The National Statistics Socio-Economic Classification: unifying offical and sociological approaches to the conceptualisation and measurement of social class in the United Kingdom

In this paper we describe the history of official and sociological approaches to social classifications in the UK, and how they came together in the UK Economic and Social Research Council Review of Government Social Classifications undertaken between 1994 and 2000. In doing so, we first review the strengths and weaknesses of the former official social classifications, Social Class based on Occupation (formerly Registrar General's Social Class) and Socio-economic Groups along with the alternative academic schemas and scales considered by the Review. Secondly, the conceptual basis and construction of the new classification, the National Statistics Socio-economic Classification (NS-SEC), is described in detail. Finally, the approach taken in the new classification is compared with other European national classifications in the context of the development of a harmonised socio-economic classification for the European Union.