Measuring Identity in the UK2011 Census in England and Wales

Pete Stokes

2011 Census Statistical Design Manager

Office for National Statistics

Summary

• Background

• Ethnic group and National identity

• Religion

• Language

Background

• First “Identity” question asked in 1991• Ethnic group• Requests from users for these data before 1981

• Required for increasing range of users and uses• Resource allocation, policy development, service

provision

• Respondents want specific tick boxes• No longer content to use “labels” chosen by us

Ethnic group & National identity

• Respondents unhappy with “White British” option• Strong criticism in 2001• Wanted to record themselves as English or Welsh

• National identity question included to address

• Increasing demands for new response options• Respondents unhappy with “write in” options• 8 options in 1991 and 18 in 2011

Ethnic group & National identity

• Only 14 per cent of respondents with “White British” ethnicity have “British” National Identity• Majority identify with one UK country

• Data useful for assessing integration• 82% with “Black Caribbean” ethnicity are “British”• 52% with “Chinese” ethnicity

Religion

• First asked in 2001• Only voluntary question in our census• Majority of respondents still answer

• Used to target services and allocate resources• Often analysed with Ethnic group

• Respondents want more tick boxes• Christian denominations• Smaller (in the UK) religious groups

Religion

Other religion

Sikh Muslim Jewish Hindu Buddhist Christian No religion

Employee 68 70 59 65 73 69 77 74

Self-employed 19 16 17 28 13 17 14 13

Employed, full time students

3 5 7 3 6 6 3 4

Unemployed (Including unemployed students)

10 9 17 4 8 9 6 9

• Significant difference in economic activity between religious groups

Language

• New questions in 2011• Main language AND Proficiency in English

• Significant demand from users• No alternative data in UK• Required following increased migration since 2001• Uses will include provision of translation services

Language

• Data help target resources and services effectivelyMain language Total population aged 3 and

overPer cent Proficient

Gypsy/Traveller languages 461 37.5

Pakistani Pahari (with Mirpuri and Potwari) 21,854 55.2

Vietnamese 15,168 58.3

Cantonese Chinese 44,404 61.0

Yiddish 3,987 62.2

Panjabi 273,231 67.6

Romani language (any) 629 68.7

Bengali (with Sylheti and Chatgaya) 221,403 69.6

Turkish 99,423 69.9

Latvian 31,523 70.8

Questions?

Email: peter.stokes@ons.gsi.gov.uk