Flow Data Information System

1991 Census: SMSGAPS Migration data

The 1991 SMS refer to counts of individuals who were in existence 12 months before the Census and who were resident at a different usual residence on 21 April 1991 to that a year previously.

SMSGAPS data are counts derived from a subset of SMS Set 2 containing migration flows within and between districts in Great Britain. There were 459 districts in 1991 (366 in England, 37 in Wales and 56 in Scotland).

All the 1991 SMS data have been derived from the 100% sample and include imputed households. However, OPCS suppressed certain migrant data in the SMS Set 2 in order to ensure confidentiality. Tables 1 and 2 contain unsuppressed counts. However, the imposition of suppression thresholds means that many smaller flows are not available in Tables 3-10. Phil Rees and Oliver Duke-Williams have estimated data for suppressed flows using various estimation methods outlined in a paper in the International Journal of Population Geography (Rees and Duke-Williams, 1997).

Users can choose from counts organised into 11 tables. Tables 1 and 2 contain the unsuppressed flow of migrants by age and sex and of wholly moving households and residents within them. Tables 3-7 contain estimated counts of migrants by age, marital status and sex, ethnic group, long term limiting illness, and economic position. Tables 8-9 contain counts of wholly moving households, by tenure, and sex and economic position of head of household. Table 10 contains estimated counts of residents in wholly moving households. Table 11 contains the Gaelic and Welsh speaking migrants.

References

Flowerdew, R. and Green, A. (1993) Migration, transport and workplace statistics from the 1991 Census, in Dale, A. and Marsh, C. (eds) The 1991 Census User's Guide, HMSO, London: 269-94.

Rees, P.H. and Duke-Williams, O. (1995) The story of the British Special Migration Statistics, Scottish Geographical Magazine, 11: 13-26.

Rees, P.H. and Duke-Williams, O. (1997) Methods for estimating missing data on migrants in the 1991 British Census, International Journal of Population Geography, 3: 323-368.

Citation information

The following statements should be attached to all output produced using this data set

Data from this set should be cited in a bibliography as:

Office for National Statistics, 1991 Census: SMSGAPS Migration data [computer file], UK Data Service

Further information

This data type is derived from:

The following pre-defined totals are available from this data set:

There are 13 tables defined for this data set:

The data are available for the following geographies:

Geographies of origin areasGeographies of destination areas
Supported directly
[i]GB Districts 1991
[i]CIDS 1991/2001 common geography - 'intermediate'
[i]CIDS 1991/2001 common geography - 'city regions'
[i]1991SMS Foreign origins
[i]GB Standard Regions 1991
[i]CIDS 1991/2001 common geography - 'districts'
[i]GB Counties 1991
[i]1991SMS Counties
[i]CIDS 1991/2001 common geography - '100 zones'
[i]1991SMS Misc. origin totals		[i]GB Districts 1991
[i]CIDS 1991/2001 common geography - 'intermediate'
[i]CIDS 1991/2001 common geography - 'city regions'
[i]GB Standard Regions 1991
[i]CIDS 1991/2001 common geography - 'districts'
[i]GB Counties 1991
[i]1991SMS Counties
[i]CIDS 1991/2001 common geography - '100 zones'
[i]1991SMS Misc. destination totals
Supported via aggregation
[i]GB Countries 1991
[i]Foreign origins - broad groups
[i]GB Standard Region Urban / Rural components
[i]DETR 99 zone system
[i]Great Britain		[i]GB Countries 1991
[i]GB Standard Region Urban / Rural components
[i]DETR 99 zone system
[i]Great Britain

Output for geographies that are only supported via aggregation will take longer than for those supported directly

Table frameworks


Table 1: All migrants: age (5 broad age groups) by sex
Male Female
1-15 1 2
16-29 3 4
30-44 5 6
44-Pens. age 7 8
Pens. age+ 9 10

Table 2: Wholly Moving Households and residents in Wholly Moving Households: counts
Wholly Moving Households Residents in Wholly Moving Households
Count 1 2

Table 3: All migrants: age (5 year groups) by sex
Male Female
1-4 1 2
5-9 3 4
10-14 5 6
15 7 8
16-19 9 10
20-24 11 12
25-29 13 14
30-34 15 16
35-39 17 18
40-44 19 20
45-49 21 22
50-54 23 24
55-59 25 26
60-64 27 28
65-69 29 30
70-74 31 32
75-79 33 34
80-84 35 36
85+ 37 38

Table 4: All migrants: marital status by sex
Single Married Widowed / Divorced
Male 1 2 3
Female 4 5 6

Table 5: All migrants: ethnic group
White Black groups Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi Chinese and Other
Count 1 2 3 4

Table 6: All migrants: whether resident in households by whether suffering from limiting long term illness
With limiting long term illness Without limiting long term illness
In households 1 2
Not in households 3 4

Table 7: All migrants aged 16+: economic position
Self employed Other employed Unemployed Retired Student (in act) Other inactive Student (active)
Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Table 8: Wholly Moving Households: tenure
Owner occupied Rented from LA/New Town Other Rented
Count 1 2 3

Table 8S: Wholly Moving Households: tenure
Owner occupied Rented from LA Rented from NT/Scottish Homes Other Rented
Count 1 2 3 4

Table 9: Wholly Moving Households: sex and economic position of head
Sex of head of household Economic position of head of household
Male Female Self employed Other employed Unemployed Retired Other inactive
Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Table 10: Residents in Wholly Moving Households: sex and economic position of head
Sex of head of household Economic position of head of household
Male Female Self employed Other employed Unemployed Retired Other inactive
Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Table 11S: All migrants: Gaelic speakers
Migrants resident in Scotland who speak Gaelic
Count 1

Table 11W: All migrants: Welsh speakers
Migrants resident in Wales who speak Welsh
Count 1