THE BABERGH
ECONOMIC PROFILE
2010-11
INTRODUCTION This document aims to provide a statistical overview of the main economic trends in the
district of Babergh through the course of the financial year 2010/11. The year saw the
continuation of significant economic pressures nationwide which, coupled with a well
documented reduction in public service provision, redundancies and pay freezes, is likely
to have a significant impact on businesses and individuals in Suffolk for the foreseeable
future.
This profile therefore, is designed to inform you of the key changes over the past year in
relation to businesses, the labour market, skills and benefits and provide you with a
baseline of current activity to measure changes against in future. The profile is not
intended to cover all possible areas of interest and there is much more information
available from other sources. Where possible, we have provided links to existing data/
reports provided by partner organisations that might be of interest to you. We have
included data at ward level, where available, accompanied by district and county
comparisons to enable users of this document to get to the root of geographical
variations within the district. We have used the most up-to-date data available to us in
all cases.
The Suffolk Observatory
All the information contained in this report is updated throughout the year and is
available on the new Suffolk Observatory www.suffolkobservatory.info. You can also
download this report from the site alongside a similar countywide economic profile. The
new Observatory also allows you to create your own dynamic reports, maps and charts
from a huge range of thematic data.
CONTENTS
1. Demographics................................................................................................p4
· District Population
· Age Breakdown
· Ageing Population
· Population by Ward
· ACORN classifications
2. Businesses.....................................................................................................p9
· Business Formations
· Business Survival
· Business Turnover
3. The labour market.......................................................................................p12
Employment
· Total Employment
· Employment by sector/occupation
· Public/Private sector employment
· Median Annual Earnings
· Earnings by gender
Unemployment
· Unemployment rate
· Job Seekers Allowance claimant trends
· Economic inactivity
· NEET data
4. Benefits.......................................................................................................p23
· All claimants
· Claimants by gender and duration
5. Skills..........................................................................................................p26
· Working Age Qualifications
· G.C.S.E Attainment
7. Acknowledgements......................................................................................p29
Page 4
DEMOGRAPHY
Key Facts:
• The population of Babergh district according to the most recent estimates was 85,753 in mid-2009
• 21% of the population of the district is aged 65 or over
• The ward of Pinewood has the highest population of all wards in Babergh at 4311
• The ward with the lowest population is Lavenham at just 1,658
• Between 2006 and 2009 the population of Sudbury South rose by 6%
• Between 2006 and 2009 the population of Lavenham fell by 7%
Why is this important?
Understanding the number of people in a given area is the first step in shaping the
services to deliver to them – everything from education services, to health, to waste
collection are shaped by information about the people who will use them. For local
councils, the number and location of people is crucial information which determines
which services are needed in specific areas and how they are delivered. For the wider
economy, the number of people and their age also impacts on the size of the workforce
and the development of infrastructure.
Links
Suffolk County Council’s demography pages provide detailed briefings on ONS population
estimates and demographic trends.
Page 5
Further Detail
District Population
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) mid-year population estimates are published
annually in the summer and relate to the preceding year. The 2009 figures estimate the
population of Babergh to be 85,783. The time series data from 2006 to 2009 shows a
fall of 119 in the overall district population during this period.
Figure 1 – Population of Babergh, 2006-2009 based on ONS Mid-Year Estimates
Age breakdown
Figure 2 below highlights that Babergh has an increasingly ageing population with the
highest percentage of both males and females falling into the 65-69 age groups. This
demographic trend will have a long term impact on the district as the size of the
workforce declines when the majority of the population which currently sits within the 40
– 69 age groups, leave the workforce over the coming years.
The pyramid also shows a relatively low percentage of males and females aged 20-34 in
the district compared to the high numbers of middle aged residents and children. This is
suggestive of a trend that sees mobile young people move out of the district, possibly as a
result of a lack of economic opportunities or affordable housing, although clearly the
district retains a high proportion of families and older people. Currently, 21% of the
population are aged 65 or over.
Names 2006 2007 2008 2009
Babergh 85,902 85,882 85,973 85,783
85650
85700
85750
85800
85850
85900
85950
86000
2006 2007 2008 2009
Population of Babergh 2006-2009
2009 ONS MYE
Page 6
Figure 2 - Based on ONS Mid-Year Estimates for 2009
Ageing Population
Figure 3 demonstrates that, according to ONS population projections, the percentage of
over 65s in the district will increase to over a quarter (27%) by 2020. The number of
85s, the age group which are the most likely to access health and social care services or
support from local councils, is also likely to increase to 4% of the total population.
