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NRS social grade

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1771: 35:(NRS) to classify readers, but have since been used by many other organisations for wider applications and have become a standard for market research. They were developed in the late 1950s and refined in following years and achieved widespread usage in 20th century Britain. Their definition is maintained by the 202:
groupings (ABC1) grew from 34% in 1968, to 55% of the population in 2016. Within this section, the professional and managerial groupings (A and B) doubled, from only 12% in 1968 to 27% in 2016. C2DE has shrunk over this period from 65% to 45% of the population. With pensioners and unemployed people
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poll found that 41% of ABC1 identified themselves as working class (and 51% as middle class), while 66% of C2DEs identified themselves as working class (and 25% as middle class). Matthew Smith, Head of Data Journalism at
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Retired people are placed in grade E if they only have a state pension and benefits. If they have an occupational or private pension, they are graded according to the highest graded job they did before retiring.
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The classifications are based on the occupation of the head of the household. The grades are often grouped into ABC1 and C2DE, representing 55% and 45% of the population in 2016 respectively.
215:, said that while NRS groupings "are often used as shorthand to refer to the middle class and working class", "the problem is that the NRS social grade was never designed to describe class". 302: 364: 458: 847: 229: 309: 50:. The distinguishing feature of the NRS social grade is that it is based on occupation, rather than income, wealth or property ownership. 1800: 1795: 1575: 1450: 1460: 1718: 616: 432: 1567: 1505: 278: 1547: 878: 524: 377: 1542: 1552: 1585: 492: 1733: 1713: 1692: 1697: 1580: 1423: 1805: 1445: 487: 339: 1435: 1728: 1500: 1495: 979: 403: 1723: 1557: 1522: 1473: 1197: 1677: 1667: 1534: 742: 1657: 996: 517: 32: 1682: 1622: 1627: 1617: 974: 786: 1774: 1672: 1607: 372: 36: 1632: 1261: 1003: 497: 1687: 1662: 1652: 1642: 1637: 1490: 558: 510: 1748: 1743: 1647: 1517: 1468: 862: 828: 813: 649: 596: 239: 224: 8: 1132: 937: 912: 892: 796: 199: 187: 203:
included in C2DE, this means that ABC1 represents a majority of the working population.
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State pensioners, casual and lowest grade workers, unemployed with state benefits only.
1289: 1271: 1266: 1254: 1088: 907: 887: 857: 639: 611: 275: 1294: 1212: 949: 902: 840: 669: 115:
Supervisory or clerical and junior managerial roles, administrative or professional
1738: 1612: 1512: 1342: 1150: 1040: 991: 964: 717: 712: 565: 488:
National Readership Survey information on social grade and its discriminatory power
1483: 1175: 986: 732: 722: 459:"Why claims from polls about what 'working class people' think are usually wrong" 282: 1440: 1384: 1223: 1180: 1108: 852: 823: 748: 702: 644: 601: 28: 1789: 1281: 1078: 867: 737: 727: 685: 659: 654: 591: 551: 433:"How well do ABC1 and C2DE correspond with our own class identity? | YouGov" 190:
with the addition of a Class F signifying Farmers and Agricultural Workers.
1314: 1241: 1020: 1010: 929: 679: 586: 536: 408: 234: 47: 1478: 1309: 1299: 1249: 1231: 1142: 1103: 897: 808: 791: 180: 1324: 664: 24: 1370: 1365: 1332: 1304: 1192: 1187: 1123: 1098: 1045: 959: 674: 606: 1379: 1351: 1337: 1204: 1170: 1128: 1113: 1073: 818: 1375: 1360: 1356: 1118: 1068: 1060: 1050: 954: 942: 801: 697: 691: 183:, and this group is not separated by the classification scheme. 1347: 1160: 1093: 1033: 1028: 835: 502: 212: 207: 101:
