England and Wales: Economic activity status

Location Type: England and Wales, ONS Geographic Code: K04000001

Key Facts

All Residents	59,597,542
Male	29,177,340
Female	30,420,202
Households	24,783,199
Population Density (people/km2)	394.6

This is the top-level dataset for the whole of England and Wales. Drill down further by selecting a country:

Wales

Table Code	ts066
Issued	2022-12-08
Unit of Measure	Person
Number of Response Options	20

Description
Data
Bar Chart
Pie Chart

This dataset provides Census 2021 estimates that classify usual residents aged 16 years and over in England and Wales by economic activity status. The estimates are as at Census Day, 21 March 2021.

Summary

People aged 16 years and over are economically active if, between 15 March and 21 March 2021, they were:

* in employment (an employee or self-employed)
* unemployed, but looking for work and could start within two weeks
* unemployed, but waiting to start a job that had been offered and accepted

It is a measure of whether or not a person was an active participant in the labour market during this period. Economically inactive are those aged 16 years and over who did not have a job between 15 March to 21 March 2021 and had not looked for work between 22 February to 21 March 2021 or could not start work within two weeks.

The census definition differs from International Labour Organization definition used on the Labour Force Survey, so estimates are not directly comparable.

Quality Statement

As Census 2021 was during a unique period of rapid change, take care when using this data for planning purposes.
Read more in our Labour market quality information for Census 2021 methodology.

Economic activity status: Total: All usual residents aged 16 years and over	48,566,371
Economically active (excluding full-time students)	28,336,631
Economically active (excluding full-time students): In employment	26,960,268
Economically active (excluding full-time students): In employment: Employee	22,361,153
Economically active (excluding full-time students): In employment: Employee: Part-time	5,778,651
Economically active (excluding full-time students): In employment: Employee: Full-time	16,582,502
Economically active (excluding full-time students): In employment: Self-employed with employees	740,625
Economically active (excluding full-time students): In employment: Self-employed with employees: Part-time	176,124
Economically active (excluding full-time students): In employment: Self-employed with employees: Full-time	564,501
Economically active (excluding full-time students): In employment: Self-employed without employees	3,858,490
Economically active (excluding full-time students): In employment: Self-employed without employees: Part-time	1,678,095
Economically active (excluding full-time students): In employment: Self-employed without employees: Full-time	2,180,395
Economically active (excluding full-time students): Unemployed	1,376,363
Economically active and a full-time student	1,112,219
Economically active and a full-time student: In employment	813,397
Economically active and a full-time student: In employment: Employee	746,230
Economically active and a full-time student: In employment: Employee: Part-time	598,281
Economically active and a full-time student: In employment: Employee: Full-time	147,949
Economically active and a full-time student: In employment: Self-employed with employees	7,165
Economically active and a full-time student: In employment: Self-employed with employees: Part-time	4,254
Economically active and a full-time student: In employment: Self-employed with employees: Full-time	2,911
Economically active and a full-time student: In employment: Self-employed without employees	60,002
Economically active and a full-time student: In employment: Self-employed without employees: Part-time	45,599
Economically active and a full-time student: In employment: Self-employed without employees: Full-time	14,403
Economically active and a full-time student: Unemployed	298,822
Economically inactive	19,117,521
Economically inactive: Retired	10,513,713
Economically inactive: Student	2,740,634
Economically inactive: Looking after home or family	2,317,340
Economically inactive: Long-term sick or disabled	2,025,621
Economically inactive: Other	1,520,213

Bar chart not showing properly? Data with large numbers of options really needs a wider screen. Try rotating your fondleslab into landscape mode and refreshing the page.