Hours worked
Definition
The number of hours that a person aged 16 or over work in their main job, or worked in their last main job if not working. This includes paid and unpaid overtime.
This definition refers to only the hours worked in a person’s main job, and is not a reflection of all the hours someone does in paid employment.
Classification
Total number of categories 5
| Code | Name |
|---|---|
| 1 | 0 to 15 hours |
| 2 | 16 to 30 hours |
| 3 | 31 to 48 hours |
| 4 | 49 or more hours |
| -5 | No code required - comprises people aged 15 and under and people age 16 and over who have never worked. |
Source question or variables
Individual question 40: In your main job, how many hours do (did) you usually work? Include paid and unpaid overtime.
Reason for asking
The number of hours usually worked in the person’s main job (or previous job for those not currently employed), shows whether people are in full or part-time work. This information will enable analysis of changes in the labour market and working patterns in particular occupations and industries, disadvantage and socio-economic classifications.
England & Wales (2021) and Scotland (2011) comparison.
This variable is directly comparable with the equivalent variable created by ONS for the 2021 census in England & Wales (hours_per_week_worked).
This variable is directly comparable with the version created for Scotland's Census 2011.
Definition
The number of hours that a person aged 16 and over worked in their main job or in their last main job. This includes paid and unpaid overtime.
Classification
Total number of categories 2
| Code | Name |
|---|---|
| 01-99 | Number of hours worked |
| XX | No code required - comprises people aged 15 and under and people age 16 and over who have never worked. |
Source question or variables
35: How many hours (to the nearest full hour) a week do (did) you usually work in your main job?
Include paid and unpaid overtime.
- Number of hours worked in a typical week
Reason for asking
The number of hours usually worked in the person’s main job (or previous job for those not currently employed), shows whether people are in full or part-time work. The information will enable analysis of changes in the labour market and working patterns in particular occupations and industries, disadvantage and socio-economic classifications.
England & Wales (2011) and Scotland (2001) comparisons:
England and Wales (2011)
42: In your main job how many hours a week (including paid and unpaid overtime) do you usually work?
- 15 or less
- 16 - 30
- 31 - 48
- 49 or more
The England and Wales question accepts a categorical variable grouped in the 4 categories as shown below which differs from the Scottish census which accepts a variable between 01 and 99.
Scotland (2001)
The 2001 question differs from 2011 in that the hours given should have been an average for the last four weeks whereas 2011 asks for the hours worked in a typical week.
Definition
This question records how many hours people normally work in their main job. The person is asked to answer the question to the nearest whole hour and give the average for the last four weeks.
This variable is used in the derived variable Economic Activity (ECOPUK) to determine whether a person is working part-time (30 hours or less per week) or full-time (31 hours or more per week).
Classification
Total number of categories 2
Not applicable (XX) comprises: All people aged 15 and under, or aged 75 and over, all people aged 16 to 74 who were not working in the week before the Census, England, Wales and Northern Ireland, all people aged 16 to 74 who have never worked, Scotland.
| Code | Name |
|---|---|
| 01 - 99 | 1 to 99 hours singly |
| XX | Not applicable |