Intermediate managerial roles, administrative or professional
1155: 1083: 634: 43: 1165: 707: 404:"Riven by class and no social mobility - Britain in 2007" 84:
Higher managerial roles, administrative or professional
198:Since the creation of the system, the size of the 179:Only around 2% of the UK population identifies as 230:National Statistics Socio-economic Classification 186:The grading system is also sometimes used in the 1787: 257: 255: 518: 1422: 1202: 340:"Social Grade | National Readership Survey" 252: 525: 511: 149:Semi-skilled and unskilled manual workers 1410: 365:"Definitions employed in Social Grading" 274:Occupation groupings: a job dictionary. 31:. They were originally developed by the 1788: 401: 46:, NRS social grade is not the same as 1409: 766: 506: 430: 303:"Social Grade: A Classification Tool" 334: 332: 330: 297: 295: 293: 291: 431:Smith, Matthew (19 November 2019). 13: 1801:Social class in the United Kingdom 1796:Demographics of the United Kingdom 768: 767: 402:Glover, Julian (20 October 2007). 268: 14: 1817: 481: 327: 288: 261:Wilmshurst, J. & MacKay, A., 67:Chief income earner's occupation 1770: 1769: 532: 263:The Fundamentals of Advertising 1411: 493:MORI information on the grades 451: 424: 395: 357: 1: 245: 16:UK demographic classification 7: 498:Demographic classifications 218: 10: 1822: 617:Weberian (three-component) 193: 73:Frequency in 2008 - Ipsos 70:Frequency in 1968 - Ipsos 33:National Readership Survey 25:demographic classification 1765: 1706: 1598: 1566: 1533: 1459: 1431: 1418: 1405: 1323: 1280: 1240: 1222: 1141: 1059: 1019: 928: 921: 876: 779: 775: 762: 625: 579: 575: 546: 159: 145: 134: 128: 111: 97: 86: 80: 66: 63: 53: 1739:Pre-industrial East Asia 76:Frequency in 2016 - NRS 1806:Socio-economic mobility 787:Administrative detainee 373:Market Research Society 308:. Ipsos. Archived from 276:Market Research Society 132:Skilled manual workers 37:Market Research Society 1203: 376:. 2019. Archived from 1744:Pre-industrial Europe 1601:​ or countries 1412:By country or region 650:Class discrimination 240:Socioeconomic status 225:Acorn (demographics) 1133:Vanniar (Chieftain) 383:on 19 December 2019 281:29 May 2010 at the 188:Republic of Ireland 1714:18th-century Spain 1568:Standard of living 1272:Upper middle class 1267:Lower middle class 858:Political prisoner 640:Chattering classes 612:Spoon class theory 465:. 25 November 2019 1783: 1782: 1761: 1760: 1757: 1756: 1594: 1593: 1401: 1400: 1397: 1396: 1393: 1392: 1295:Lumpenproletariat 797:illegal immigrant 758: 757: 670:Classless society 173: 172: 21:NRS social grades 1813: 1773: 1772: 1600: 1501:Mexican-American 1429: 1428: 1420: 1419: 1407: 1406: 1208: 1151:Business magnate 1041:Knowledge worker 926: 925: 814:dual or multiple 777: 776: 764: 763: 718:Social exclusion 713:Social cleansing 627: 577: 576: 566:Economic classes 527: 520: 513: 504: 503: 475: 474: 472: 470: 455: 449: 448: 446: 444: 428: 422: 421: 419: 417: 399: 393: 392: 390: 388: 382: 369: 361: 355: 354: 352: 350: 336: 325: 324: 322: 320: 315:on 15 March 2016 314: 307: 299: 286: 272: 266: 259: 61: 60: 23:are a system of 1821: 1820: 1816: 1815: 1814: 1812: 1811: 1810: 1786: 1785: 1784: 1779: 1753: 1702: 1590: 1562: 1529: 1513:Underprivileged 1455: 1414: 1413: 1389: 1319: 1276: 1236: 1218: 1137: 1055: 1015: 917: 872: 771: 770: 754: 733:Social position 723:Social mobility 621: 571: 542: 541: 531: 484: 479: 478: 468: 466: 463:The Independent 457: 456: 452: 442: 440: 429: 425: 415: 413: 400: 396: 386: 384: 380: 367: 363: 362: 358: 348: 346: 338: 337: 328: 318: 316: 312: 305: 301: 300: 289: 285:, London, 2006. 