Employment and businesses
characterisitcs in Blackburn and Darwen
Corporate research joint intelligence brief
– October 2011 Background
The purpose of this report is to present data on the employment and business characteristics
of the towns of Blackburn and Darwen separately and the borough as a whole. The town level
data have been derived from a range of data sources that are available to different
geographical areas. However, the areas of Blackburn and Darwen have been consistently
defined as:
Blackburn - all wards to the north of the M65 motorway
Darwen – the wards Earcroft, Marsh House, Sudell, Sunnyhurst and Whitehall
This report focuses mainly on employment and business characteristics for the borough as a
whole, but also includes data for the towns of Blackburn and Darwen. The most recent data for
Blackburn with Darwen borough is from 2010 for the Business Register and Employment
Survey and 2011 for the Inter Departmental Business Register. Whilst for the towns of
Blackburn and Darwen data relates to 2010. Reports for Blackburn with Darwen as a whole on
topics such as business births and deaths and earnings are produced separately.
Summary

In Blackburn with Darwen as a whole there are 60,200 people in employment (employees
and sole proprietors etc)

There are 8,400 people in employment in Darwen and 51,000 in Blackburn.

In Blackburn with Darwen the largest employment sectors are:
Health (17.8%)
Education (10.0%)
Manufacturing (16.6%)
Retail (9.6%)

Darwen’s employment base is heavily reliant on the manufacturing sector as 36% of
people in employment are employed in this sector.

Over the last three years there has been a decrease of 7.7% in the number of people in
employment in the borough.
Employment – Business Register and Employment Survey
Information on employment in the borough is taken from BRES (Business Register and
Employment Survey). This data is accessible down to small areas and it is from this data that
figures for the towns of Darwen and Blackburn can be derived.
Data is available for employees and employment. An ‘employee’ is anyone aged 16 years or
over that an organisation directly pays from its payroll(s), in return for carrying out a full-time or
part-time job or being on a training scheme. It excludes voluntary workers, self-employed,
working owners who are not paid via PAYE.
The ‘employment’ figures are calculated as the total number of employees and working
proprietors. Working Proprietors are sole traders, sole proprietors, partners and directors.
This does not apply to registered charities.
The figures in the following section relate to ‘employment’ data.
All BRES and ABI data in this report excludes farm agriculture (SIC subclass 01000).
In total there were 51,000 people in employment in Blackburn and 8,400 in Darwen in 2010.
For Blackburn with Darwen as a whole the total number of people in employment was 60,200
As would be expected, numerically, there are far greater levels of employment in each industry
sector in Blackburn compared to Darwen.
Darwen’s employment base is heavily reliant on the manufacturing sector as 36% of people in
employment are employed in this sector. The next largest sectors in Darwen town are ‘health’
(9%), ‘information and communication’ (8%), ‘retail’ (8%) and ‘education’ (7%). Compared to
Blackburn, Darwen has a greater proportion of people employed in ‘information and
communications’ and the ‘accommodation and food services’. (See appendix for classification
details).
Just under a fifth (19%) of employment in Blackburn is in the ‘health’ sector, this is the largest
sector in the town. ‘Manufacturing’ (15%), ‘education’ (10%) and ‘retail’ (9%) are the next
largest sectors.
