Census Output Area 2021 (COA) Hierarchical Geographies (from COA through to National Level)

Dataset: Benefit Cap (Point in Time Caseload)

Description

There are many different geographical breakdowns available, some of which are made up of smaller geography types. For example regions build up exactly into countries.

The Census Output Area 2021 (COA) hierarchy is built up from COA to the National Level based on the address of the UC claimant. Intermediate geographies nest within this hierarchical structure, with COA building to Lower Super Output Area (LSOA), LSOA to Middle Super Output Area (MSOA) etc.

Available breakdowns within this hierarchy are COA, LSOA, MSOA, Local Authority (LA), Region, Country and the National level (GB).

Classification

Applicable to: All claimants

Total number of categories (excluding Unknown / Missing):

By Country: 3

By Region: 12

By LA: 351

A full list of codes and names relating to geographies can be obtained from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) website: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-method/geography/products/names--codes-and-look-ups/names-and-codes-listings/index.html

Quality Statement

Residency based geographies have been derived from postcode. This postcode relates to a household's place of residence and not the Jobcentre Plus office administering the claim.

Records are allocated a Census Output Area (COA) from the most recent available census based on this postcode (i.e. a claimant's place of residence). In a very small proportion of cases, where COA cannot be assigned because the postcode is missing, a random postcode is assigned and the COA is determined from it.

All higher level geographies (Lower Layer Super Output Area/Data Zone, Middle Layer Super Output Area/Intermediate Zone, Local Authority, Region, Country) are derived from COA.