Economic Status of a Child's Family by Family Type

Field: Economic Status of a Child's Family by Family Type

Description

The economic status of a child's family by family type, as reported by FRS respondents, where:

a child is defined as an individuals aged under 16 or dependant (see Type of Individual by Age Category for more information).
a family is defined as a single adult or a married or cohabiting couple and any dependent children (see Family Type for more information).

Note: it is recommended that a filter is applied to just include Type=Child. Alternatively, adults will be categorised as 'Not applicable - individual is not a child'

A different category, Economic Status of the Household, defines the overall economic status of the household, irrespective of the individual's type. The category, Economic Status of Adults in the Family, can also be used.

Classification

Applicable to: Children.

Lone parent:

In full-time work (includes full-time self-employed): Children in families where the adult regards themselves as working full-time. Those respondents not working in the last seven days doing unpaid work in a business that a relative owns are considered as in full-time work, as are those in training. Also, benefit units where the adult usually works as self-employed in their main job where the respondent regards themselves as working full-time. Those respondents not working in the last seven days but doing unpaid work in their own business are considered as full-time self-employed.
In part-time work: Children in families where the adult considers themselves to be working part-time.
Not working: Children in families not classified above (this group includes the long-term sick, disabled people and non-working lone parents).

Couple with children:

One or more full-time self-employed: Children in families where at least one adult usually works as self-employed in their main job where the respondent regards themselves as working full-time. Those respondents not working in the last seven days but doing unpaid work in their own business are considered as full-time self-employed.
Both in full-time work: Children in families where all adults regard themselves as working full-time. Those respondents not working in the last seven days doing unpaid work in a business that a relative owns are considered as in full-time work, as are those in training.
One in full-time work, one in part-time work: Children in families headed by a couple where one partner considers themselves to be working full-time and the other partner considers themselves to be working part-time. Those respondents not working in the last seven days but doing an odd job are considered as working part-time.
One in full-time work, one not working: Children in families headed by a couple, where one partner considers themselves to be working full-time and the other partner does not work.
One or more in part-time work: Children in families where at least one adult works, but considers themselves to be working part-time.
Both not in work: Children in families not classified above (this group includes the long-term sick, disabled people and non-working parents).

Not applicable: benefit unit does not contain children
Not available (before 1996/97)

Number of categories: 11

Quality Statement

The category 'Lone Parents full-time, self-employed' is combined with 'Lone Parent in full-time work' category in order to maintain data confidentiality and to ensure sample sizes are not too small to prevent useful analysis.

The economic status of the family classification has been revised to be in line with the International Labour Organisation economic status classification. This means that no economic status data is available for 1994/95 and 1995/96 as the relevant information was not collected in the Family Resources Survey for those years.

Further information can be found in the HBAI Quality and Methodology Report here.