Employment in Blackburn and Darwen – number of people in employment in each sector,
2010
A rts, entertainment, recreatio n & o ther services (R,S,T and U)
Health (Q)
Educatio n (P )
P ublic administratio n & defence (O)
B usiness administratio n & suppo rt services (N)
P ro fessio nal, scientific & technical (M )
P ro perty (L)
Financial & insurance (K)
Info rmatio n & co mmunicatio n (J)
A cco mmo datio n & fo o d services (I)
Transpo rt & sto rage (inc po stal) (H)
Retail (P art G)
Who lesale (P art G)
M o to r trades (P art G)
Co nstructio n (F)
Darwen
M anufacturing (C)
Blackburn
A griculture, fo restry & fishing and M ining, quarrying & utilities (A ,B ,D and E)
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
Number
8,000
10,000
12,000
Employment in Blackburn and Darwen - proportion of employment in each sector, 2010
Arts, entertainment, recreation & other services (R,S,T and U)
Darwen
Blackburn
Health (Q)
Education (P)
Public administration & defence (O)
Business administration & support services (N)
Professional, scientific & technical (M)
Property (L)
Financial & insurance (K)
Information & communication (J)
Accommodation & food services (I)
Transport & storage (inc postal) (H)
Retail (Part G)
Wholesale (Part G)
Motor trades (Part G)
Construction (F)
Manufacturing (C)
Agriculture, forestry & fishing and mining, quarrying & utilities (A,B,D and E)
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Percentage
Employment in Blackburn with Darwen borough - proportion and number of employment in
each sector, 2010 (rounded to the nearest 100)
Number
Agriculture, forestry & fishing and mining, quarrying & utilities (A,B,D and E)
Manufacturing (C)
Construction (F)
Motor trades (Part G)
Wholesale (Part G)
Retail (Part G)
Transport & storage (inc postal) (H)
Accommodation & food services (I)
Information & communication (J)
Financial & insurance (K)
Property (L)
Professional, scientific & technical (M)
Business administration & support services (N)
Public administration & defence (O)
Education (P)
Health (Q)
Arts, entertainment, recreation & other services (R,S,T and U)
Total
500
10000
2000
1200
2800
5800
2100
2300
2100
900
700
4100
2400
2900
6000
10700
3700
60200
Percentage
0.8
16.6
3.3
2.0
4.7
9.6
3.5
3.8
3.5
1.5
1.2
6.8
4.0
4.8
10.0
17.8
6.1
100
2009
Arts, entertainment, recreation & other
services (R,S,T and U)
2009
Arts, entertainment, recreation & other
services (R,S,T and U)
2008
Health (Q)
Education (P)
2008
Health (Q)
Education (P)
12000
Public administration & defence (O)
Business administration & support services
(N)
Professional, scientific & technical (M)
Property (L)
Financial & insurance (K)
Information & communication (J)
Accommodation & food services (I)
Transport & storage (inc postal) (H)
Retail (Part G)
Wholesale (Part G)
Motor trades (Part G)
Construction (F)
Manufacturing (C)
Agriculture, forestry & fishing, mining,
quarrying & utilities (A,B,D and E)
Number
14,000
Public administration & defence (O)
Business administration & support services
(N)
Professional, scientific & technical (M)
Property (L)
Financial & insurance (K)
Information & communication (J)
Accommodation & food services (I)
Transport & storage (inc postal) (H)
Retail (Part G)
Wholesale (Part G)
Motor trades (Part G)
Construction (F)
Manufacturing (C)
Agriculture, forestry & fishing, mining,
quarrying & utilities (A,B,D and E)
Number
The BRES was introduced in 2008 and provides historical data for the last three years. This
data is classified using the 2007 standard industrial classification.
Over the last three years in Blackburn with Darwen as a whole, the largest numerical decreases
in employment numbers have been seen in the ‘manufacturing’ and ‘business administration
and support services’ sectors, which have seen decreases of -2,500 and -2,300 respectively.
The sectors that have seen the largest increases are ‘health’ and ‘professional, scientific and
technical sectors’ which have seen increases of 1,300 and 800 respectively.
Employment in Blackburn with Darwen borough from 2008 to 2010
2010
12,000
10,000
8,000
6,000
4,000
2,000
0
Employment in Blackburn from 2008 to 2010
2010
10000
8000
6000
4000
2000
0
Employment in Darwen from 2008 to 2010
3,500
2008
2009
2010
3,000
Number
2,500
2,000
1,500
1,000
500
(R,S,T and U)
Arts, entertainment, recreation & other services
Health (Q)
Education (P)
Public administration & defence (O)
Business administration & support services (N)
Professional, scientific & technical (M)
Property (L)
Financial & insurance (K)
Information & communication (J)
Accommodation & food services (I)
Transport & storage (inc postal) (H)
Retail (Part G)
Wholesale (Part G)
Motor trades (Part G)
Construction (F)
Manufacturing (C)
utilities (A,B,D and E)
Agriculture, forestry & fishing, mining, quarrying &
0
Employers - Inter Departmental Business Register
The Office for National Statistics holds a data set called the Inter Departmental Business
Register (IDBR). Statistics from this data source are produced at borough level and down to
middle layer super output areas (msoa). IDBR is made up of businesses registered to pay VAT
and PAYE businesses.
The following statistics present data on ‘local units’ and ‘enterprises’. ONS have provided the
following definition of these terms:
A group of legal units under common ownership is called an Enterprise Group. An Enterprise is
the smallest combination of legal units (generally based on VAT and/or PAYE records) which
has a certain degree of autonomy within an Enterprise Group.
An individual site (for example a factory or shop) in an enterprise is called a local unit.
Data using the 2007 SIC has been available from 2009 and data presenting PAYE and VAT
(rather than just VAT) enterprises available from 2008.
