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1 A reduction in the proportion of children living in working-age workless households (Great Britain).
Trends: The proportion of children living in workless households stood at 18.4 per cent in 1997. Since then the overall trend has been falling; In 2006, the proportion of children living in workless households stood at 15.3 per cent. In 2007 the Labour Force Survey moved from spring to calendar quarters (Q2), consequently the 2007 figure of 16 per cent is not directly comparable with previous years.
Percentage of children living in workless households (Great Britain)
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Note: Data from 1997 onwards has been revised in line with latest census population estimates, therefore they are not directly comparable with pre-1997 data. Figures are adjusted for households with unknown economic activity.
In 2007 the labour force survey moved from spring to calendar quarters; therefore it is not directly comparable with previous years.
Definition:Percentage of children aged under 16 in a working-age household where no adult works. A working-age household is a household that includes at least one person of working age (a woman aged between 16 and 59 or a man aged between 16 and 64). Workless individuals are those who are either unemployed (International Labour Organisation definition) or economically inactive (that is, not in employment).
In line with the 2006 Eurostat directive, the Labour Force Survey has shifted away from the use of seasonal data (Spring) and instead refers to second quarter (Q2) figures, in order to assess the progress of the Children in Workless Households target. The Q2 data covers the months April to June whereas the previous spring datasets covered the months March to May. Due to the slight difference in the time periods covered by the new datasets there are marginal differences between the seasonal and calendar data. Accordingly, the Labour Force Survey figures quoted in this report may differ from previous versions.
Data source: Labour Force Survey, spring quarters (before 2007) second quarter data (Q2) for the year 2007.
Further information
Data relating to children in workless households are obtained from the Labour Force Survey household datasets, which have been designed specifically to be used for analysis at the household and family level. Further information about the Labour Force Survey can be found at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/ssd/surveys/labour_force_survey.asp.
Additional information regarding children in workless households can be obtained from the latest Work and Worklessness among Households data release, which is published by the Office for National Statistics: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/wwhh0706.pdf 
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This statistical release provides time series data from Spring 1992 onwards concerning the economic activity status of working-age households, and the adults and children who live in them. However, it should be noted that although the data contained in this release are also obtained from the LFS, they relate to households at the United Kingdom, as opposed to Great Britain, level.
For a breakdown of children in workless households by ethnic group see the table below:
Proportion of children living in working age workless households in GB
| Ethnic Group | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White | 13.8 |
| Mixed: White and Black Caribbean | 34.2 |
| Mixed: White and Black African | 15.6 |
| Mixed: White and Asian | 13.8 |
| Mixed: Other | 20.4 |
| Indian | 6.8 |
| Pakistani | 25.4 |
| Bangladeshi | 42.1 |
| Other Asian | 15.8 |
| Black Caribbean | 34.9 |
| Black African | 26.4 |
| Other Black | 12.8 |
| Chinese | 4.1 |
| Other | 39.5 |
| GB | 15.5 |
Source: Labour Force Survey, Spring 2006
Figures not adjusted for households with unknown economic activity.