Reference: FOI-2024-1876
You asked
I would like to understand the ethnic breakdown of the recently released Adult Inactivity figures please.
I would also like the same information for the previous 5 yrs.
We said
Thank you for your query regarding an ethnicity breakdown of adult economic inactivity.
We produce statistics relating to the labour market status of individuals from the Labour Force Survey (LFS), a survey based on interviews with people resident in households throughout the UK. In addition to labour market status, we also collect information on ethnicity.
Each quarter we publish these statistics in our table A09: Labour market status by ethnic group. This output includes a table for economic inactivity by ethnic group, along with separate tables broken down by sex. All tables include a timeseries. The latest statistics, for October to December 2023, were published in February, with the next update for January to March 2024 due to be published in May.
As such, information for the first quarter of 2024 is exempt under Section 22(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, whereby information is exempt from release if there is a view to publish the information in the future. As a central government department and producer of official statistics, we need to have the freedom to be able to determine our own publication timetables. This is to allow us to deal with the necessary preparation, administration and context of publications. It would be unreasonable to consider disclosure when to do so would undermine our functions.
This exemption is subject to a public interest test. We recognise the desirability of information being freely available and this is considered by ONS when publication schedules are set in accordance with the Code of Practice for Statistics. The need for timely data must be balanced against the practicalities of applying statistical skill and judgement to produce the high quality, assured data needed to inform decision-making. If this balance is incorrectly applied, then we run the risk of decisions being based on inaccurate data which is arguably not in the public interest. This will have an impact on public trust in official statistics in a time when accuracy of official statistics is more important to the public than ever before.
We do not hold a breakdown of the reasons for inactivity by ethnicity as part of our regular output. It would be possible to request a tailored analysis giving this information to be produced by emailing our social survey team at socialsurveys@ons.gov.uk. Such services are subject to disclosure controls, resources, legal frameworks, and an agreement of costs in line with the ONS Charging Policy. Please contact the social surveys team to discuss this further.