A small number of businesses without VAT or PAYE schemes, self employed businesses and
those with a low turnover and without employees, will not be covered by the IDBR.
Local Units
Broad industrial groups
In addition to data on employees in the borough, the IDBR allows the classification of
enterprises and local units by broad industrial group. The data below presents figures for local
units.
Between 2009 and 2011 the number of local units in Blackburn with Darwen dropped by 4.8%,
from 5,005 to 4,765. Within the North West as a whole the number of local units dropped by
4.7%.
Number of local units in Blackburn with Darwen and percentage change between 2009 and
2011 for Blackburn with Darwen and North West
900
20.0
800
2009
2010
2011
BwD change
NW change
15.0
10.0
600
5.0
500
0.0
400
-5.0
300
Percentage change
Number of local units
700
-10.0
200
Arts,
entertainment,
Health
Education
Public
administration
Business
administration
Professional,
scientific &
Property
Finance &
insurance
Information &
communication
Accommodation
& food services
Transport &
storage (inc.
Retail
Wholesale
Motor trades
-20.0
Construction
0
Production
-15.0
Agriculture,
forestry &
100
The number of local units in the ‘health’ classification has increased over the last three years
by 13.7%. This sector has also increased in the North West region, although to a lesser degree
(6.7%).
Some of the largest percentage decreases in local units in Blackburn with Darwen were seen in
the ‘accommodation and food services’ and ‘information and communication’ sectors.
Size
Over the three year period, there has been a decrease in the number of enterprises and local
units of almost all sizes. The graph and table below present the figures for local units.
The majority of local units in Blackburn with Darwen, 61.9%, had 0 to 4 people in employment.
Local unit employment size in Blackburn with Darwen
3,500
2009
3,000
2010
2011
Number
2,500
2,000
1,500
1,000
500
0
0-4
5-9
10 - 19 20 - 49 50 - 99
100 249
250 499
500 - 1,000 +
999
Local unit employment size in Blackburn with Darwen
2009
2010
2011
2009-2011
difference number
2009-2011
difference percentage
Number in employment
20 50 - 100 - 250 49
99
249
499
355
125
80
15
340
115
65
15
355
120
60
20
0-4
5-9
3,115
3,030
2,950
815
770
780
10 19
490
505
480
-165
-35
-10
0
-5
-20
-5.3
-4.3
-2.0
0.0
-4.0
-25.0
500 999
5
5
0
1,000
+
5
5
0
5
-5
-5
-240
33.3
-100.0
-100.0
-4.8
TOTAL
5,005
4,850
4,765
Enterprises
Between 2009 and 2011 the number of enterprises decreased by 5.3% (-205), from 3,885 to
3,680.
Turnover
Again over the last three years the number of enterprises with a turnover of between £0 and
£49,000 has increased in the borough by around 13%. A similar trend was seen regionally,
were enterprises in this category increased, although to a lesser proportion, by 6%.
Likewise the number of enterprises in the borough that saw turnover of between £50,000 and
£99,000 saw a substantial decrease of 18%, from 930 enterprises in 2009 and 765 in 2011.
In the North West the number of enterprises in this category decreased by 12%.
Enterprise turnover in Blackburn with Darwen
1,200
2009
1,000
2010
2011
Number
800
600
400
200
0
0 - 49
50 - 99
100 - 249 250 - 499 500 - 999
£ thousands
1,000 4,999
5,000 +
Age
Over the last three years the number of younger enterprises, three or under years old, has
decreased in the borough. The number of enterprises has dropped from 1,320 in 2009 to
1,125 in 2011, a decrease of around 17%.
This trend has been seen in the North West as a whole, where the number of enterprises aged
three or under has dropped by 20%.
Age of enterprises in Blackburn with Darwen
4,500
4,000
2009
2010
2011
3,500
Number
3,000
2,500
2,000
1,500
1,000
500
0
Less than 2
Years
2 - 3 Years
4 - 9 Years
10 or more
Years
TOTAL
Broad Industrial Groups
The industrial groups that have seen the largest percentage decreases are in:
1. Information and communication
5. Business administration and support services
2. Production
6. Construction
3. Education
7. Accommodation and food services
4. Transport and storage
Enterprises by broad industrial group in Blackburn with Darwen
Blackburn and Darwen towns
Data is also available to middle super output area, so that comparisons between Blackburn
and Darwen can be made, however data for 2011 has not yet been released.