Figure 3 – District Population Projection Based on ONS 2008 Sub National Population Projections
Population by ward
Figure 4 shows the changes in population of the wards of Babergh between 2006 and
2009. The table highlights some interesting trends. The largest ward in the district is
Pinewood with a population of 4,311. The smallest ward by population is Lavenham with
just 1,658 residents.
10 5 0 5 10
Under 5
Age 10 - 14
Age 20 - 24
Age 30 - 34
Age 40 - 44
Age 50 - 54
Age 60 - 64
Age 70 - 74
Age 80 - 84
Babergh Population Profile 2009
% Female % Male
% of
population2009 2020
Aged 65+ 21% 27%
Aged 85+ 3% 4%
Page 7
The ward of Lavenham saw the biggest proportionate fall in population during the period
2006-2009 with a population drop of 7%. The ward of Sudbury South however, saw the
biggest increase as its population rose in size by 6% over the period.
Figure 4 - Ward population estimates based on ONS Mid-Year Estimates for 2009
ACORN classifications
ACORN is a social marketing segmentation tool which segments households or postcodes
into several different categories through analysis of social factors and population
behaviour. There are five main groupings with several sub categories which fall under
each group. The information included below is only intended to provide a brief overview of
the classification – for more details please consult the CACI website.
Names 2006 2007 2008 2009 % Change
Alton 3,951 3,975 3,934 3,886 -2%
Berners 3,885 3,877 3,859 3,835 -1%
Boxford 2,163 2,156 2,192 2,201 2%
Brett Vale 2,063 2,055 2,074 2,030 -2%
Brook 3,912 3,981 3,973 3,963 1%
Bures St Mary 1,659 1,703 1,688 1,697 2%
Chadacre 1,979 1,990 1,956 1,952 -1%
Dodnash 3,576 3,558 3,539 3,530 -1%
Glemsford and Stanstead 3,651 3,665 3,649 3,593 -2%
Great Cornard North 3,932 3,963 4,032 4,095 4%
Great Cornard South 4,174 4,149 4,147 4,154 0%
Hadleigh North 4,157 4,205 4,247 4,254 2%
Hadleigh South 3,827 3,764 3,746 3,772 -1%
Holbrook 2,564 2,567 2,610 2,602 1%
Lavenham 1,788 1,758 1,715 1,658 -7%
Leavenheath 1,762 1,766 1,769 1,778 1%
Long Melford 3,719 3,712 3,657 3,660 -2%
Lower Brett 2,140 2,111 2,106 2,104 -2%
Mid Samford 4,048 4,063 4,020 3,992 -1%
Nayland 1,840 1,824 1,826 1,823 -1%
North Cosford 2,160 2,152 2,123 2,121 -2%
Pinewood 4,409 4,311 4,366 4,311 -2%
South Cosford 2,221 2,230 2,244 2,245 1%
Sudbury East 4,278 4,221 4,241 4,245 -1%
Sudbury North 4,102 4,127 4,244 4,255 4%
Sudbury South 3,954 4,074 4,113 4,179 6%
Waldingfield 3,988 3,925 3,903 3,848 -4%
BABERGH 85,902 85,882 85,973 85,783 0%
Page 8
The breakdown for the district of Babergh shows that 49.53% of the population falls into
the category of ‘Wealthy Achievers’ which denotes wealthy and affluent people living in
rural or semi-rural areas, usually middle-aged or older people and living in large houses
that are mostly owner occupied.
Figure 5 - ACORN 2009 classifications for District of Babergh
In total, 79% of the population are classified as either ‘Wealthy Achievers’ or
‘Comfortably Off’ which denotes a relatively high standard of living for these residents. In
contrast, 10.09% of the population were classified as ‘Hard Pressed’ which suggests they
live in generally poorer areas characterised by higher levels of unemployment, those
working tend to have few qualifications and work in low skilled trades.
49.53
1.5
29.47
8.24
10.09
1.17
Babergh District ACORN Classification Breakdown
ACORN: % Population
Wealthy Achievers
ACORN: % Population
Urban Prosperity
ACORN: % Population
Comfortably Off
ACORN: % Population
Moderate Means
ACORN: % Population
Hard Pressed
ACORN: % Population
Unclassified
Page 9
BUSINESSES
Key Facts:
• There were nearly 4,000 active businesses in Babergh in 2009
• Nearly half (48%) of businesses which registered in 2004 in Babergh, survived for five years
• Wholesale and retail trade’ is the biggest industry in the district according to enterprise turnover figures for 2009
Why is this important?
Local and national businesses are at the heart of the Suffolk economy – they provide
employment, attract inward investment to the county and encourage local spending.
