Civilian personnel biannual diversity dashboard report 1 October 2021
Published 2 December 2021
© Crown copyright 2021
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Introduction
This bulletin examines data relating to MOD Diversity statistics. It is produced as part of the transparency and accountability of the Ministry of Defence to Parliament and the Public.
The Information in this Bulletin has a wide range of users including the media, politicians, academic researchers and the general public who use the information to:
• understand the size and distribution of core MOD organisations by individual diversity categories
• assist in understanding the effect of changes in Defence policy, for instance changes to diversity analysis within recruiting
In the report we will analyse the current diversity range within core MOD.
Core MOD – Entities within the MOD Departmental Boundary based on civilians with active personnel records on the Human Resources Management System (HRMS) within a MOD Main TLB.
This data excludes personnel in organisations with delegated personnel functions, UK Hydrographic, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Defence Nuclear Organisation (including Submarine Delivery Agency), Defence Electronic Components Agency and Defence and Equipment Trading Entity.
Main Points and Trends
Female representation rate at 1 October 2021, 44.3 %, this is a rise of 2.3 percentage points compared with 1 October 2017.
Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) representation rate at 1 October 2021, 6.4 %, this is a rise of 1.9 percentage points compared with 1 October 2017.
Lesbian, Gay & Bisexual (LGB) representation rate at 1 October 2021, 3.2 %, this is a rise of 1.0 percentage points compared with 1 October 2017.
Disability representation rate at 1 October 2021, 11.9 %, comparable with 1 October 2019.
Part-time personnel representation rate at 1 October 2021, 10.8 %, comparable with 1 October 2017.
Religion & Faith representation rate at 1 October 2021, the proportion of MOD Main civilian personnel who self-declared as Christian was 58.2 %. This is a fall of 9.5 percentage points compared with 1 October 2017.
The proportion who self-declared as Non-Christian was 5.9 %, a rise of 0.6 percentage points compared with 1 October 2017. The proportion who self-declared as Secular was 36.0 %, a rise of 8.9 percentage points
Average Age at 1 October 2021, 47.7 years, this is a reduction of 0.4 years compared with 1 October l 2017.
Summary Within the reported age bands distribution there was a higher proportion of female, BAME, LGB, Non-Christian, Secular and Non-Disabled personnel for age bands 16 to 29 up to 40 to 49 years of age with this trend reversing for age bands 50 years and over. Results are indicative and not confirmed by statistical testing. —————————————————————————————————————————————
Definitions
Declaration Rates: Ethnic background, disability, religion and sexual orientation are self-declared. Therefore, representation rates are calculated from known declarations and exclude ‘choose not declare’ and ‘unknown’.
MOD Main Civilian Personnel: Includes staff in Top Level Budgetary Areas (TLBs). Excludes: Trading funds, DE&S Bespoke Trading Entity, Executive Agency, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and Locally engaged civilians (LECs).
Figure 1 – Age Distribution of Civilian Personnel at 1 October 2021
Figure 1 age band distribution shows that over one third of MOD main personnel 36.8%, are between the ages of 50-59. Under one quarter 20.9 % of personnel are aged 40-49 leaving ages 16-29 with 10.0%, 30-39 with 16.8%, and ages 60 & over with 15.5%.
Gender Representation
Table 2 – Female Representation of MOD Main Civilian Personnel, as at 1 October 2017 to 1 October 2021
| Oct-17 | Oct-18 | Oct-19 | Oct-20 | Oct-21 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Headcount | 15,300 | 15,290 | 15,760 | 16,130 | 16,730 |
| Proportion of total (%) | 42.0 | 42.9 | 43.0 | 43.8 | 44.3 |
Age Band Charts : Charts by age band for each diversity category have been compiled on the basis of within band analysis. For instance, the female group at each age band is split by all civilian MOD female staff and multiplied by 100 to get the percentage of the distribution. This means that the female proportions split by age will add up to 100%.
Figure 2a – Female Representation of MOD Main Civilian Personnel Within Age Bands, as at 1 October 2021
Age Group Distribution
Within figure 2a the reported age band distribution there was a higher proportion of female personnel for age groups 16 to 29 up to 40 to 49 years of age at 54.1% compared to the equivalent male population at 42.6%, with this trend reversing for age groups 50 years and over. This indicates that overall female personnel are likely to be younger than their male counterparts.
