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The Office for National Statistics (ONS)
is developing a Household Satellite Account (HHSA), which, for the
first time, will measure and value the outputs produced by households
in the UK.
This unpaid work is not included
in the UK National Accounts, and its measurement will provide
a means by which we may monitor how the economy is affected by
the way patterns of unpaid work are changing. The information
will also be of use to policy makers where significant amounts
of unpaid work need to be taken into account.
The HHSA is part of the ONS series
of experimental statistics. Estimates for the year 2000, complete
with a detailed description of the methodology and assumptions
used to produce the figures, are available within this website.
During this development phase we are actively seeking feedback
from potential users and would welcome your comments, which can
be sent via e-mail to hhsa@ons.gov.uk
The HHSA has been divided into a
number of smaller projects covering the different areas of activity.
The outputs relate to providing housing, transport, nutrition,
clothing and laundry services, childcare, adult care and voluntary
work. They are journeys, meals, children looked after etc. The
related inputs are purchases of goods and services, use of equipment
and time/labour. This page presents an outline of this work and
provides links to more detail on individual projects.
UK Account
This brings together the estimates of the output of housing, transport,
nutrition, clothing & laundry services, childcare, adult care
and voluntary activity, and shows the related inputs of intermediate
consumption and household capital, and the calculation of gross
and net value added. It also shows the adjustments that must be
made to the National Accounts Gross Domestic Product estimates,
if the HHSA estimates were to be combined with them.
Housing
The volume and value of clean, warm, furnished, maintained accommodation
provided by owner-occupier households have been estimated, as
well as the provision of furnishings and maintenance - cleaning,
gardening and DIY - by tenants. Part of the value of housing is
an input into projects where the accommodation costs are included
in the price used to value the output, such as residential care
of the elderly.
Transport
The volume and value of the total distance travelled by groups
have been estimated. This includes all transport provided by the
household - by car, motor bike, bicycle and other private vehicles,
and on foot, but excludes travel for its own sake, e.g. walking
for exercise or pleasure. Data on the purpose of the journeys
indicates how much transport is used in the other projects, e.g.
transport related to food shopping is a component of the nutrition
project.
Nutrition
The volume and value of meals and hot drinks prepared in the home
have been estimated. The meals are valued according to the main
ingredients, whether they include a starter and/or dessert and
whether they are for adults or children (under 10). Part of the
output of nutrition is an input to projects where the cost of
meals is included in the price used to value the output, e.g.
continuous care of the elderly.
Clothing and Laundry Services
The value of garments produced in the home has been estimated,
but, due to the nature of the calculation, there is no volume
estimate. Both the volume and value of washing and ironing have
also been estimated.
Childcare
The volume and value of informal childcare have been estimated,
using information on formal care in playgroups, nurseries, schools,
clubs and by paid carers, and assumptions about the total amount
of supervision that is required for different age groups.
Adult care
The volume and value of informal adult care have been estimated,
according to whether the care is continuous or non-continuous.
Non-continuous care has been categorised by the type and frequency
of care given. Whenever care is from family, friends and neighbours,
it is included in this estimate.
Voluntary activity
The volume and value of unpaid activity for or on behalf of a
voluntary organisation has been estimated using an input approach,
i.e. measuring the hours provided by households, rather than the
outputs produced by volunteers. Voluntary activity includes, for
example, serving on a committee, running a Guide company or helping
with a sports club, and has been categorised into three broad
types of activity.
Intermediate consumption
The value of what households purchase, in order to produce the
outputs listed above, has been estimated. This includes anything
that is either used up or altered in the course of production
e.g. cooking ingredients, washing powder, etc.
Household capital
The value of the consumption of capital used in the household
production process has been estimated. Household capital includes
items such as dishwashers, washing machines, cars and owner-occupied
dwellings.
Time/labour
The time spent on different household production activities has
been estimated using the UK 2000 Time Use survey. The input of
time is linked to the appropriate outputs and other inputs, in
order to calculate the effective return to labour.
This programme of work is part of
the National Statistics economy theme. It is also related to the
National Statistics social & welfare theme. Information on
the household sector is available within the National Accounts.
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