283:Wayback Machine 273: 269: 260: 253: 248: 221: 196: 56: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1819: 1809: 1808: 1803: 1798: 1781: 1780: 1778: 1777: 1766: 1763: 1762: 1759: 1758: 1755: 1754: 1752: 1751: 1746: 1741: 1736: 1734:Ottoman Empire 1731: 1726: 1721: 1719:Ancient Greece 1716: 1710: 1708: 1704: 1703: 1701: 1700: 1695: 1693:United Kingdom 1690: 1685: 1680: 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1017: 1016: 1014: 1013: 1008: 1007: 1006: 1001: 1000: 999: 984: 983: 982: 977: 969: 968: 967: 957: 952: 947: 946: 945: 934: 932: 923: 919: 918: 916: 915: 910: 905: 900: 895: 890: 884: 882: 874: 873: 871: 870: 865: 860: 855: 853:Migrant worker 850: 845: 844: 843: 833: 832: 831: 826: 821: 816: 806: 805: 804: 799: 789: 783: 781: 773: 772: 769:By demographic 760: 759: 756: 755: 753: 752: 749:Status Anxiety 745: 740: 735: 730: 725: 720: 715: 710: 705: 703:Ranked society 700: 695: 682: 677: 672: 667: 662: 657: 652: 647: 645:Class conflict 642: 637: 631: 629: 628:​ topics 623: 622: 620: 619: 614: 609: 604: 602:Mudsill theory 599: 594: 589: 583: 581: 573: 572: 570: 569: 562: 555: 547: 544: 543: 540: 539: 533: 530: 529: 522: 515: 507: 501: 500: 495: 490: 483: 482:External links 480: 477: 476: 450: 423: 394: 356: 326: 287: 267: 250: 249: 247: 244: 243: 242: 237: 232: 227: 220: 217: 195: 192: 171: 170: 167: 164: 161: 157: 156: 153: 150: 147: 143: 142: 139: 136: 133: 130: 126: 125: 122: 119: 116: 113: 109: 108: 105: 102: 99: 95: 94: 91: 88: 85: 82: 78: 77: 74: 71: 68: 65: 55: 52: 29:United Kingdom 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1818: 1807: 1804: 1802: 1799: 1797: 1794: 1793: 1791: 1776: 1768: 1767: 1764: 1750: 1747: 1745: 1742: 1740: 1737: 1735: 1732: 1730: 1727: 1725: 1722: 1720: 1717: 1715: 1712: 1711: 1709: 1705: 1699: 1698:United States 1696: 1694: 1691: 1689: 1686: 1684: 1681: 1679: 1676: 1674: 1671: 1669: 1666: 1664: 1661: 1659: 1656: 1654: 1651: 1649: 1646: 1644: 1641: 1639: 1636: 1634: 1631: 1629: 1626: 1624: 1621: 1619: 1616: 1614: 1611: 1609: 1606: 1605: 1603: 1599:Other regions 1597: 1587: 1584: 1582: 1579: 1577: 1574: 1573: 1571: 1569: 1565: 1559: 1556: 1554: 1551: 1549: 1546: 1544: 1541: 1540: 1538: 1536: 1532: 1524: 1521: 1519: 1516: 1515: 1514: 1511: 1507: 1504: 1502: 1499: 1497: 1494: 1493: 1492: 1489: 1485: 1482: 1480: 1477: 1475: 1472: 1471: 1470: 1467: 1466: 1464: 1462: 1458: 1452: 1449: 1447: 1444: 1442: 1439: 1437: 1434: 1433: 1430: 1427: 1425: 1424:United States 1421: 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940: 939: 936: 935: 933: 931: 927: 924: 920: 914: 911: 909: 906: 904: 901: 899: 896: 894: 891: 889: 886: 885: 883: 880: 875: 869: 866: 864: 863:Socioeconomic 861: 859: 856: 854: 851: 849: 846: 842: 839: 838: 837: 834: 830: 827: 825: 822: 820: 817: 815: 812: 811: 810: 807: 803: 800: 798: 795: 794: 793: 790: 788: 785: 784: 782: 778: 774: 765: 761: 751: 750: 746: 744: 741: 739: 738:Social stigma 736: 734: 731: 729: 728:Social orphan 726: 724: 721: 719: 716: 714: 711: 709: 706: 704: 701: 699: 696: 694: 693: 688: 687: 686:Nouveau riche 683: 681: 678: 676: 673: 671: 668: 666: 663: 661: 660:Class traitor 658: 656: 655:Class society 653: 651: 648: 646: 643: 641: 638: 636: 633: 632: 630: 624: 618: 615: 613: 610: 608: 605: 603: 600: 598: 595: 593: 592:Gilbert model 590: 588: 585: 584: 582: 578: 574: 568: 567: 563: 561: 560: 556: 554: 553: 549: 548: 545: 538: 535: 534: 528: 523: 521: 516: 514: 509: 508: 505: 499: 496: 494: 491: 489: 486: 485: 464: 460: 454: 438: 434: 427: 411: 410: 405: 398: 379: 375: 374: 366: 360: 345: 344:www.nrs.co.uk 341: 335: 333: 331: 311: 304: 298: 296: 294: 292: 284: 280: 277: 271: 264: 258: 256: 251: 241: 238: 236: 233: 231: 228: 226: 223: 222: 216: 214: 209: 204: 201: 191: 