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Household composition (alternative)

  • Mnemonic reference

    HH_COMP_ALT_CAT_H

  • Applicability

    Household

  • Type

    Derived Variable

Definition

Household composition classifies households according to the relationships between the household members. (This variable uses an alternative classification to the main household composition variable, HH_COMP_CAT_H)

Classification

Total number of categories 12

Code Name
1 1 adult of pensionable age
2 1 adult of non-pensionable age
3 1 child
4 No adults
5 1 adult of any age and 1 or more children
6 1 adult of non-pensionable age and 1 of pensionable age and no children or 2 adults of pensionable age and no children
7 2 adults and 1 or 2 children
8 2 adults of non-pensionable age and no children
9 2 adults and 3 or more children
10 3 or more adults and 1 or more children
11 3 or more adults and no children
-5 No code required - comprises household spaces with no usual residents.

England & Wales and Scotland (2011) comparisons

This variable is broadly comparable to the version created for Scotland's Census 2011. The pension age in Scotland has risen from 65 to 66 in the period between the 2011 and 2022 census collections, which is reflected in this updated variable.

No such variable has been created by ONS for England & Wales 2021 census data, however the ONS household composition variable is broadly comparable to the HH_COMP_CAT_H variable created for Scotland's Census 2022.

  • Mnemonic reference

    AHCHUK11

  • Applicability

    Household

  • Type

    Derived variable

Definition

This derived variable describes households in an alternative way to the classification used in most of the standard tables (see Household composition HHCHUK11).

It defines households by the age of the people in them. It does not take into account the relationships between people in households. For the purposes of this classification, an ‘adult’ is defined as any person aged 16 or over and a ‘child’ is defined as any person aged under 16.

Classification

Total number of categories 12

Code Name
01 1 adult of pensionable age
02 1 adult of non-pensionable age
03 1 child
04 No adults
05 1 adult of any age and 1 or more children
06 1 adult of non-pensionable age and 1 of pensionable age and no children or 2 adults of pensionable age and no children
07 2 adults and 1 or 2 children
08 2 adults of non-pensionable age and no children
09 2 adults and 3 or more children
10 3 or more adults and 1 or more children
11 3 or more adults and no children
XX No code required - comprises household spaces with no usual residents.

Source question or variables

AGE (Primary variable)

PENPUK11 (Derived variable)

SIZHUK11 (Derived variable)

TERMIND (Primary variable)