Businesses are in essence, the lynchpin of the economy. Over the last 2-3 years there has
been increasing international pressure on businesses with national companies feeling the
squeeze and some ceasing to trade. This has been even more intense for small
businesses, of which Suffolk as a county has many, as they suffered from reduced lending
from banks and the downturn in consumer activity.
The number of businesses, turnover, formations and survival rates are all important
indicators of the state of the wider economy and monitoring how these indicators are
changing is essential to understanding how Suffolk is, and will continue, to fare in these
troubled economic times.
Links
Suffolk County Council’s Rural Business Survey Report provides further information on
rural businesses in Suffolk.
Page 10
Further Detail
Business Formations
Business formation rates are used as a reliable indicator of entrepreneurship. In this
respect, the role of new business venture creation and entrepreneurship in stimulating
economic growth should not be underestimated. It has been argued that the continual
entry and exit of firms and plants is a vital ingredient to an economy. Often described as
“churn”, this process is seen as having a positive effect on productivity through increased
competition leading to cost efficiency. Further, it may enhance a process of creative
destruction as more innovative firms enter the market place and displace existing
businesses using old, or at best, current technologies.
Figure 6 tracks the count of business births and deaths in Babergh and presents a
calculation for the business formation rate. The business formation rate in terms of its
calculation can be viewed as the fertility rate of businesses. In the following table it is
calculated by dividing the number of business births by the total number of active
business in the area.
Figure 6 – Business Births and Deaths, 2009
In light of the above table, one can extrapolate that the business formation rate in
Babergh is roughly equivalent to the county average.
Percentage survival over time
Figure 7 – Business Survival Over Time of Businesses Registered in 2004
Figure 7 tracks the survival trajectory of new businesses in Babergh and compares it to
other districts. This quantitative analysis provides a good indication of the economic
2009 Births DeathsNet
ChangeActive
Business
Formation
Rate
Babergh 335 430 -95 3,990 8.4
Suffolk County 2,365 3,045 -680 27,985 8.45
Area 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year
Babergh 94.1 84.7 70.6 58.8 48.2
Forest Heath 92.2 76.6 62.5 51.6 42.2
Ipswich 96.9 80.6 67.3 54.1 48
Mid Suffolk 95.9 83.5 71.1 60.8 53.6
St Edmundsbury 95.9 79.6 66.3 57.1 48
Suffolk Coastal 93.7 80.3 67.7 55.9 48.8
Waveney 94.6 80.4 66.3 57.6 51.1
Page 11
environment in Babergh which might foster new businesses or have the opposite effect.
Drawing on the data in the table, it can be said that the survival rate of businesses after
five years from their start in Babergh is roughly at par with the county average (0.6%
lower). Note *- figure 7 follows the trajectory of new businesses which registered in
2004.
Enterprise Turnover
The Inter-Departmental Business Register (IDBR) is a list of UK businesses maintained
by ONS - it covers businesses in all parts of the economy, missing some very small
businesses operating without VAT or PAYE schemes (self employed and those with low
turnover and without employees) and some non-profit organisations, but overall
represents nearly 99 per cent of UK economic activity.
Figure 8 – Enterprise Turnover by SIC, 2009 IDBR
This breakdown of IDBR 2009 enterprise turnover shown in figure 8 is a good indicator
of the biggest industries in each district. Clearly in Babergh, the most significant
turnover came from enterprises classed as, according to the 2007 Standard Industrial
Classifications (SIC), ‘Wholesale and Retail Trade.’ ‘Construction’ and ‘manufacturing’
are also significant industries according to enterprise turnover in the district.
0
100000
200000
300000
400000
500000
600000
700000
Enterprise Turnover by Standard Industrial Classification
Page 12
LABOUR MARKET
Key Facts:
• Babergh had an employment rate of 71% of the working age population at the
end of quarter 3, 2010. Of these workers, 10% were self-employed
• In 2009, 15.2% of the workforce were employed in ‘skilled trade occupations’
• The biggest employment sector in the district is ‘manufacturing’
• Babergh had the lowest rate of unemployment in the county, at 2.4% in Sept
2010
• In February, 4.59% of the 16-18 population were classed as NEET
Why is this important?
The Labour Market – employment levels, employment by occupation and sector and
unemployment – are hugely important economic considerations. The labour market drives
the national and local economy encouraging growth in businesses and increases in
consumer spending. Suffolk aims to have a strong, growing and sustainable economy. One
of the main pre-requisites of achieving a sustainable economy is economic diversity
comprising of a wide range of profitable sectors. Economic diversity and sustainability
are linked together, and economic diversification can reduce a region’s economic volatility
and increase its real activity performance.
