White British
White British is an ethnicity classification used in the 2011 United Kingdom Census. In the 2011 census, the White British population was 51,736,290, 81.9% of the UK total population.
Census classifications
For the 2011 census, in England and Wales, the White British self-classification option included the subcategories of White English, White Welsh, White Scottish and White Northern Irish. In Scotland, the White British category was broken down into two different categories: White Scottish and Other White British. In Northern Ireland, the White British classification did not appear, the only choice being 'White'.The 2011 census for England, Wales and Scotland also included additional White ethnic classifications of White Irish, Irish Traveller and White Other. There were calls for the 2011 national census in England and Wales to include an extra subcategory so people could identify their ethnic group as Cornish.
Demographics
Population and distribution
The White British census classification have their ages more evenly distributed in their population pyramid and have the highest per cent female population of all ethnic-based classifications. The following numbers were based on the 2011 census conducted in each country. In England and Wales, about per cent of the White British classification are between the ages of 16 and 64 while about per cent are under 16 and per cent are over 64. All other census classifications have a higher percentage of their population under 16 and a lower percentage over 64. Of those aged 65 or over, White British are per cent male and per cent female, making them have the lowest per cent male population among all census classifications defined as "ethnic" in the census.In Scotland, about per cent of the White British classification are between the ages of 16 and 64 while about per cent are under 16 and per cent are over 64. Of those aged 65 or over, White British are per cent male and per cent female, the same percentages as in England and Wales.
In Northern Ireland, about per cent of the White classification are between the ages of 16 and 24 while about per cent are under 16 and per cent are over 24. Of those aged 25 or over, white people are per cent male and per cent female.
According to the 2011 UK Census results, White British people make up the largest percentage of the population in rural areas, such as Allerdale and Copeland in Cumbria, Ryedale in North Yorkshire, North Norfolk and North Devon. Cities across the UK regions with high White British populations include Swansea, Wales, Kingston Upon Hull, England, Plymouth, Darlington, England, Belfast, Norwich,, Chelmsford and Lichfield, England. Within London, Havering has the highest White British percentage with 83.3%, followed by Bromley with 77.4%, Bexley with 77.3% and Richmond upon Thames with 71.4%.
Since the 2011 UK Census was returned, London contains by far the lowest percentage of English and other White British people of all the UK regions, where they make up less than half of the population in 24 of the 32 boroughs, including: Newham, Brent, Ealing, Harrow, Tower Hamlets, Westminster and Hackney. The city with the lowest White British population as a percentage is Leicester. The unitary authority with the lowest White British percentage is Slough, followed by Luton.
| UK Region | ‡White British population | Percentage of local population | Year |
| Northern Ireland | 1,738,604 | 96.0% | 2011 |
| Scotland | 4,863,000 | 91.9% | 2011 |
| Wales | 2,855,450 | 93.2% | 2011 |
| North East England | 2,431,423 | 93.6% | 2011 |
| South West England | 4,855,676 | 91.8% | 2011 |
| North West England | 6,141,069 | 87.1% | 2011 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 4,531,137 | 85.8% | 2011 |
| East of England | 4,986,170 | 85.3% | 2011 |
| East Midlands | 3,871,146 | 85.4% | 2011 |
| South East England | 7,358,998 | 85.2% | 2011 |
| West Midlands | 4,434,333 | 79.2% | 2011 |
| Greater London | 3,669,284 | 44.9% | 2011 |
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Economic status and education
According to official UK Government figures from 2016, the employment rate for White British people stood at 75%, with the overall employment rate in the UK standing at 74%. UK Government figures also demonstrate that 31% of White British people work in professional and managerial occupations, higher than the Mixed, Pakistani/Bangladeshi and Black groups, but lower than the Indian ethnic group.At GCSE level, official UK Government statistics state that 63% of White British pupils attained A* to C grades in English and Mathematics in the 2015–16 academic year, higher than Black Caribbean and Pakistani pupils, but lower than Bangladeshi, Indian and Chinese pupils. According to a report by the Sutton Trust, "White working class pupils achieve the lowest grades at GCSE of any main ethnic group, with just a quarter of boys and a third of girls achieving 5 good GCSEs."
At A-Level, in the 2015–16 academic year, 11% of White British pupils achieved at least 3 'A' grades at A-Level; the only major ethnic groups to achieve the same benchmark at a higher rate were Indian and Chinese pupils.