census. A person can be employed, unemployed (and actively seeking work) or economically inactive (and not actively seeking work).
Respondents on COVID-related furlough schemes at the time were instructed to classify themselves as employed in their census response but ONS research suggests that this advice was not always followed. This has resulted in the census output showing lower levels of employment than official labour market statistics. Geography: North East LEP area
Source: Census 2021 - custom datasets, ONS Information about the data: The census took place on 21 March 2021.
Employment describes a person was working the week before census.
Respondents on COVID-related furlough schemes at the time were instructed to classify themselves as employed in their census response but ONS research suggests that this advice was not always followed. This has resulted in the census output showing lower levels of employment than official labour market statistics. Geography: North East LEP area
Source:Census 2021 - custom datasets, ONS Information about the data: The census took place on 21 March 2021.
Employment describes a person who was working during the week before census.
Respondents on COVID-related furlough schemes at the time were instructed to classify themselves as employed in their census response but ONS research suggests that this advice was not always followed. This has resulted in the census output showing lower levels of employment than official labour market statistics. Geography: North East LEP area
Source: Census 2021 - custom datasets, ONS Information about the data: The census took place on 21 March 2021.
Employment describes a person who was working the week before census.
Respondents on COVID-related furlough schemes at the time were instructed to classify themselves as employed in their census response but ONS research suggests that this advice was not always followed. This has resulted in the census output showing lower levels of employment than official labour market statistics. Geography: North East LEP area
Source:Census 2021 - custom datasets, ONS Information about the data:
The census took place on 21 March 2021.
Non-workers include unemployed people, who were actively seeking work at the time of the census, and economically inactive people, who were not.
Respondents on COVID-related furlough schemes at the time were instructed to classify themselves as employed in their census response but ONS research suggests that this advice was not always followed. This has resulted in the census output showing lower levels of employment than official labour market statistics.
The state pension age at the time of the census was 66 so this chart only includes non-workers aged 16 to 65. Some non-workers aged 66 and over specified that they were inactive due to reasons other than retirement. Geography: North East LEP area.
Source:Census 2021 - custom datasets, ONS Information about the data:
The census took place on 21 March 2021.
Non-workers include unemployed people, who were actively seeking work at the time of the survey, and economically inactive people, who were not.
Respondents on COVID-related furlough schemes at the time were instructed to classify themselves as employed in their census response but ONS research suggests that this advice was not always followed. This has resulted in the census output showing lower levels of employment than official labour market statistics.
The state pension age at the time of the census was 66 so this chart only includes non-workers aged 16 to 65. Some non-workers aged 66 and over specified that they were inactive due to reasons other than retirement. Geography: North East LEP area
Source:Census 2021 - custom datasets, ONS Information about the data:
The census took place on 21 March 2021.
Non-workers include unemployed people, who were actively seeking work at the time of the survey, and economically inactive people, who were not.
Respondents on COVID-related furlough schemes at the time were instructed to classify themselves as employed in their census response but ONS research suggests that this advice was not always followed. This has resulted in the census output showing lower levels of employment than official labour market statistics.
The state pension age at the time of the census was 66 so this chart only includes non-workers aged 16 to 65. Some non-workers aged 66 and over specified that they were inactive due to reasons other than retirement. Geography: North East LEP area
Source:Census 2021 - custom datasets, ONS Information about the data:
The census took place on 21 March 2021.
Economically inactive people are non-workers who were not actively seeking employment at the time of the census.
Respondents on COVID-related furlough schemes at the time were instructed to classify themselves as employed in their census response but ONS research suggests that this advice was not always followed. This has resulted in the census output showing lower levels of employment than official labour market statistics.
The state pension age at the time of the census was 66 so this chart only includes non-workers aged 16 to 65. Some non-workers aged 66 and over specified that they were inactive due to reasons other than retirement. Geography: North East LEP area
Source: Census 2021 - custom datasets, ONS Information about the data:
The census took place on 21 March 2021.
Economically inactive people are non-workers who were not actively seeking employment at the time of the census.
Respondents on COVID-related furlough schemes at the time were instructed to classify themselves as employed in their census response but ONS research suggests that this advice was not always followed. This has resulted in the census output showing lower levels of employment than official labour market statistics.
The state pension age at the time of the census was 66 so this chart only includes non-workers aged 16 to 65. Some non-workers aged 66 and over specified that they were inactive due to reasons other than retirement. Geography: North East LEP area
Source:Census 2021 - custom datasets, ONS Information about the data:
The census took place on 21 March 2021.
Economic activity status describes whether or not a person was working or looking for work in the week before census. A person can be employed, unemployed (and actively seeking work) or economically inactive (and not actively seeking work).
Respondents on COVID-related furlough schemes at the time were instructed to classify themselves as employed in their census response but ONS research suggests that this advice was not always followed. This has resulted in the census output showing lower levels of employment than official labour market statistics. Geography: North East LEP area, England excluding London
Source: Census 2021 - custom datasets, ONS Information about the data: The census took place on 21 March 2021.
Employment describes a person who was working the week before census.
Respondents on COVID-related furlough schemes at the time were instructed to classify themselves as employed in their census response but ONS research suggests that this advice was not always followed. This has resulted in the census output showing lower levels of employment than official labour market statistics. Geography: North East LEP area, England excl. London
Source:Census 2021 - custom datasets, ONS Information about the data:
The census took place on 21 March 2021.
Non-workers include unemployed people, who were actively seeking work at the time of the survey, and economically inactive people, who were not.
Respondents on COVID-related furlough schemes at the time were instructed to classify themselves as employed in their census response but ONS research suggests that this advice was not always followed. This has resulted in the census output showing lower levels of employment than official labour market statistics.
The state pension age at the time of the census was 66 but the ONS standard working age groups go up to and including 64. Some non-workers aged 66 and over specified that they were inactive due to reasons other than retirement. Geography: North East LEP area, England excluding London
The ONS interactive census map shown below is embedded in this and other Evidence Hub pages. It allows users to view geographical patterns in census datasets interactively.
We have set up the map to show the percentage of adults in each local authority area that was employed in 2021. However, the economic activity being mapped can be changed using the controls to the left of the map. In addition, the zoom function can be used to view patterns for small areas for each variable.
For more information about this mapping tool, visit the ONS website.