There has been a well documented rise in the number of unemployed people over recent
months and the continued squeeze on public sector service provision is likely to exacerbate
this problem over the course of the next financial year.
Links
www.nomisweb.co.uk provides a wealth of information on all aspects of the labour market
Page 13
Further Detail
Employment - Total Employment
Figure 9 gives details of the percentage of the working age population who were in
employment in the districts of Suffolk at the end of quarter 3 (September) 2010. This is
the most recently available data and shows that in Babergh, the employment rate is the
second lowest in the county at just 71%, some 3% below the county average and 9%
lower than Forest Heath which had the highest rate of total employment. The table also
gives the breakdown of employed and self-employed people.
Figure 9 - Total % of Working Age Population in Employment and Split between Employed and Self
Employed, Q03 2010, NOMIS
The time series data in figure 10 shows that levels of employment have been on a
downward trajectory since 2007.
Figure 10 - Total % of Working Age Population in Employment, NOMIS
Area% Total
Employment
% aged 16-64
who are
employees
% aged 16-64
who are self
employed
Babergh 71 61 10
Forest Heath 80 66 14
Ipswich 74 67 6
Mid Suffolk 77 58 18
St Edmundsbury 73 64 9
Suffolk Coastal 77 64 13
Waveney 67 57 9
Suffolk 74 62 11
*Figures may not sum due to rounding
66
68
70
72
74
76
78
80
82
Q01
2007
Q02
2007
Q03
2007
Q04
2007
Q01
2008
Q02
2008
Q03
2008
Q04
2008
Q01
2009
Q02
2009
Q03
2009
Q04
2009
Q01
2010
Q02
2010
Q03
2010
% of Working Age Population in Employment,
Babergh
Page 14
Between quarter 4 of 2008 and quarter 2 of 2009, there was a dramatic fall (down 7%
from 81% to 74%) in the percentage of those in employment, as the impact of the global
recession began to bite locally.
Employment by Occupation
A breakdown of employment by sector and occupation is a reasonable indication of the
economic diversity of Babergh. Any frame of analysis in this respect should, however,
take in to account data that relates to residence-based or a workplace-based breakdown.
The important difference here being that the workplace-place based employment
breakdown pertains to people working in the district regardless of where they live, while,
residence-based concerns the employment breakdown of people living in the district
regardless of where they work.
Figure 11 – Employment by Occupation 2009
Residence
Based
Workplace
Based
Jul 2009-Jun
2010
Jul 2009-Jun
2010
% all in employment who are - 1:
managers and senior officials14.4 13.7
% all in employment who are - 2:
professional occupations13.9 10.5
% all in employment who are - 3:
associate prof & tech occupations12.3 16.4
% all in employment who are - 4:
administrative and secretarial
occupations
7.8 5.9
% all in employment who are - 5:
skilled trades occupations15.2 16.6
% all in employment who are - 6:
personal service occupations7.8 11
% all in employment who are - 7:
sales and customer service
occupations
8.6 8.3
% all in employment who are - 8:
process, plant and machine
operatives
5.9 7.4
% all in employment who are - 9:
elementary occupations13.2 10.1
Type
Page 15
A glimpse at figure 11 reveals the composition of the Babergh workforce and its underlying
strengths and weaknesses. Among people who live in Babergh and those who work in Babergh
irrespective of where they live, the majority are classified under ‘skilled trades’ occupations at
15.2% and 16.6% respectively.
‘Process, plant and machine operatives’ turn out to comprise the lower share of the employment
breakdown at 5.9% residence based. While ‘administrative and secretarial’ occupations employ
fewest people at 5.9% in the workplace based figures.
Employment by Sector
Figure 12 – BRES 2009 Breakdown of Employment by Sector
Page 16
The Business Register and Employment Survey (BRES) has replaced and integrated two
existing ONS business surveys, the Annual Business Inquiry (ABI) and Business Register
Survey (BRS) and is a sample survey of approximately 80,000 businesses. It collects
comprehensive employment information from businesses in England, Scotland and Wales
representing the majority of the GB economy.
Figure 12 provides a breakdown of employment by sector for Babergh and also shows the
comparison for the whole county. It highlights that the biggest sector in terms of
employment in the district, is ‘manufacturing’ which employs 18.5% of workers (7% more
than the Suffolk average). The second biggest sector for employment is ‘retail’ at 12.2%
(1.5% higher than the Suffolk average). The ‘public administration and defence’ sector in
Babergh only employs 1.7% of people compared to 5% who are employed in this sector
county wide.
Note - *District level estimates do not include farm agriculture data due to their
unavailability.
