Census 2001 - Yorkshire and The Humber
Growing slowly

Yorkshire and The Humber GOR comprises five Unitary Authorities
 East Riding of Yorkshire UA
 Kingston upon Hull, City of UA
 North East Lincolnshire UA
 North Lincolnshire UA
 York UA
and 16 Local Authorities in North, West and South Yorkshire.

 Population      Families      Country of birth      Ethnicity and Religion      Health      Economic activity      Work and transport      Background Notes

The population of Yorkshire and The Humber region is nearly five million, an increase of 0.6 per cent (29,000) since 1991. Its slow growth contrasts with decreases for neighbouring regions in the North West and North East but is slower than the other six English regions.

Some of the other main points from the census show:

• The proportion of people over 75 has grown from 7.0 per cent to 7.6 per cent, while the proportion of children under-5 has dropped from 6.7 per cent to 5.9 per cent
• Yorkshire and The Humber has a higher percentage of people in 'not good health' (10.3 per cent) than the average for England as a whole (9.0 per cent).
• It also has a higher proportion with limiting long-term illness and inability to work due to permanent sickness or disability (19.5 per cent and 6.1 per cent respectively).
• There was a lower than average proportion of minority ethnic groups in the region (6.5 per cent compared to 9.1 per cent)
• The proportion of people aged 16-74 who work part-time (12.9 per cent) is higher than the average for England (11.8 per cent).
• In Yorkshire and The Humber, 35.4 per cent of people in employment work in managerial and professional occupations, less than the average for England of 40.3 per cent.
• The people in the region are more likely to travel to work by motor vehicle (65.0 per cent), and less likely to travel by public transport (12.3 per cent), than in England (62.7 per cent, 14.9 per cent respectively).
• One in three people aged 16 to 74 in the region have no qualifications.compared with 28.9 per cent in England.

Population

Within the region there has been considerable growth of population in the districts of East Riding, Harrogate, Kirklees, Leeds and York. However, South Yorkshire has seen a decrease of 22,000 people between 1991 and 2001 and the population of Kingston upon Hull has fallen by almost 20,000.

The age structure of the region is typical of England as a whole. Bradford has the highest percentage of children under 10 years old - 14.5 per cent of the population are under 10 compared with the average for England of 12.3 per cent. Scarborough, Craven and Ryedale have the highest percentage aged over-65.

Families

The percentage of households containing only one person (including one person pensioner households) in Yorkshire and The Humber is 29.5 per cent, compared with an average of 30.1 per cent for England.

Yorkshire and The Humber has similar household profiles to England. There is a higher proportion of married couple households with no children in Yorkshire and The Humber (13.8 per cent) than in England (13.0 per cent).

There are slightly fewer single people (28.6 per cent) in Yorkshire and The Humber than the average for England (30.2 per cent) and slightly more in other categories.

The percentage of all children in married couple households is very similar to the average for England (23.6 per cent, compared to 23.5 per cent). Lone-parent households comprise 9.4 per cent of households in the region, again very similar to the average for England.

The proportions of widowed people is slightly higher for the region (8.7 per cent) than England (8.3 per cent).

Country of birth

In Yorkshire and The Humber, 92.2 per cent of people were born in England compared with 87.4 per cent for England as a whole.

Far fewer people in the region were born outside the UK (5.3 per cent) than the average for England (9.3 per cent).

Barnsley has the highest proportion in the region of people born in England (96.6 per cent), and the lowest percentage born outside the EU (1.1 per cent).

Richmondshire has the lowest proportion of people born in England (85.9 per cent); 5.3 per cent of Richmondshire's population were born in Scotland.

Bradford has the greatest proportion in the region of people born outside the EU (10.4 per cent), followed by Kirkless (6.5 per cent).

Ethnicity and Religion

In Yorkshire and The Humber, 91.7 per cent of people identify themselves as being White British compared with 87.0 per cent in England as a whole.

The highest minority ethnic group in the region is Pakistani, which account for 2.9 per cent of people, twice the proportion across England as a whole (1.4 per cent).

Across the region, other ethnic minorities have a smaller percentage of the population. In all except the mixed group it was less than half the average for England as a whole

The proportion of people who say they are Christian is slightly higher in Yorkshire and The Humber (73.1 per cent) than in England (71.7 per cent).

Those who stated their religion was Muslim (3.8 per cent) is slightly higher than the average for England (3.1 per cent).

Yorkshire and The Humber has a smaller proportion of Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, Sikhs and other religions than the average for England.

Health

Barnsley has the highest proportion in the region of people in 'not good health' (14.1 per cent), limiting long term illness (25.3 per cent) and people who are permanently sick or disabled (10.4 per cent).

Richmondshire has the lowest percentages in all three categories within the region, with 6.7 per cent of the population in 'not good health', 15.3 per cent with a limiting long-term illness and 3.3 per cent permanently sick or disabled.

Overall, the proportion of people with a limiting long-term illness has increased since 1991 from 13.3 per cent to 14.6 per cent. Over the same period those who cannot work due to permanent sickness or disability has increased from 4.5 per cent to 6.1 per cent.

Economic activity

The percentage of people working part-time has increased from 11.7 per cent in 1991 to 12.9 per cent in 2001, but the proportion working full-time has fallen slightly.

North East Lincolnshire has the highest percentage of part-time employees in England and Wales (15.2 per cent).

The proportion of unemployed people aged 16-74 in Kingston upon Hull is the fifth highest in England and Wales (6.2 per cent).

The region has a higher proportion in manufacturing (17.4 per cent) than England (14.8 per cent) but fewer in real estate, renting and business activities (9.9 per cent compared to 13.2 per cent across England).

The proportion of people in the region who are working (apart from students) is 58.9 per cent, similar to the average for England as a whole (60.9 per cent).

Work and transport

Sheffield has the highest proportion of public transport users in the region (21.3 per cent). North Lincolnshire has the highest proportion travelling to work by motor vehicle (73.0 per cent).

Yorkshire and The Humber has a lower proportion of people in England and Wales who work mainly from home (8.4 per cent) compared with 9.2 per cent in England. More than 10 per cent travel to work by bicycle in York and Kingston upon Hull.

Background Notes

1. Census day was 29 April 2001. Census data give a snapshot picture of the country at this time. Population counts by age and sex for England and Wales, Wales, regions of England and English and Welsh local authorities were published on 30 September 2002.

2. The Office for National Statistics is responsible for the census in England and Wales. The Census in Scotland and in Northern Ireland is carried out by the General Register Office for Scotland and the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency respectively. Census data for Scotland and Northern Ireland are released separately.

3. Detailed Census results published today are mainly for England and Wales and its regions and local authorities. Individual press releases are available for Wales and each of the nine English Government Office Regions: North West, North East, Yorkshire and the Humber, West Midlands, East Midlands, South West, South East, London and the East. Press releases covering six key Census topic areas are also issued today: Ethnicity and religion, Families, Health, Households, People and places, Work. Census data published today are available free on the National Statistics website: www.statistics.gov.uk/census/

4. Further releases of Census data will take place through Spring and Summer 2003. In March/April there will be cross-tabulated data, followed by data down to small area/ward level. In the summer will begin a series of multi-source topic reports which draw upon other sources in addition to census to provide detailed pictures of specific topics and areas.

5. Details of the policy governing the release of new data are available from the press office.

6. National Statistics are produced to high professional standards set out in the National Statistics Code of Practice. They undergo regular quality assurance reviews to ensure that they meet customer needs. They are produced free from any political interference. © Crown copyright 2003.