Infant mortality rates* in England, routine and manual socio-economic group† compared with average‡¶ (infant deaths per 1000 live births)§
| Time period | Routine and manual | All (inside marriage/joint registrations) | Absolute gap¶¶ | Relative gap*** |
| 1997–1999‡‡ | 6.3 | 5.6 | 0.7 | 13% |
| 2002–2004 | 5.9 | 5.0 | 0.9 | 18% |
| 2003–2005 | 5.7 | 4.9 | 0.8 | 17% |
| 2004–2006 | 5.6 | 4.8 | 0.8 | 16% |
| 2005–2007 | 5.4 | 4.7 | 0.7 | 16% |
| 2006–2008§§ | 5.3 | 4.5 | 0.7 | 16% |
| 2007–2009§§ | 5.0 | 4.4 | 0.5 | 12% |
| 2008–2010P§§ | 4.7 | 4.3 | 0.4 | 10% |
| Change since 1997–1999 | −1.6 | −1.3 | −0.3 | −3††† |
| Percentage change since 1997–1999 | −25% | −23% | −42% | −25% |
| Change since 2002–2004 | −1.2 | −0.7 | −0.5 | −8††† |
| Percentage change since 2002–2004 | −20% | −14% | −53% | −46% |
Source: Adapted and reproduced from.3 Note: Gap and change figures are calculated based on unrounded mortality rates. 2008–2010 Data are provisional. Earlier periods reflect the latest final figures, and so may differ slightly from data reported previously.
↵* Based on infant deaths successfully linked to their birth records.
↵† NS-SEC based on father's occupation at death registration.
↵‡ Information on father's occupation is not collected for births outside marriage if the father does not attend the registration of the baby's birth.
↵§ Figures for live births in NS-SEC groups (ie, ¶ not including figures for All and Sole registrations) are based on a 10% sample coded for father's occupation.
↵¶ Based on births inside marriage or outside marriage registered jointly by both parents, including cases where father's occupation was not stated.
** Based on all births, including cases where father's occupation was not stated.
†† Students; occupations inadequately described; occupations not classifiable for other reasons; never worked and long-term unemployed.
↵‡‡ The 1997–1999 figures are based on an approximation to NS-SEC categories (called NS-SEC 90) available for use with data prior to 2001.
↵§§ For 2008 and 2009, most of the figures use published Child Mortality Statistics. However, figures for NS-SEC class 7 (used in calculating figures for the ‘Routine and Manual’ group) and the 'Other' category were provided directly from ONS.
↵¶¶ Difference in rates between All and Routine and Manual groups.
↵*** Difference in rates between All and Routine and Manual groups as a percentage of the All rate.
↵††† Percentage point difference.