Public/Private Sector Employment Breakdown
The BRES 2009 also provides an estimated breakdown of the percentage of total
employees who work in either the public or private sector. Figure 13 shows that Babergh
has the lowest percentage of employees working in the public sector across the whole
county at just 13%. This may mean that the local economy is better able to withstand
future cuts in public services and the inevitable job losses that will result.
Figure 13 – Public/Private Sector Employment by District, BRES 2009
Note - *District level estimates do not include farm agriculture data due to their
unavailability.
Public Private
Babergh 13% 87%
Forest Heath 15% 85%
Ipswich 30% 70%
Mid Suffolk 15% 86%
St Edmundsbury 22% 78%
Suffolk Coastal 16% 84%
Waveney 22% 78%
Area% Total employees
Page 17
Median Annual Earnings
Median annual earnings are available at a residents and workplace level. This allows us
to evaluate the median gross annual wages of people who live in the district but may work
outside of it, alongside the median gross annual wages of those who work in the district
but may live elsewhere. Residents based median analysis is the most common approach
as the median is the value below which 50% of employees fall. It is preferred over the
mean for earnings data as it is influenced less by extreme values and because of the
skewed distribution of earnings data. However, annual workplace based estimates are
also included below to provide a comparison.
Unfortunately, the resident based median annual earnings figures are deemed to be
statistically unreliable for Babergh in 2010. However, the workplace based figure stands
at £22,341. Figure 14 provides a comparative analysis of Babergh’s median annual
earnings with respect to other districts in Suffolk and the county and region overall. The
Babergh workplace based figures are £1,494 below the Suffolk county average and
£3,028 lower than the East of England average.
Figure 14 – 2010 Median Annual Earnings, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings
Weekly wages by gender
Figure 15 shows the residents based median weekly full time wage for men and women
for 2006-2010. It shows a big discrepancy in the average weekly wages for men
compared to women – in 2010, the weekly average for men was 45% higher than that for
women at £559.1 compared to £385.9.
District
Median Annual
Earnings: Full time
residents based (£)
Median Annual
Earnings: Full time
workplace based (£)
Babergh 0 22,341
Forest Heath 22,386 22,420
Ipswich 23,716 23,251
Mid Suffolk 23,446 21,260
St Edmundsbury 24,937 24,836
Suffolk Coastal 25,707 27,375
Waveney 22,944 22,322
Suffolk County 24,417 23,835
East of England 27,216 25,369
Page 18
Figure 15 – weekly gross full time wages by gender
Overall, since 2006 both men and women have seen increases in median gross weekly
wages. For men there was an increase of £96.30 which is 21% higher than the 2006
figure. For women the rise was much less significant at just £46 over the four year
period – a proportional increase of 14%.
Type 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
%
Increase
06-10
Male Full Time Weekly 462.8 527.8 518.4 502.3 559.1 21%
Female Full Time Weekly 339.9 342.4 354.7 385.1 385.9 14%
% Difference 36% 54% 46% 30% 45%
Median Gross Weekly Full Time Wage
Page 19
Unemployment - Annual Population Survey
The Annual Population Survey is the UK’s largest regular household survey and provides
an array of data on the labour market. As NOMIS explains ‘As APS estimates are based
on samples, they are subject to sampling variability. This means that if another sample for
the same period were drawn, a different estimate might be produced. In general, the
larger the number of people in a sample, the smaller the variation between estimates.
Estimates for smaller areas such as local authorities are therefore less reliable than those
for larger areas such as regions.’
As such, one can use the APS as an indicator of unemployment but there are also several
other measures that should be taken into account to build a richer picture of
unemployment trends in the district. These follow below.
Figure 16 – Unemployment by District based on Annual Population Survey Oct 2009 – Sept 2010,
NOMIS
Figure 16 shows the number of unemployed people according to APS survey data, for each of
Suffolk’s districts. This definition of unemployment counts people without a job who were
available to start work in the two weeks following their APS interview and who had either looked
for work in the four weeks prior to interview or were waiting to start a job they had already
obtained. It shows that Babergh has the lowest rate of unemployment in the county, at
2.4% it is well below the county average of 6.6%.
Job Seekers Allowance Claimant Trends
Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) is the main benefit for working age people who are out of
work and actively seeking employment. As such, it is a better indicator of the number of
unemployed people in an area and as it is measured monthly, of regular long term trends
in unemployment. In order to be eligible for JSA an individual must declare that they are
number percent
Babergh 900 2.4
Forest Heath 1,900 5.4
Ipswich 5,900 9.3
Mid Suffolk 2,900 5.8
St Edmundsbury 4,800 9.3
Suffolk Coastal 4,400 7.1
Waveney 2,500 5.0
Suffolk 23,200 6.6
Unemployment rate - aged
16-64Area
Page 20
out of work but capable of, available for and actively seeking work during the week in
which the claim is made.
