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The
National Statistics
Socio-Economic Status Classification 2001
Changes to the Registrar
General’s Index of Social Class were announced on 1st December 1998.
You should still know the old Index of Social Class which refers to classes
1 - 5, because many texts will still be using it until the new Index has
come into everyday use.
If social class is
a variable of your research study then it is important that you show up-to-date
knowledge. You are advised to use the new system or to offer good reasons
why you have stuck to the old one in your work.
The leader of the
team who redesigned the class index was Prof. David Rose of Essex University.
The reasons for redesigning
were:
- Manufacturing has
declined
- Under the old system,
almost everybody was in Class 3
- The growth in the
employment of women
- The emergence of
service sector industry (leisure, food entertainment, insurance, and
business)
The basis of the new
system is on employment conditions:
- Job security
- Promotion opportunity
- Ability and opportunity
to work on own and make own decisions about tasks
| Social
Class |
|
Typical
employment |
| Higher
Managerial occupations |
1.1 |
Company
directors, Police Inspectors, Bank Managers, Senior Civil Servants,
Military Officers |
| |
1.2 |
Doctor,
Barrister, Solicitor, Clergy, Librarian, Teacher |
| Lower
Managerial |
2 |
Nurses
and midwives, Journalists, Actors, Prison Officers, Police and Soldiers
(below NCO) |
| Intermediate |
3 |
Clerks,
Secretaries, Driving Instructors, Computer Operator |
| Small
employers |
4 |
Publicans,
Farmers, Play group leader, Window cleaner, Painter and Decorator |
| Lower
supervisory and craft |
5 |
Printers,
Plumbers, Butchers, Bus Inspectors, TV engineers, Train drivers |
| Semi-routine
occupations |
6 |
Shop
assistant, Traffic Warden, Cook, Bus drivers, Hairdressers, Postal
workers |
| Routine
occupations |
7 |
Waiters,
road sweepers, Cleaners, Couriers, Building labourers, Refuse collectors |
| Never
worked |
8 |
Long
term unemployed and non-workers |
Evaluation
- How is this system different from the old five-category
system? (knowledge)
- Why was it necessary to change the system of classifying
people? (interpretation)
- Do you approve of/agree with this new system? Give
reasons for your answer. (evaluation)
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