Groups, Categories & Indicators

Each transaction used for affordability insights is organized into Groups and Categories. Some Categories are further divided into Subcategories, providing a more detailed view of each transaction.

Summary of Groups, Categories, & Subcategories

Here is a summary of all the Groups, Categories, and Subcategories:

Group

Category

Category description

Subcategories

Income

Employment and/or Self-employment

Net income from wages, salaries, and self-employment earnings

Income

Benefits

Net income from benefits, including child benefits

• Child benefit
• Universal credit
• Disability allowance
• Job seeker's allowance
• Tax credits
• Other

Income

Other income

Net income from any other sources, such as rental properties or pensions

• Property
• Pensions
• Dividends
• Other

Essential Expenditure

Mortgage and rent

All costs related to mortgages and rent

Essential Expenditure

Transportation and travel

Expenses such as car maintenance, commuting, flights and hotel stays

• Fuel
• Public transport
• Road tax
• Travel
• Other

Essential Expenditure

Utilities

Expenses such as water, gas, electricity, phone, and broadband services

• Water
• Energy
• TV licence
• Phone and broadband
• Other

Essential Expenditure

Groceries and shopping

Spending on food and other supermarket purchases

Essential Expenditure

Credit cards and loans

Payments for personal loans and credit card bills

Essential Expenditure

Cash withdrawal

ATM or other cash withdrawals

Essential Expenditure

Insurance premiums

Payments for various types of insurance including home, pet, and accident insurance

Essential Expenditure

Petcare

Costs related to pet food and maintenance

Essential Expenditure

Tax

Taxes paid, including council tax

• Council tax
• Other

Essential Expenditure

Healthcare

Expenses related to healthcare services and products

Essential Expenditure

Education

Spending on educational expenses

Essential Expenditure

Childcare

Expenses for daycare, or other children related activities

Essential Expenditure

Pension contributions

Payments made towards personal or workplace pension plans

Essential Expenditure

Other essential expenditure

Any other essential expenses not categorised above (e.g., childcare)

Non-Essential Expenditure

Entertainment

Spend at restaurants, bars, and other entertainment venues

• Dining out and takeaways
• Hobbies
• Gym
• Other

Non-Essential Expenditure

TV and subscriptions

Payments for TV and online services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime

Non-Essential Expenditure

Savings

Transfers to savings accounts

Non-Essential Expenditure

Gambling

Expenses or income related to gambling

Non-Essential Expenditure

Shopping

Spending on general retail, online shopping, clothing etc.

• Clothing
• Other

Non-Essential Expenditure

Home maintenance and repairs

Costs related to home upkeep, renovations, and repair services

Non-Essential Expenditure

Other non-essential expenses

Any other non-essential expenditure not categorised above

Other

Other inflows

Incoming transfers not categorised above

Other

Transfers

Transfers between accounts

Other

Other

Miscellaneous expenditures not categorised above


Comprehensive Breakdown of Categories & Subcategories

Some categories are further divided into Subcategories for more specific insights::

Category: Benefits

SubcategoryDescription
Child benefitA regular payment provided to parents or guardians to help with the costs of raising children
Universal creditA payment to help with living costs for individuals or families
Disability allowanceFinancial support for individuals with disabilities to help cover the extra costs associated with their condition
Job seeker's allowanceA benefit paid to individuals actively seeking employment to help cover living expenses
Tax creditsPayments provided to working individuals or families to support low-income earners or those with children
OtherAny other government-provided benefits, such as housing benefit or pension credit

Category: Other income

SubcategoryDescription
PropertyIncome generated from property rentals or other property-related earnings
PensionsPayments received from personal, workplace, or state pension schemes after retirement
DividendsEarnings distributed to shareholders from company profits or investment funds
OtherAny other income sources, such as inheritance, gifts, or investments

Category: Transportation and travel

SubcategoryDescription
FuelCosts for petrol, diesel, or other fuels used for personal or business vehicles
Public transportExpenses for buses, trains, trams, or other public transportation services
Road taxPayments for vehicle tax
TravelExpenses related to travel, such as hotels, flights and holiday companies
OtherAny other transportation-related costs, such as parking or tolls

Category: Utilities

SubcategoryDescription
WaterCosts for water supply and wastewater services
EnergyExpenses for electricity, gas, or other energy sources used in a household or business
TV licenceFees paid for a television license, required to legally watch TV broadcasts
Phone and broadbandPayments for mobile phone, landline, and internet services
OtherAny other utility-related expenses, such as waste disposal fees

Category: Tax

SubcategoryDescription
Council taxLocal government tax levied on residential properties to fund local services
OtherAny other taxes

Category: Entertainment

SubcategoryDescription
Dining out and takeawaysExpenses for eating at restaurants, cafes, and ordering takeaway food
HobbiesSpending on personal interests, leisure activities, and recreational pursuits
GymPayments for gym memberships
OtherAny other discretionary entertainment spending

Category: Shopping

SubcategoryDescription
ClothingExpenses for purchasing apparel, shoes, accessories, and other personal wear
OtherAny other shopping expenses

Indicators

Indicators are key markers that highlight certain features or trends in the data. The following indicators are returned as part of the overview:

IndicatorDescription
BenefitsTransactions showing the receipt of benefit payments
ChildrenTransactions indicating the presence of children or dependents
GamblingTransactions related to gambling income or expenses
High value transactionsAny single transaction exceeding a specific threshold amount, e.g. £10,000 or more
InsuranceTransactions show payments for insurance premiums
Loans (excluding credit cards)Transactions relating to loans payments, excluding those for credit cards