Variables

Standard definitions for each variable used in the census submission to Eurostat are available in the Eurostat Quality Report. Additional information on how UK census data were matched to Eurostat specifications is available below.

Information on the presence of bathing facilities was not collected in the 2011 Census. As this was almost universal in 2001, all conventional dwellings have been reported as containing a fixed bath or shower in the 2011 data.

For persons enumerated in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, citizenship is assigned primarily using passports held, using country of birth in addition when necessary. In Northern Ireland, stated national identity is also used to distinguish between UK and Irish citizenship for those holding both a UK and an Ireland passport.

The census in Scotland did not collect information on passports held, so citizenship values are derived primarily using country of birth.

All persons aged under 16 years are included in the category “persons below the national minimum age for economic activity”.

• Conventional dwellings which are “detached” are counted as being in a one-dwelling building.

• Conventional dwellings which are “semi-detached” are counted as being in a two-dwelling building.

• Conventional dwellings that are “terraced” or in a residential flat, maisonette or apartment are counted as being in a three or more dwelling building.

A number of the education categories were not applicable to the educational system within the UK or were not collected on the census questionnaire. This includes no values being returned for categories ED1 (Primary education), as all respondents were considered to have a minimum of Lower secondary education, and very few qualifications corresponded with the ED4 category (Post-secondary, non-tertiary education).

For the category ED6 (second stage of tertiary education), survey data were used to attribute the appropriate proportion of individuals from category ED5 (first stage of tertiary education) to ED6.

A “not applicable” (NAP) code for the Educational Attainment variable is returned when the individual is aged under 16.

At the time of the census, same-sex marriages and opposite-sex registered (civil) partnerships were not applicable within the UK.

The “not applicable” category includes all persons residing in collective living quarters, as well as those in private households not living in a family nucleus.

Persons sleeping rough are those that are identified as “absolutely homeless”, that is: people sleeping, or bedded down, in the open air (such as on the streets, or in doorways, parks or bus shelters), and people in buildings or other places not designed for habitation. A small number of census results identify communal establishments with persons sleeping rough present. Such data are flagged as unreliable due to the transient and hard-to-count nature of this population.

At the time of the census, same-sex marriages and opposite-sex registered (civil) partnerships were not applicable within the UK.

Persons sleeping rough are those that are identified as “absolutely homeless”, that is: people sleeping, or bedded down, in the open air (such as on the streets, or in doorways, parks or bus shelters), and people in buildings or other places not designed for habitation. A small number of census results identify communal establishments with persons sleeping rough present. Such data are flagged as unreliable due to the transient and hard-to-count nature of this population.

A “not applicable” code for the industry variable is returned when the individual is (a) aged under 16, (b) unemployed and never previously worked or (c) not economically active.

For consistency with published outputs, people with a marital status of married or a same-sex registered (civil) partnership (including those currently separated) are included in the “married” category. Those who were either divorced or in a dissolved same-sex registered (civil) partnership are included in the “divorced” category. Those who were either widowed or surviving partner from a same-sex civil partnership are included in the “widowed” category.

Location of place of work reports on the place of work for England and Wales and on the place of work or study for Northern Ireland and Scotland.

A “not applicable” code for the occupation variable is returned when the individual is (a) aged under 16, (b) unemployed and never previously worked or (c) not economically active.

Information on the period of construction was not collected in the census. As a result, these data were derived from survey data in England, Wales and Scotland.

In Northern Ireland these data were derived from administrative data managed by Land and Property Services.

For place of usual residence one year ago, a “not applicable” code is returned when the individual is aged less than 12 months old.

For the status in employment variable, a “not applicable” code is returned when the individual is (a) under 16, (b) unemployed and never previously worked or (c) not economically active.

The census did not collect information on contributing family workers or members of producers’ co-operatives, hence no persons are assigned to the “Others” category or its subcategories.

Information on the presence of toilet facilities was not collected in the 2011 Census. As this was almost universal in 2001, all conventional dwellings have been reported as containing a flushing toilet in the 2011 data.

At the time of the census, same-sex marriages and opposite-sex registered (civil) partnerships were not applicable within the UK

No families are defined for those in collective living quarters.

Information to identify housing co-operatives was not collected by the census since the numbers are negligible in comparison to other types of ownership. Therefore no dwellings are classified as “dwellings in cooperative ownership”.

At the time of the census, same-sex marriages and opposite-sex registered (civil) partnerships were not applicable within the UK.

Information on the water supply system was not collected in the census therefore all conventional dwellings have been reported as containing piped water.

In England, Wales and Scotland, the census collected the year of arrival into the UK for persons not born in the UK. People enumerated in England, Wales and Scotland, and who were born in the UK but who have resided outside the UK for twelve months or more have been classified within the ”never resided abroad” category.

The census in Northern Ireland collected the year of arrival for anyone who had lived outside Northern Ireland for a continuous period of one year or more.

In England, Wales and Scotland, the census collected the year of arrival into the UK for persons not born in the UK. People enumerated in England, Wales and Scotland, and who were born in the UK but who have resided outside the UK for twelve months or more have been classified within the “never resided abroad” category.

The census in Northern Ireland collected the year of arrival for anyone who had lived outside Northern Ireland for a continuous period of one year or more.