From Real Time Economics:
How’s this for an unsurprising statistic? People in England are more likely to get work if they can speak English.
The not-so-shocking nugget of information was published Wednesday by the Office for National Statistics, following analysis of the 2011 census, a once-a-decade survey of the population.
Admittedly, statistics often confirm things we already know. The ONS report at least gives some pretty specific figures on how important it is to command the U.K.’s official language when seeking a job.
Of the 46 million adults in England and Wales who filled in the 2011 census, 1.7% — just under 800,000 people — spoke English “not well” or “not at all.”* They were at a significant disadvantage in finding a job, with an employment rate of 48%, compared with 65% for those who have picked up a decent level of English and 72% for whom it is their main language.
The ONS is seeking to strip down the number of data releases it publishes in an attempt to cut costs as part of the U.K. government’s austerity drive. A one-off release such as this, which mostly confirms the obvious, might raise eyebrows....MORE