Figure 17 – JSA Claimants Trends, Dec 10 – Jan 11, NOMIS
Figure 17 shows the most recently available JSA data for each of Suffolk’s districts. It
shows that the number of people claiming JSA in each district has increased over the last
three months. However, Babergh has a relatively low rate of JSA claimants at 2.3%
compared to the countywide rate of 3%.
Note - Residence-based proportions express the number of claimants resident in an area
as a percentage of the population aged 16-64 resident in that area.
Figure 18 – Total JSA Claimant by Month 2007-2011, District of Babergh
Number Rate Number Rate Number Rate
Babergh 1,030 2.0 1,146 2.2 1,179 2.3
Forest Heath 829 2.1 907 2.3 906 2.3
Ipswich 3,486 4.2 3,728 4.5 3,850 4.6
Mid Suffolk 1,038 1.8 1,090 1.9 1,122 1.9
St Edmundsbury 1,443 2.2 1,531 2.4 1,563 2.4
Suffolk Coastal 1,323 1.8 1,409 1.9 1,410 1.9
Waveney 2,864 4.1 3,232 4.6 3,260 4.6
Suffolk 12,013 2.7 13,043 3.0 13,290 3.0
AreaDec-10 Jan-11 Feb-11
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
01-07
03-07
05-07
07-07
09-07
11-07
01-08
03-08
05-08
07-08
09-08
11-08
01-09
03-09
05-09
07-09
09-09
11-09
01-10
03-10
05-10
07-10
09-10
11-10
01-11
Number of People Claiming Job Seekers Allowance, Babergh
District 2007-2011
Page 21
Figure 18 shows the variation in total monthly JSA claimants for the district of Babergh
between 2007 - 2011. It shows an upward trend sparked by an increase in claimants in
mid-2008 up to a peak in March 2009. Although the number of claimants has since
dropped off it is still considerably higher than at the start of 2007. This reflects what we
know of the pressures on the labour market since the 2008 financial crisis and it is likely
that as public sector cuts continue to take effect in 2011, that the JSA claimant count
will continue on its upward trajectory.
Finally, figure 19 provides an overview of the change in full year average claimant count
rates from 2008-2011. It provides a clearer picture of the peak in the claimant count in
2009-10 when the full year average number of people claiming rose by 26% on 2008/09
levels in Babergh. 2010-11 has seen a relatively large drop in claimants compared to the
2009-10 peak with a fall of 20% but that still means a 6% increase in the FY average in
2010-11 compared to the 2008-09 average.
Figure 19 – Full Year Average JSA Claimant Count by District, 2008 and 2009
Economic Inactivity
Economic inactivity is a measure of people who are neither in employment nor
unemployed. This group includes, for example, all those who were looking after a
household or retired. Within this category there are further sub-categories – people not in
employment who want a job but are not classed as unemployed because they have either
not sought work in the last four weeks or are not available to start work and people who
are neither in employment nor unemployed and who do not want a job.
AreaFY Average
2008-09
FY Average
2009-10
FY Average
2010-11
% Change
since 2008
% Change since
2009
Babergh 871 1,374 1,096 26% -20%
Forest Heath 611 1,016 883 44% -13%
Ipswich 2,799 3,848 3,629 30% -6%
Mid Suffolk 815 1,211 1,095 34% -10%
St Edmundsbury 1,265 1,813 1,477 17% -19%
Suffolk Coastal 983 1,506 1,336 36% -11%
Waveney 2,244 2,865 2,820 26% -2%
Suffolk 9,588 13,634 12,336 29% -10%
East of England 76,550 120,268 108,317 41% -10%
Page 22
Figure 20 – Economic Inactivity by District, 2009-2010, NOMIS
Babergh has the second highest percentage of working age population who are
economically inactive in the county at 26.9% - 6% higher than the county average. Of
these, only 7.6% are economically inactive but want a job. The majority of economically
inactive people (19.3%) do not want a job which suggests there are a high number of
retired people in the district or home-makers.
Young People not in Education, Employment or Training
NEET data provides us with figures on the proportion of 16-18 year olds not in
education, employment or training. Many young people who are NEET at this age go on
to experience associated negative outcomes in their adult lives such as long term
unemployment, reduced earnings and even poor health. These consequences have a
significant cost for both the individual and the economy and thus, it is important to
monitor any significant increases in the number of young people classed as NEET and for
local agencies to plan policy to reverse such trends accordingly.
