The ESRC review of government social classifications

In this article we first discuss the background to the ESRC Review of Government Social Classifications and the recommendations of the Review Committee's initial report to the Office for National Statistics in 1995. Second, we discuss the work of Phase 2 of the review, including the derivation of an interim version of a proposed revised government social classification schema and the criterion and construct validation work so far undertaken using this schema. Finally, we indicate the further work required to establish the schema in its ultimate recommended form for use by ONS and others. The main purpose of the paper is to introduce users of government social classifications both to the ideas underlying the review and to the revised version of the current classifications which we shall be recommending to ONS.