Published: December 2016
The largest occupation group in Somerset are professional roles (18%), compared to 20% at a national level. Elementary occupations are well represented in all Somerset districts compared to the UK as a whole. Sedgemoor had the highest proportion employed within Managers, directors and senior official sector with 16.4%. 23.5% of all people in employment in Mendip are employed within the professional sector.
Somerset has a smaller proportion of people employed in the public sector than the Heart of the South West area; 22.8% compared to 23.4%. Within the County there is a particular concentration of public sector employment in Taunton Deane (27.6%) Public sector employment in Somerset peaked at 24.7% of the workforce in (Jan – Dec) 2009. Since then, the number of people employed in the public sector in the County has decreased, but saw a small increase in June 2011.
Average earnings in Somerset consistently lag behind the UK level. However, Sedgemoor has the lowest with £23,361 median earnings. Sedgemoor was the only district in Somerset which had a fall in average earnings over the year. NB: The median is the value below which 50% of employees’ earnings fall.
In 2011, there were 6,071 ‘workless’ households in Somerset with dependent children (households with no adults in employment). - 2011 Census