Social grades

A type of social class classification that replaced socioeconomic groups in 1970s when social grades (based on occupation instead of income) were applied to the National Readership Survey in the US context. Grades are A (Upper Middle class), B (Middle class), C1 (Lower Middle class), C2 (Skilled working class), D (Semi-skilled and unskilled working class), E (Those at lowest level of subsistence). Percentage breakdowns vary but available from National Readership Survey.