Grade Band Charts: Charts by grade band for each diversity category have been compiled on the basis of across group analysis. For instance, the female group at each grade is split by all MOD female staff, and the result multiplied by 100 to get the percentage of the distribution. This means that female and male proportions split by grade will add to 100%.
Figure 2b – Female Representation of MOD Main Civilian Personnel by Grade, as at 1 October 2021
Grade Band Distribution
Figure 2b shows that for grade bands SCS to D the proportion of female personnel at each grade band has increased, with the largest increase in SCS at 8.5 percentage points, with the band E population reducing slightly and the Industrial proportion remaining comparable.
Industrial Personnel: Civilian personnel employed primarily in a trade, craft or other manual labour occupation. This covers a wide range of work such as industrial technicians, air freight handlers, storekeepers, vergers and drivers.
Ethnicity Representation
Table 3 – BAME Representation of MOD Main Civilian Personnel, as at 1 October 2017 to 1 October 2021
| Oct-17 | Oct-18 | Oct-19 | Oct-20 | Oct-21 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Headcount | 1,340 | 1,340 | 1,680 | 1,860 | 2,100 |
| Proportion of total (%) | 4.6 | 4.8 | 5.4 | 5.9 | 6.4 |
Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) : BAME is the currently used terminology, as a collective descriptor for non-white citizens, across Whitehall, other public sector bodies and the third sector, as well as among civil service race staff networks and their cross-Whitehall umbrella body, the Civil Service Race Forum. See also Ethnic Origin.
Ethnic Origin : The ethnic grouping to which a person has indicated that they belong. The classifications used were revised for the 2001 Census of Population when a classification of nationality was also collected.
Figure 3a – BAME and White Personnel Distribution Within Age Bands, as at 1 October 2021
Age Group Distribution
Within figure 3a the reported age band distribution there was a higher proportion of BAME personnel and personnel with no ethnic origin declaration for age bands 16 to 29 up to 40 to 49 years of age at 60.1% compared to the equivalent white population at 45.2%, with this trend reversing for age bands 50 years and over.
Figure 3b – BAME and White Personnel Distributions by Grade, as at 1 October 2021
Grade Band Distribution
Within figure 3b, the distribution of BAME and White personnel across grade was broadly similar for all Non-industrial grades, with a higher proportion of BAME personnel at Band B. The proportion of White personnel who were Industrial was 9.4% compared with 4.5% for BAME personnel.
Sexual Orientation Representation
Lesbian, Gay & Bisexual (LGB): The term referring to those who self-identify their sexual orientation as being other than Heterosexual, including, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and other orientations. Transgender people may or may not identify as one of these orientations.
Table 4 – LGB Representation of MOD Main Civilian Personnel, as at 1 October 2017 to 1 October 2021
| Oct-17 | Oct-18 | Oct-19 | Oct-20 | Oct-21 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Headcount | 490 | 510 | 750 | 800 | 940 |
| Proportion of total (%) | 2.1 | 2.3 | 2.7 | 2.8 | 3.2 |
Figure 4a – Comparison of LGB and Heterosexual Personnel Distributions Within Age Bands, as at 1 October 2021
Age Group Distribution
Within the reported age band distribution in figure 4a there was a higher proportion of LGB personnel and personnel with no sexual orientation declaration for age bands 16 to 29 up to 30 to 39 years of age at 51.9% compared to the equivalent heterosexual population at 25.3%, with this trend reversing for age bands 30 to 39 years and over.
Figure 4b – Comparison of LGB and Heterosexual Personnel Distributions by Grade, as at 1 October 2021
Grade Band Distribution
As shown in figure 4b at 1 October 2021, the distribution of LGB and Heterosexual personnel across grade was broadly similar for all Non-industrial and Industrial grades.
Religion and Belief Representation
Christian: Includes personnel who self-identify their religion as any Christian denomination or following a religion which follows a Christian tradition.
Non-Christian: Includes all personnel who self-identify their religion, belief or faith as any which is not Christian. This includes those who have self-identified as Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, Kirati, Muslim, Sikh or any other religious belief which is not Christian.
