Ethnic minorities’ relatively low attainment in the labour market has substantial costs. The economic costs hold back the employment, earnings and progression of ethnic minorities themselves, as well as undermining economic prosperity for all. Lack of achievement in the labour market also feeds social exclusion, potentially damaging relations between different ethnic groups in Britain and putting at risk goals of social cohesion.

There are major differences in the employment patterns of Indian women and Pakistani and Bangladeshi women. Pakistani and Bangladeshi women have low levels of economic activity at all stages of the life course, but particularly for married women and women with dependent children. By contrast Indian women have much higher levels of economic activity showing life course patterns not dissimilar to white women (Holdsworth and Dale, 1997).

Pakistani and Bangladeshi women’s low levels of labour market participation are well documented by large nationally representative surveys such as the LFS. However, these headline figures provide no insights into the processes that influence women’s economic activity and little indication of what change may be expected in the future.