Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.The aim of these studies is to examine the positions of the low paid, the subemployed (men and women unemployed for over 4 weeks in the last 12 months), the disabled and immigrants in two local labour markets. There were two main sources of data: 1) All members not in full-time education and under 71 of a simple random sample of households in 2 urban areas (230). 2) Follow-up survey of all individuals in 1, who fell into any one of four special categories (231). i) low paid (less than 55p for males over 18, less than 35p for females over 18) ii) subemployed (unemployed for more than 4 weeks in last 12 months) iii) disabled iv) immigrants (not born in UK or Eire)

Main Topics:

Attitudinal/Behavioural Questions This dataset contains data from source 1. a) Terms and Conditions of Employment Holidays, sick pay, pension, notice, contract, journey to work (time, weekly cost), normal starting time, outdoors or indoors (shelter, tea/coffee, toilet, washing facilities, place to eat, place for storage, first aid, phone call, heating), place for coats etc., adjustable lighting, details of fringe benefits received. Amount of heaving, lifting, sitting down, whether work dangerous, noisy or tiring. Security, promotion prospects, trade union (membership), reasons if no trade union, opinion on whether union would be advisable (reasons), reasons for non-membership. Number of employees, immediate work group, autonomy, number in same job (as a proportion of the labour force), origin of workmates, earnings relative to others, low paid men/women. Influence on pay (union/employer or other), assessment of employer (reasons). Net/gross wages last time paid, hours worked/overtime during last pay week, period of payment, number of weeks worked in past year, average hourly earnings, variations in pay during last month (specific details). Promotion/demotion (reasons and description of job change). Labour force status, internal movement, number of employers/ occupations/industries/jobs/skill level changes in last 5 and last 10 years. Number of job changes, number of periods of unemployment, length of time unemployed, size of works closure, redundancy pay received, job offers, help finding a job (type). Average gross/net earnings, average hours worked/period of payment. Additions to pay, tax rebate, tax paid direct, work expenses, number of weeks paid holiday, income fluctuations (reasons), deductions, time off work (reasons), sick pay, number of weeks sickness, strike pay, number of weeks on strike, pay for other reasons, number of weeks absent for other reasons. Length of time out of work/on short time/part time (reasons). b) Previous occupation Reason for leaving; type; location; hours per week; gross/net earnings; payment period; date left work. c) First job Social class; source of information; starting date; method of application; reasons for acceptance. d) Second job Social class; gross/net income. e) Housewives Attitude to work; reasons for not working; whether job taken if help given with family; suitable conditions-hours, location, pay, type of job. Method of job search, interviews, refusals, whether job held in last 5 years. Previous job; type, employment status, location, hours per week, gross/net earnings, payment period, reason for leaving, date of leaving. f) Retired As for housewives, plus reason for retirement; when started drawing pension. Background Variables Age, sex, marital status, place of birth, ethnic origin, educational status, school-leaving age, number of years of schooling, qualifications, further education, job-specific training. Driving licence, general health condition, specific troubles/illnesses, health effect on work, employment status. Number of households at address, number in household with: four or more weeks unemployed in last 12 months; low pay; disability; number of immigrants. Number in household, number aged 71 and over, number aged 15 and under, number aged 15 and over in education, number currently with paid job. Household type, number of rooms, amenities, structural defects, tenure, business purposes, net household income, rent rebate, number of weeks rent paid, rates, rate rebate (owner occupiers only), whether house paid for, presence of lodgers/boarders and sub-tenants, persons per room, cost of repairs over previous year, housing cost weekly. Family allowances received, retirement pension, widows pension. Benefits received - sickness, unemployment, supplementary, industrial injury, industrial disability, war disability, maternity, death. Income received from property, assets and savings (value), number of weeks worked in past year, average hourly earnings, length of residence in study area/in North East/in GLC, local papers read. Relatives in area (father, mother, siblings, children, other relatives), relatives working in area (as above), relatives useful finding work for respondent. Residential mobility, household status, place of work, ability to speak/understand/read English, skin colour.

Simple random sample

from electoral registers

Face-to-face interview