An Enterprise is the smallest combination of legal units (generally based on VAT and/or PAYE
records) which has a certain degree of autonomy within an Enterprise Group.
An individual site (for example a factory or shop) in an enterprise is called a local unit.
Number and percentage of people in employment in local units for Blackburn and Darwen,
March 2008 to March 2010
March
2010
March
2009
March
2008
Blackburn
Darwen
Blackburn
Darwen
Blackburn
Darwen
All
VAT
and/or
PAYE
Based
Local
Units
3645
865
3755
915
3745
915
All 0 to 4
Persons
Employed
Number
%
2160 59.3
575 66.5
2215 59.0
615 67.2
2235 59.7
615 67.2
All 5 to 9
Persons
Employed
Number
%
600 16.5
130 15.0
650 17.3
145 15.8
615 16.4
155 16.9
All 10 to 19
Persons
Employed
Number
%
420
11.5
80
9.2
385
10.3
80
8.7
420
11.2
75
8.2
All 20 or More
Persons
Employed
Number
%
465
12.8
80
9.2
505
13.4
75
8.2
475
12.7
70
7.7
The number and proportion of businesses that were less than two years old have decreased in
both Blackburn and Darwen. These figures are based on ‘enterprises’.
Number and percentage of enterprises in Blackburn and Darwen by age, March 2008 to March
2010
March
2010
March
2009
March
2008
Blackburn
Darwen
Blackburn
Darwen
Blackburn
Darwen
All VAT
and/or
PAYE
Based
Enterprises
2710
710
2810
745
2815
765
Less than 2
Years Old
Number %
485
17.9
115
16.2
525
18.7
135
18.1
565
20.1
150
19.6
2 to 3 Years
Old
Number %
430
15.9
100
14.1
475
16.9
100
13.4
465
16.5
110
14.4
4 to 9 Years
Old
Number %
750 27.7
185 26.1
745 26.5
205 27.5
730 25.9
195 25.5
10 or More
Years Old
Number %
1045
38.6
310
43.7
1065
37.9
305
40.9
1055
37.5
310
40.5
Although only available for 2008 and 2009, data from the IDBR is also available that classifies
local units as either ‘public’ or ‘private’. However, these statistics only classify the business and
do not capture the proportion of employees in each business. These figures highlight that of
the local units in Blackburn 8.3% were classified as public, with 4.9% in Darwen.
Copyright, sources and further information
For further information please contact:
Elise Carroll
Research and Intelligence Advisor
Corporate Research Joint Intelligence
3rd Floor Old Town Hall
elise.carroll@blackburn.gov.uk
01254 585693
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v1.0
Sources:
Business Register and Employment Survey
https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/Default.asp
Inter Departmental Business Register – borough level
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/all-releases.html?definition=tcm%3A77-21554
Inter Departmental Business Register – small areas
http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination
Definitions
Local unit
The local unit is an enterprise or part thereof (e.g. a workshop, factory, warehouse, office, mine
or depot) situated in a geographically identified place. At or from this place economic activity is
carried out for which - save for certain exceptions - one or more persons work (even if only parttime) for one and the same enterprise.
Enterprise
An enterprise is defined as the smallest combination of legal units that is an organisational unit
producing goods or services, which benefits from a certain degree of autonomy in decisionmaking, especially for the allocation of its current resources. An enterprise carries out one or
more activities at one or more locations.
Appendix – Standard Industrial Classification 2007
A
AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHING
01
B
C
02
03
Crop and animal production, hunting and related
service activities
Forestry and logging
Fishing and aquaculture
05
06
07
08
09
Mining of coal and lignite
Extraction of crude petroleum and natural gas
Mining of metal ores
Other mining and quarrying
Mining support service activities
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
30
31
32
33
Manufacture of food products
Manufacture of beverages
Manufacture of tobacco products
Manufacture of textiles
Manufacture of wearing apparel
Manufacture of leather and related products
Manufacture of wood and of products of wood and
cork, except furniture; manufacture of articles of
straw and plaiting materials
Manufacture of paper and paper products
Printing and reproduction of recorded media
Manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products
Manufacture of chemicals and chemical products
Manufacture of basic pharmaceutical products and
pharmaceutical preparations
Manufacture of rubber and plastic products
Manufacture of other non-metallic mineral products
Manufacture of basic metals
Manufacture of fabricated metal products, except
machinery and equipment
Manufacture of computer, electronic and optical
products
Manufacture of electrical equipment
Manufacture of machinery and equipment n.e.c.
Manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers and semitrailers
Manufacture of other transport equipment
Manufacture of furniture
Other manufacturing
Repair and installation of machinery and equipment
35
Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply
36
37
38
39
Water collection, treatment and supply
Sewerage
Waste collection, treatment and disposal activities;
materials recovery
Remediation activities and other waste management
services.
This division includes the provision of remediation
services, i.e. the cleanup of contaminated buildings
and sites, soil, surface or ground water.
41
42
43
Construction of buildings
Civil engineering
Specialised construction activities
MINING AND QUARRYING
MANUFACTURING
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
D
E
F
ELECTRICITY, GAS, STEAM AND AIR
CONDITIONING SUPPLY
WATER SUPPLY; SEWERAGE, WASTE
MANAGEMENT AND REMEDIATION ACTIVITIES
CONSTRUCTION
G
WHOLESALE AND RETAIL TRADE; REPAIR OF
MOTOR VEHICLES AND MOTORCYCLES
45
46
47
H
I
J
TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE
49
50
51
52
53
Land transport and transport via pipelines
Water transport
Air transport
Warehousing and support activities for transportation
Postal and courier activities
55
56
Accommodation
Food and beverage service activities
58
59
Publishing activities
Motion picture, video and television programme
production, sound recording and music publishing
activities
Programming and broadcasting activities
Telecommunications
Computer programming, consultancy and related
activities
Information service activities
ACCOMMODATION AND FOOD SERVICE
ACTIVITIES
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION
60
61
62
63
K
FINANCIAL AND INSURANCE ACTIVITIES
64
65
66
L
M
68
Real estate activities
69
70
Legal and accounting activities
Activities of head offices; management consultancy
activities
Architectural and engineering activities; technical
testing and analysis
Scientific research and development
Advertising and market research
Other professional, scientific and technical activities
Veterinary activities
PROFESSIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL
ACTIVITIES
72
73
74
75
ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPPORT SERVICE
ACTIVITIES
77
78
79
80
81
82
O
Financial service activities, except insurance and
pension funding
Insurance, reinsurance and pension funding, except
compulsory social security
Activities auxiliary to financial services and insurance
activities
REAL ESTATE ACTIVITIES
71
N
Wholesale and retail trade and repair of motor
vehicles and motorcycles
Wholesale trade, except of motor vehicles and
motorcycles
Retail trade, except of motor vehicles and
motorcycles
Rental and leasing activities
Employment activities
Travel agency, tour operator and other reservation
service and related activities
Security and investigation activities
Services to buildings and landscape activities
Office administrative, office support and other
business support activities
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND DEFENCE;
COMPULSORY SOCIAL SECURITY
84
Public administration and defence; compulsory social
security
84.1
84.11
84.12
84.13
84.2
84.21
84.22
84.23
84.24
84.25
84.3
84.30
P
EDUCATION
85
Q
92
93
95.1
95.2
Activities of membership organisations
Activities of business, employers and professional
membership organisations
Activities of trade unions
Activities of other membership organisations
Repair of computers and personal and household
goods
Repair of computers and communication equipment
Repair of personal and household goods
96
96.0
Other personal service activities
Other personal service activities
94.2
94.9
95
ACTIVITIES OF HOUSEHOLDS AS EMPLOYERS;
UNDIFFERENTIATED GOODS-AND SERVICESPRODUCING ACTIVITIES OF HOUSEHOLDS FOR
OWN USE
97
98
U
Creative, arts and entertainment activities
Libraries, archives, museums and other cultural
activities
Gambling and betting activities
Sports activities and amusement and recreation
activities
OTHER SERVICE ACTIVITIES
94
94.1
T
Human health activities
Hospital activities
Medical and dental practice activities
Other human health activities
Residential care activities
Social work activities without accommodation
ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND RECREATION
90
91
S
Education
HUMAN HEALTH AND SOCIAL WORK
ACTIVITIES
86
86.1
86.2
86.9
87
88
R
Administration of the State and the economic and
social policy of the community
General public administration activities
Regulation of the activities of providing health care,
education, cultural services and other social services,
excluding social security
Regulation of and contribution to more efficient
operation of businesses
Provision of services to the community as a whole
Foreign affairs
Defence activities
Justice and judicial activities
Public order and safety activities
Fire service activities
Compulsory social security activities
Compulsory social security activities
Activities of households as employers of domestic
personnel
Undifferentiated goods- and services-producing
activities of private households for own use
ACTIVITIES OF EXTRATERRITORIAL
ORGANISATIONS AND BODIES
99
Activities of extraterritorial organisations and bodies