Secular: Includes personnel who have self-identified as having no religion or any other beliefs (e.g. humanist).
Figure 5a – Comparison of Religion / Belief Group Distributions Within Age Bands, as at 1 October 2021
Age Group Distribution
Within figure 5a the reported age band distribution there was a higher proportion of Non-Christian personnel, secular personnel and personnel with no religion or faith declaration for age bands 16 to 29 up to 40 to 49 years of age compared to the equivalent Christian population, with this trend reversing for age bands 50 years and over.
Figure 5b – Comparison of Religion / Belief Group Distributions by Grade, as at 1 October 2021
Grade Band Distribution
As shown in figure 5b at October 2021, the distribution of Religion / Belief group distributions across grade was broadly similar for all Non-industrial and Industrial grades.
Disability Representation
Table 6 – Disability Representation of MOD Main Civilian Personnel, as at 1 October 2017 to October 2021
| Oct-17 | Oct-18 | Oct-19 | Oct-20 | Oct-21 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Headcount | 2,420 | 2,600 | 3,190 | 3,370 | 3,490 |
| Proportion of total (%) | * | * | 11.9 | 12.2 | 11.9 |
Figure 6a – Comparison of Disabled and Non-disabled Personnel Distributions Within Age Bands, as at 1 October 2021
Age Group Distribution
Figure 6a shows that within the reported age band distribution there was a higher proportion of Non-Disabled personnel and personnel with no active disability declaration for age bands 16 to 29 up to 40 to 49 years of age at 47.1 compared to the equivalent population declared as disabled 40.8, with this trend reversing for age bands 50 years and over.
Figure 6b – Comparison of Disabled and Non-disabled Personnel Distributions by Grade, as at 1 October 2021
Grade Band Distribution
As shown in figure 6b at October 2021, the distribution of Disabled and Non-disabled personnel across grade was broadly similar for all Non-industrial and Industrial grades.
Full Time and Part Time Representation
Full-time : Civil servants are those working 37 hours a week, excluding meal breaks.
Part-time: Civil servants are those working fewer than 37 hours a week, excluding meal breaks.
Table 7 – Part-Time Representation of MOD Main Civilian Personnel, as at 1 October 2017 to 1 October 2021
| Oct-17 | Oct-18 | Oct-19 | Oct-20 | Oct-21 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Headcount | 4,140 | 4,140 | 4,210 | 4,130 | 4,100 |
| Proportion of total (%) | 11.4 | 11.6 | 11.5 | 11.2 | 10.8 |
Figure 7a – Comparison of Part-Time and Full-time Personnel Distributions Within Age Bands, as at 1 October 2021
Age Group Distribution
Within the reported age band distribution there was a higher proportion of Part Time personnel for age bands 30 to 39, 40 to 49 and 60 and over years of age, with the largest comparable Full Time populations aged 16 to 29 or 50 to 59 years of age.
Figure 7b – Comparison of Part-Time and Full-time Personnel Distributions by Grade, as at 1 October 2021
Grade Band Distribution
As shown in figure 7b at 1 October 2021, the distribution of Part-time and Full-time personnel across grade was broadly similar for Non-Industrial grades. The proportion of Full-time personnel who were Industrial is 9.7% compared with 4.9% for Part-time personnel.
Age Distribution
Table 8 – Average Age of MOD Main Civilian Personnel, as at 1 October 2017 to 1 October 2021
| Oct-17 | Oct-18 | Oct-19 | Oct-20 | Oct-21 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Headcount | 36,410 | 35,640 | 36,680 | 36,790 | 37,760 |
| Average Age (years) | 48.1 | 48.1 | 47.9 | 47.9 | 47.7 |
Age Group Distribution
Almost two fifths 36.8% of MOD Main personnel were aged 50 – 59 years of age as at 1 October 2021, with more than half 52.3% aged 50 years or over. This is comparable to 1 October 2017 with 52.4% aged 50 years or over.
Declaration Rates
‘Ethnicity’, ‘Sexual Orientation’, ‘Religion & Faith’, and ‘Disability’ are based on self-declaration. Each member of personnel can choose from the following options:
One of the available diversity data fields (an active declaration)
Choose not to declare (no declaration)
No response (no declaration)
Declaration Rate is the number of personnel who make an ‘active declaration’ as a proportion of the total personnel. To ensure meaningful representation rates for a diversity field, a minimum 60 % declaration level is required.