Figure 21 – % 16-18 Population NEET
Figure 21 shows the percentage of 16-18 population of Babergh that were classed as
NEET between August 2010 and February 2011. It shows that there has actually been
a fall of over a third in the percentage of NEET youngsters down 2.48% from 7.07% to
4.59% in February.
% who are
economically
inactive - aged
16-64
% aged 16-64
who are
economically
inactive - want a
job
% aged 16-64
who are
economically
inactive - do not
want a jobBabergh 26.9 7.6 19.3
Forest Heath 15.8 ! 13.7
Ipswich 18.6 6.0 12.6
Mid Suffolk 18.3 3.4 14.9
St Edmundsbury 19.2 6.4 12.8
Suffolk Coastal 17.4 5.9 11.5
Waveney 29.4 6.7 22.7
Suffolk 20.9 5.6 15.3
Oct 2009 - Sept 2010
Area
08-10 09-10 10-10 11-10 12-10 01-11 02-11
Babergh 7.07 4.35 4.91 4.42 4.41 2.09 4.59
NamesNEET % 16-18 Population
Page 23
BENEFITS
Key Facts:
• Babergh has the fourth lowest number of benefit claimants in Suffolk
• 3.8% of the population in Babergh have been claiming benefits for more than 5
years
• Males in Babergh claim more benefits than women - 11.9% of men compared to
11.5% of women.
Why is this important?
Data on the number of people claiming benefits in a given area is a good indication of the
overall state of the local economy. Benefit payments are designed to support people in
economic hardship if they are unable to find work particularly if they are sick, have a low
income or dependent children.
In times of economic hardship when unemployment levels are increasing, there is likely
to be an increase in the number of people claiming out of work benefits, for example Job
Seekers Allowance.
Links
www.nomisweb.co.uk provides extensive data on benefit claimants at District level.
Page 24
Further Detail
The following charts and tables display the percentage of the resident working age
population claiming any type of benefit broken down by gender and duration. At the
moment, the most recent official publication of benefits claimants data corresponds to the
second quarter (July to September) of 2010. Population figures used to calculate the
percentages are the latest official population estimates (2009 mid-year population
estimates).
Figure 23 - % of Population Claiming Any Benefit, Q2/2006-2010
Babergh currently has the fourth lowest percentage of people claiming benefits in
comparison to the other districts in the county. From figure 23 we can see that Babergh
is, on average, 2% lower than the Suffolk county average. The number of people
claiming benefits saw a sharp jump in Babergh in 2009 when the percentage of the
population claiming increased by 2%. Since then the number of claimants has been
decreasing gradually though still remains significantly higher than in 2008.
Since 2009, the percentage of claimants who are men exceeds the percentage of female
claimants, although the opposite is true for the previous years as shown in figure 24.
Overall, in Babergh in quarter 2 of 2010, 11.9% of men compared to 11.5% of women
claimed a benefit. This is in line with the overall trend in Suffolk where the number of
men claiming benefits has been increasing.
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
% of Population Claiming Any Benefit, Q2 2006 - 2010
Babergh Suffolk
Page 25
Figure 24 – Population Claiming Any Benefit by Gender, Q2/2006-2010
The number of benefits claimants who claim for more than 5 years is a good reflection of
the long term dependency for support from the government in a given area. The average
percentage of long term claimants in Babergh at 3.8%, is consistently lower than Suffolk
county figure which ranges between 4.4% - 4.5%.
Figure 25 - % of Population Claiming Benefits for more than 5 Years
Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female
Babergh 8.1 8.7 8.2 8.8 8.3 8.8 10.7 9.7 10.1 9.5
Forest Heath 6.3 8.3 6.4 8.3 6.8 8.2 8.5 9.1 8.4 9.4
Ipswich 14.4 14.7 13.9 14.6 14.2 14.4 16.7 15.2 16.5 15.4
Mid Suffolk 6.9 8.2 6.7 8.0 7.1 7.8 8.7 8.4 8.3 8.5
St Edmundsbury 8.3 9.6 8.2 9.6 8.4 9.7 10.6 10.2 9.8 10.3
Suffolk Coastal 8.0 8.9 7.8 8.6 8.0 8.6 9.6 9.1 9.4 9.1
Waveney 15.6 15.2 15.1 14.8 15.2 14.5 17.1 15.3 17.5 15.3
Suffolk 10.1 10.9 9.9 10.8 10.2 10.7 12.2 11.4 11.9 11.5
Area Q2-2009 Q2-2010
Percentage of Resident Population Claiming Benefits
Q2-2006 Q2-2007 Q2-2008
Q2-2006 Q2-2007 Q2-2008 Q2-2009 Q2-2010
Babergh 3.8 3.9 3.8 3.9 3.8
Forest Heath 2.9 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.1
Ipswich 5.9 5.8 5.8 5.7 5.7
Mid Suffolk 3.2 3.1 3.1 3.1 3.2
St Edmundsbury 3.7 3.7 3.8 3.8 3.9
Suffolk Coastal 3.7 3.7 3.7 3.7 3.8
Waveney 6.6 6.6 6.6 6.6 6.7
Suffolk 4.4 4.4 4.4 4.5 4.5
AreaClaimants for longer than 5 years
Percentage of Resident Population Claiming
Benefits
Page 26
SKILLS
Key Facts:
• 9.76% of the working age population of Babergh have no qualifications
• 23.08% of the working age population have NVQ 4 e.g. HND, Degree and
Higher Degree level qualifications or equivalent
• In 2009, 72% of key stage 4 pupils in Babergh achieved 5 or more GC.S.E’s at
grades A*-C
Why is this important?
