Occupation

A person's occupation, or occupation in their last main job.

A person's occupation relates to their main job and is derived from either their job title or details of the activities involved in their job. This is used to assign responses to an occupation code based on the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) 2022.

Total number of categories 27

Individual question 36: What is (was) your full job title?

Alongside other labour market information from the census, data on occupation are used to inform policy, underpin service planning and delivery and explore inequalities and difference in social conditions for particular population sub-groups at local area level.

Labour market data are used for key economic analyses by a wider range of stakeholders including local authorities, public bodies, third sector organisations and academics/researchers.

This variable is a collapsed version of the full occupation classification. It is comparable with the equivalent version created by ONS for the 2021 census in England & Wales (occupation_current_27a).

During Scotland's Census 2011, occupations were coded using the Standard Occupational Classification 2010 (SOC2010). For the 2022 Census, SOC2020 was used, meaning occupation data is not comparable between 2011 and 2022.

Occupation data is not comparable between 2011 and 2022. In 2022, Standard Occupation Classification (SOC) 2020 codes were used to classify occupations instead of the SOC2010 codes used in 2011. There are a number of changes between the two sets of codes, most notably an increase in occupations coded to major group 2 (Professional occupations) in recognition of the change in requirements for certain roles. More information about these changes can be found in this ONS guide. These changes mean it is not possible to make direct comparisons in occupations between 2011 and 2022 as some changes may be due to coding changes rather than actual changes in the workforce. 

A person's occupation relates to their main job and is derived from either their job title or details of the activities involved in their job. This is used to assign responses to an occupation code based on the Standard Occupational Classification 2010 (SOC2010).

The classifications can be found on the ONS website in the Standard Occupational Classification 2010 (SOC 2010)

These classifications are then used to assign individuals occupation groups via the Occupation hierarchy

Not applicable category (X) comprises schoolchildren and full-time students living away from home during term time, all those under the age of 16 and all those who have never worked.

32: What is (was) your full and specific job title?

For example: PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHER, CAR MECHANIC, DISTRICT NURSE, STRUCTURAL ENGINEER

Do not state your grade or pay band.

33: Briefly describe what you do (did) in your main job.

The question in England & Wales (2011) is identical to the Scotland (2011) question.

Although the question in 2001 was the same as 2011, in the 2011 Census the Standard Occupation Classification 2010 (SOC2010) was used to classify responses. In the 2001 Census, SOC2000 was used, meaning direct comparisons between the two sets of census results are not possible without further processing of the data.

This variable records the occupation of the person, coded to the new Standard Occupational Classification (SOC2000). The 2001 Census uses the full classification down to unit group level – the lowest of the four levels in the classification.

Total number of categories 4

The most detail used in standard output is the Sub-Major Group level.

The classifications can be found in the Standard Occupational Classification 2000 (SOC 2000)

These classifications are then used to assign individuals occupation groups via the Occupation hierarchy.

Not applicable (XXXX) comprises:

• all people aged 15 and under or aged 75 and over, UK
• all people who last worked before 1996 or who have never worked
• all people aged 65-74 who were not working in the week before census
• all people aged 16-74 who have never worked