189: 184: 182: 177: 168: 165: 162: 158: 154: 151: 148: 144: 140: 137: 131: 127: 123: 120: 117: 114: 110: 106: 103: 100: 96: 92: 89: 83: 79: 75: 72: 69: 62: 59: 51: 49: 45: 42:According to 40: 38: 34: 30: 26: 22: 1749:Soviet Union 1724:Ancient Rome 1581:Homelessness 1506:Upper Middle 1378: / 1359: / 1350: / 1315:Working poor 1211: 1198:Robber baron 1021:Intellectual 1011:Royal family 975:Ancient Rome 829:second-class 747: 690: 689: / 684: 680:High society 587:Elite theory 564: 557: 550: 537:Social class 467:. Retrieved 462: 453: 441:. Retrieved 437:yougov.co.uk 436: 426: 414:. Retrieved 409:The Guardian 407: 397: 385:. Retrieved 378:the original 371: 359: 347:. Retrieved 343: 317:. Retrieved 310:the original 270: 262: 235:Social class 205: 200:white-collar 197: 185: 178: 174: 57: 48:social class 41: 27:used in the 20: 18: 1668:New Zealand 1385:Untouchable 1310:Proletariat 1300:Pea-pickers 1250:Bourgeoisie 938:Aristocracy 824:naturalized 819:native-born 469:18 February 443:18 February 349:19 November 181:upper class 1790:Categories 1658:Luxembourg 1548:Inequality 1213:Superclass 1004:Hereditary 980:Post-Roman 971:Patrician 841:adolescent 665:Classicide 416:17 October 246:References 1683:Sri Lanka 1576:Education 1543:Household 1436:Affluence 1371:Rat tribe 1333:Ant tribe 1305:Precariat 1290:Lazzaroni 1232:Bohemians 1193:Overclass 1188:Old money 1124:Spartiate 1099:Kshatriya 1089:Hashashin 1046:Professor 987:Political 960:Oligarchy 950:Hanseaten 868:Stateless 848:Convicted 780:By status 743:Subaltern 675:Euthenics 607:New class 1775:Category 1707:Historic 1628:Colombia 1618:Cambodia 1553:Personal 1451:Mobility 1380:Freedman 1366:Plebeian 1352:Prisoner 1338:Commoner 1224:Creative 1205:Seigneur 1171:Nobility 1129:Vanniyar 1114:Pendekar 1074:Cossacks 708:Snobbery 580:Theories 439:. YouGov 412:. London 319:6 August 279:Archived 265:, (1999) 219:See also 1678:Romania 1673:Nigeria 1558:Poverty 1461:Classes 1446:History 1357:Peasant 1343:Outcast 1282:Working 1262:Burgher 1119:Samurai 1109:Ocēlōtl 1069:Chhetri 1061:Warrior 1051:Scholar 965:Russian 955:Magnate 943:Aristoi 922:By type 809:Citizen 802:refugee 698:Poverty 692:Parvenu 626:Related 597:Marxian 559:Stratum 387:10 July 206:A 2019 194:History 1633:France 1613:Belize 1608:Africa 1535:Income 1491:Middle 1484:Gentry 1348:Outlaw 1255:Petite 1242:Middle 1176:Landed 1161:Gentry 1094:Knight 1034:Priest 1029:Clergy 992:Family 930:Ruling 879:collar 836:Clique 552:Status 213:YouGov 208:YouGov 64:Grade 54:Grades 1729:Aztec 1688:Tibet 1663:Nepal 1653:Italy 1643:India 1638:Haiti 1623:China 1523:Under 1518:Lower 1496:Black 1479:Donor 1474:Black 1469:Upper 1376:Slave 1325:Under 1181:Petty 1156:Elite 1143:Upper 1084:Harii 1079:Cuāuh 913:White 893:Green 792:Alien 635:Caste 381:(PDF) 368:(PDF) 313:(PDF) 306:(PDF) 44:Ipsos 1648:Iran 1361:Serf 1166:Lord 1104:Nair 997:List 908:Pink 898:Grey 888:Blue 877:By " 471:2024 445:2024 418:2009 389:2024 351:2018 321:2016 169:10% 155:15% 152:15% 141:20% 138:21% 135:65% 124:28% 121:29% 118:22% 107:23% 104:23% 87:12% 19:The 903:New 166:8% 129:C2 112:C1 93:4% 90:4% 1792:: 461:. 435:. 406:. 370:. 342:. 329:^ 290:^ 254:^ 160:E 146:D 98:B 81:A 39:. 1131:/ 881:" 526:e 519:t 512:v 473:. 447:. 420:. 391:. 353:. 323:.

Index

demographic classification
United Kingdom
National Readership Survey
Market Research Society
Ipsos
social class
upper class
Republic of Ireland
white-collar
YouGov
YouGov
Acorn (demographics)
National Statistics Socio-economic Classification
Social class
Socioeconomic status


Market Research Society
Archived
Wayback Machine




"Social Grade: A Classification Tool"
the original



"Social Grade | National Readership Survey"

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