Wombwell ward profile

11,477 people live in Wombwell, or 5% of Barnsley’s total population. 63.7% of residents are of working age, over 1% more than the national average but slightly fewer than the borough average of 64.1%. 17% are of pensionable age, which is similar to both the national and borough averages.

98.5% of the population is white, and over 97% were born in the UK. Just over 68% of residents have a religion, which equals the national average but is slightly below the borough average of 69.5%.

The vast majority are Christians, with the remaining mainstream religions making up less than 1% of the total. Over one quarter of Wombwell residents do not have a passport, over 2% more than the borough average and over 9% more than the national average. 1.3% of households contain nobody who speaks English, which is in line with the borough average but less than one third the national average of 4.4%.

Household information

Just under one third of Wombwell’s adult population is single, slightly more than the borough average but over 2% fewer than the national average. 45.5% are married, compared to a national average of 46.6% and a borough average of 47.7%. Those widowed people or surviving partners from civil partnerships account for 8% of the population, slightly more than the borough average and over 1% more than the national average. 90.5% of single parent householders are female, which is in line with the national average but over 2% more than the borough average.

60% of homes in Wombwell are privately owned, compared to a national average of 63.3% and a borough average of 64.3%. 24.1% of households live in social rented accommodation, over 3% more than the borough average and over 6% more than the national average. 14.3% of households rent from private landlords, more than the borough average of 12.8% but fewer than the national average of 16.8%. Almost half of all homes are semi-detached houses or bungalows, 4% more than the borough average but over 18% more than the national average. Almost all homes are centrally heated but 29.9% do not have access to a car or van, compared to a borough average of 26.9% and a national average of 25.8%.

Health

75.1% of the population describe their health as ‘very good’ or ‘good’, which almost equals the borough average but is over 6% less than the national average. On the other hand 8.9% feel their health is ‘bad’ or ‘very bad’, compared to a borough average of 8.4% and a national average of only 5.4%. 3.4% or residents provide unpaid care for 50 hours or more each week, which is in line with the borough average but 1% higher than the national average.

Education and work

33.2% of Wombwell residents have no educational qualifications, 1% more than the borough average but over 10% more than the national average. 14.1% are educated to degree level or above, compared to a borough average of 17.4% and a national average of 27.4%.

67.1% of adults are economically active but 2.3% are long term unemployed, slightly more than the borough and national averages. Wholesale and retail trades employ the most workers at 19.8%, followed by construction at 13.2%. Only 4.6% of working adults are employed in higher managerial, administrative, and professional occupations, over 1.5% less than the borough average and less than half the national average.