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Household Expenditure

CONTACT
Assistant Director
Household Expenditure Surveys
Australian Bureau of Statistics
Telephone (02) 6252 5119
Facsimile (02) 6252 6870


DESCRIPTION

This survey provides information on the goods and services purchased by Australian households. It also details how the spending patterns of private households vary according to factors such as household and family composition, labour force characteristics, income levels, details of loans, educational attainment, dwelling characteristics, geographic regions, and Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA) deciles for Australia, State and Territories. The 1998-99 survey also provides some information on disability and financial stress.

Data from this survey are used to review the cost of maintaining children, to assess levels of economic inequality and to review the effectiveness of government taxes and benefits in redistributing income between different types of households.


SCOPE

All persons aged 15 years and over in private dwellings except members of the permanent Australian defence forces, certain diplomatic personnel of overseas governments, members of non-Australian defence forces (and their dependants) stationed in Australia and overseas residents visiting Australia. The survey is conducted in both urban and rural areas in all States and Territories, but since 1997 excludes persons living in some remote and sparsely settled parts of Australia.


DISSEMINATION

Publications

Household Expenditure Survey, Australia: User Guide (cat. no. 6527.0)
Household Expenditure Survey, Australia: Summary of Results (cat. no. 6530.0)
Household Expenditure Survey, Australia: Household Characteristics (cat. no. 6531.0)
Household Expenditure Survey, Australia: States and Territories (cat. no. 6533.0)
Household Expenditure Survey, Australia: Detailed Expenditure Items (cat. no. 6535.0)
Household Expenditure Survey, Australia: Effects of Government Benefits and Taxes (cat. no. 6537.0).

Results from the 1998-99 survey are expected to be published in mid 2000.


Data Service

Customised unpublished data are available in a variety of formats.
Household Expenditure Survey, Australia: Household Characteristics, on Floppy Disk (cat. no. 6531.0.15.001)
Household Expenditure Survey, Australia: States and Territories, on Floppy Disk (cat. no. 6533.0.15.001)
Household Expenditure Survey, Australia: Detailed Expenditure Items, on Floppy Disk (cat. no. 6535.0.15.001)
Household Expenditure Survey Small Area Data on Hardcopy (cat. no. 6535.0.40.001)
Household Expenditure Survey, Australia: Confidentialised Unit Record File (cat. no. 6544.0.30.001).


Data Details

Data are primarily available at household level. Some data are also available at person level.


Demographic and Family Information

Age
Sex
Relationship in household
Relationship in income unit
Social marital status
Birthplace
Year of arrival in Australia
Family type
Family composition of the household
Household size

Income
Amount
Sources
Per capita income

Household expenditure
Average weekly expenditure
Type of expenditure (a three-level hierarchy, 426 classes of expenditure at the finest level)

Housing
Dwelling structure
Tenure type
Number of bedrooms
Rent
General and water/sewerage rates
Capital housing costs
Mortgage/loan details (covering interest rate, repayment, term and amount of loan, purpose of mortgage)
Estimated value of dwelling

Other selected topics
Employment
Hours worked in all jobs
Duration of unemployment
Occupation
Number of children attending government or independent pre-schools, primary or secondary schools, and full or part time tertiary studies
Number of motor vehicles (including registered cars and motor cycles)
Health conditions
Health care cards


GEOGRAPHIC COVERAGE

Australia, States and Territories.


FREQUENCY OF COLLECTION

4-6 yearly. Latest survey 1998-99.


METHOD OF COLLECTION

Special Social Survey. Three main types of survey instruments were used:

• A personal diary in which people recorded their expenditure over two weeks.
• A group questionnaire collected information on household characteristics, large, irregular or infrequent expenditure, and/or expenditure on items which would have been otherwise under-reported (e.g. holidays overseas).
• An individual questionnaire collected information on income and characteristics such as labour force status.