Statistics and analysis of education and employment outcomes of people of different religious identities in England and Wales.
Full article here: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulat...s/february2020
Main points
- Between 2012 and 2018 in England and Wales, those who identified as Christian were consistently less likely to report having a degree or equivalent qualification than all other religious groups, likely reflecting the older age profile of this group.
- Over the same period, although the percentage has been declining over time, those who identified as Muslim were more likely to report having no qualifications than most other religious groups.
- Economic inactivity was highest among women who identified as Muslim, over half of whom were economically inactive.
- After controlling for age, sex, ethnic group, marital status, region of residence and highest qualification held, adults who identified as Muslim were significantly less likely to be economically active than those who identified as Christian, particularly for women.
- Reflecting the higher rates of economic inactivity among this group, those who identified as Muslim had the lowest employment rate of all religious groups across England and Wales throughout the period between 2012 and 2018.
- In 2018, median hourly pay was highest among those who identified as Jewish, partly reflecting a greater likelihood among this group to be employed in high-skilled occupations and as managers, though controlling for differences in their personal and employment characteristics substantially reduced the difference in their average (median) pay relative to those who identified as Christian.
- Differences in qualification levels were stronger predictors of employment outcomes than religious affiliation, though occupation was the strongest predictor of median pay.
Figure 3: The percentage having no qualifications was consistently higher among those who identified as Muslim than most other religious groupings
Percentage of adults (aged 16 years and over) reporting highest level of educational attainment as degree or equivalent by religious affiliation, England and Wales, 2012 to 2018
Figure 5: While employment rates generally increased, a significantly lower percentage of those who identified as Muslim were in employment throughout this period
Percentage of adults aged 16 to 64 years in employment by religious affiliation, England and Wales, 2012 to 2018
Figure 6: A higher percentage of those who identified as Muslim were economically inactive
Percentage of adults aged 16 to 64 years by employment status by religious affiliation, England and Wales, 2018
Figure 7: Economic inactivity rates were highest among women who identified as Muslim
Percentage of adults aged 16 to 64 years were economically inactive by religious affiliation by sex England and Wales, 2018
Figure 8: Almost 6 in 10 Muslim women said that looking after the family or home was their reason for economic inactivity
Percentage of adults aged 16 to 64 years who were economically inactive and stated family/home as the reason by religious affiliation by sex, England and Wales, 2018