Proficiency in spoken English (ENGLP)

For people who use a language other than English at home (LANP), this variable categorises their self-assessed spoken English language proficiency. People who use only English at home are included as ‘Speaks English only’.

All persons

This variable is derived from two questions in the 2026 Census: 

• Main language other than English used at home 
• English language proficiency which is asked only if the person indicates they use a language other than English at home 

Responses from these questions are processed as follows:  

• Respondents who indicate they use only English at home are not asked the English language proficiency question and are coded to ‘Speaks English only’. 
• Respondents who use a language other than English at home or provide no response to the main language at home question are asked the English language proficiency question. Responses to English language proficiency question are captured automatically from mark boxes.  
• If multiple responses are selected, the first marked option is accepted and additional responses are disregarded. These responses are classified into categories 2 to 5. 
• If a respondent reports using a language other than English at home but does not answer the English proficiency question, they are coded to category ‘Uses other language and English proficiency not stated’.   
• If both questions are unanswered, the person is coded to ‘Language used at home not stated’. 

A question on proficiency in spoken English (ENGLP) was first asked in the 1981 Census. Earlier censuses also asked about languages people used. 

In 2021, the variable name changed from proficiency in spoken English/language to proficiency in spoken English. 

In 2026, a change has been made to the processing rules for the LANP variable. Inadequately described free text responses will now be coded to ‘Not stated’ rather than ‘Uses another language’. For this variable, this means that when the language other than English used at home is inadequately described, and the English language proficiency is not stated, responses will be coded to ‘Uses other language and English proficiency not stated’. In the 2021 Census, these respondents were coded to the 2021 equivalent category for ‘Language used at home not stated’.