Representation Rates
Representation is the number of personnel within ‘active declaration’ that select a particular active diversity as a proportion of the total personnel within ‘active declaration’. To ensure meaningful representation rates for a diversity field, a minimum 60 % declaration level is required to allow calculation of representation rates.
For example, from 100 personnel, 80 personnel declare as either BAME or White, and the remaining 20 select Choose Not to Declare or no option selected, this produces a declaration rate of 80%. Of the 80, 8 declare as BAME, and 72 as White, this produces a representation rate of 10% for BAME personnel. If representation was calculated across whole population including the 20 undeclared, representation rate would be calculated as 8% and understated.
Table 9 - Declaration Rates by Percentage, as at 1 October 2017 to 1 October 2021
| Oct-17 | Oct-18 | Oct-19 | Oct-20 | Oct-21 | ppt change * | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethnicity | 80.6 | 78.9 | 85.2 | 85.8 | 86.7 | 6.1 |
| Sexual Orientation | 62.8 | 63.6 | 75.4 | 77.0 | 78.9 | 16.1 |
| Religion & Faith | 62.2 | 62.6 | 73.3 | 74.9 | 76.8 | 14.6 |
| Disability | 57.1 | 59.1 | 73.0 | 75.4 | 77.4 | 20.3 |
* ppt change for 2017 – 2021
The low declaration rate for disability is mainly down to the department’s Human Resource Management System (HRMS) resetting in April 2011 to accommodate the new disability reporting requirements resulting from the 2011 census exercise. Consequently all disability records were reset and personnel were requested to re-declare their disability status.
Improvements in the declaration rates for all four diversity measures from April 2018 to October 2021 are largely as a result of a policy strategy designed to encourage people to complete their diversity records. People still had the option to positively opt-out of providing details by selecting ‘Choose not to declare’.
Grade Structures
Since 1 April 1996 all departments and agencies have had delegated responsibility for the pay and grading of their employees, except for those in the Senior Civil Service (SCS). The MOD grades are shown here against levels broadly equivalent (in terms of pay and job weight) to the former service-wide grades.
| MOD Grades | Former Service-Wide Grades |
|---|---|
| SCS – Senior Civil Service | SCS – Senior Civil Service |
| B1 & equivalents | Grade 6 |
| B2 & equivalents | Grade 7 |
| C1 & equivalents | SEO – Senior Executive Officer |
| C2 & equivalents | HEO – Higher Executive Officer |
| D & equivalents | EO – Executive Officer |
| E1 & equivalents | AO – Administrative Officer |
| E2 & equivalents | AA – Administrative Assistant |
Rounding
Tables and Charts Within this Document
Where rounding has been used, totals and sub-totals have been rounded separately and so may not equal the sums of their rounded parts. This also applies to Civilian personnel data expressed in terms of Full-Time Equivalents (FTE).
When rounding to the nearest 10, numbers ending in “5” have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to prevent systematic bias.
All percentages are calculated from headcount totals (part time equivalent to one person), from unrounded figures and are shown to 1 decimal place.
Excel Tables Accompanying this Publication
An updated MOD Disclosure Control and Rounding policy has been published on GOV.UK and we have applied this policy to the statistics on Civilian personnel in the accompanying Excel tables. The policy is available at the
MOD statistics: policies page.
Disclosure control will still be applied to statistical or numeric information to safeguard the confidentiality of individuals. ‘Disclosure control’ refers to the efforts made to reduce the risk of disclosure, such as applying statistical methods to protect ‘personally identifiable information’ (PII) in aggregate data tables. These safeguards can take many forms (e.g. data suppression, rounding, recoding etc.).
Revisions
Occasionally errors can occur in statistical processes; procedures are constantly reviewed to minimise this risk. Should a significant error be found the publication on the website will be updated and an errata slip published documenting the revision.
Responsible statistician: Civilian Analysis Head of Branch Further information/mailing list
DefStrat-Stat-CivEnquiries@mod.gov.uk
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