A skilled workforce is an essential part of any thriving economy – successful businesses
need a pool of employees to choose from with a range of skills to support their business
needs. In turn, in order for individuals to compete in an increasingly competitive and
pressurised jobs market, they need to possess an array of skills in order to stand out from
the crowd. This section looks at the skills of the current workforce and educational
attainment of school children.
Links
www.nomisweb.co.uk provides extensive data on benefit claimants at District level.
Page 27
Further Detail
Working Age Population Qualifications
Figure 26 shows the most recent 2009 data on the qualifications of the working age
population of Babergh and the other six districts of Suffolk. The variables show the total
percentage of people who are qualified at a particular level and above, so data in this
table are not additive.
Figure 26 – Qualifications of the Working Age Population
Figure 27 – Qualification comparison, Babergh/Suffolk
It tells us that nearly 80% of the population have one or more NVQ’s i.e. fewer than 5
GCSEs at grades A-C, foundation GNVQ, NVQ 1, intermediate 1 national qualification
(Scotland) or equivalent. This is 2.21% below the Suffolk average. Only 9.76% of the
District population are without any form of qualification. The percentage of the working
Names
% Working
Age
Population
with
NVQ1+
% Working
Age
Population
with
NVQ2+
% Working
Age
Population
with
NVQ3+
% Working
Age
Population
with
NVQ4+
% Working
Age
Population
with no quals
% Working
Age
Population
with other
quals.
Babergh 78.99 59.29 39.78 23.08 9.76 11.45
Forest Heath 78.29 48.54 31.95 17.81 12.44 9.27
Ipswich 78.66 59.38 41.92 22.90 11.51 9.83
Mid Suffolk 81.97 66.61 48.08 29.88 9.52 8.51
St Edmundsbury 82.45 66.77 49.53 28.68 7.84 9.72
Suffolk Coastal 86.88 70.74 52.49 27.56 6.04 7.09
Waveney 79.43 59.29 45.43 18.57 13.29 7.14
Suffolk 81.20 62.30 45.10 24.30 9.90 8.90
78.99 81.20
59.29 62.30
39.78 45.10
23.08 24.309.76 9.9011.45 8.90
0%
50%
100%
Babergh Suffolk
Skills Comparison - Babergh/Suffolk
% Working Age Population
with other qualifications
% Working Age Population
with no qualifications
% Working Age Population
with NVQ4+
% Working Age Population
with NVQ3+
% Working Age Population
with NVQ2+
% Working Age Population
with NVQ1+
Page 28
age population with NVQ 4 equivalent and above i.e. HND, Degree and Higher Degree
level qualifications or equivalent, is 23.08% in Babergh.
G.C.S.E Attainment
Attainment at G.C.S.E level Key stage 4 in Suffolk is a topic of interest as attainment
levels are often perceived to be poorer than the regional or national averages. Figure 28
shows that this is not the case in Babergh where in 2009, 72% of pupils achieved 5 or
more G.C.S.E’s at grades A*-C which is 5% higher than the county average.
Figure 28 – Key Stage 4 Attainment 2009
Babergh 72
Suffolk 67
Key Stage 4 Attainment 2009
% achieving 5+ GCSEs at grade A*-C
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The majority of the data included in this profile is sourced from the
Suffolk Observatory (www.suffolkobservatory.info).
Additional information has been sourced from NOMIS
(www.nomisweb.co.uk), the Office for National Statistics
(www.statistics.gov.uk), CACI (www.caci.co.uk) and Suffolk County
Council (www.suffolk.gov.uk).
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in
this profile is correct— where any mistakes exist, this is purely
accidental and will be rectified in due course.
If you would like further information about this profile please contact
Liz Harrison - [email protected]
Page 29