FYI: Census 2021 (Shock and Horror)

[adridude]

HI All,

 

I just got my all new shiny demand to fill i the census for 2021 so thought I'd share the things I know:

 

1) Fine of up to £1000 and possible criminal conviction fi not filled in and returned before the date shown.

 

2) It's online now, but you CAN opt for a paper one to be sent out. I did find the ones shared online, but they're specimens of the actual ones: https://www.ons.gov.uk/census/censustransformationprogramme/questiondevelopment/census2021paperquestionnaires

 

3) If you opt for the paper route, you're in for a 32 page treat! 

 

4) The missing Question 17 for England and Scotland is like that as it's Welsh only.

 

5) In order to be nailed in 1 above, you HAVE to fill in all of the questions which are NOT marked as voluntary

 

Cheers

 

Ade

[adridude]

Right I thought I'd make personal comments in a separate comment.

 

I'm shocked at the depth of this, but it seems like they're getting ready to start a HUGE fishing expedition and I can for see a flurry of fines, inquiries into peoples lives and more coming from this sheet looking at the questions.

 

I don't get why they made things like knowing my ex wives sex was, how well I speak English, and am I even qualified to say how my health is in general? What if I'm polygamous and in a happy polygynous marriage?  (Extreme example I know)..

 

I was seriously tempted to write "The voices told me to ignore this question" underneath the health one haha.

 

What the hell business is it of theirs who my visitors are? I'm not happy about all of this, especially if they farm this out to the likes of Lockheed Martin and Co....

[unclebulgaria67]

The census is really just a snapshot exercise to understand the UK at a fixed moment in time.

 

Once they collect the data, it takes a long time for it to be input and when it is eventually all input it provides statistics that help Government plan services.

 

As far as I know the individual information you supply is not available to be searched by Government agencies for decades and then it only provides very basic info, such as names, age, occupation of people living at an address.  The data provided by everyone is just compiled in an anonymised way to provide the statistical data to show population details on one day in March 2021.

 

If you search for FOI requests online about this, you will find details.

 

 

 

[adridude]

It wont take long to put in, thats why they're so fussy aout how you write things in the box. OCR etc... thigns fly by... Example is the amount of mail Royal Mail OCR sort every day!

 

Nah, I'm not too fussed aout it, I feel its just too invasive and frankly none of their business.

[Andyorch]

I would tend to agree...just submitted mine online....completing for myself and wife.....

 

Q Is your partner female ?

Q What sexual orientation was your wife at the time of marriage ?

 

...appears there are more questions with regards to LGBT.... than property, occupation, residents, career and qualifications.

[unclebulgaria67]

I cannot complete my census until 21st March as that is the day allocated to where I live.

 

So the day of completion depends on where you live.

 

Had not realised this.

[cjcregg]

It's 21st March for everyone and you can complete it before and indeed after that date.

[Manxman in exile]

18 hours ago, AdriHD said:

...

 

1) Fine of up to £1000 and possible criminal conviction fi not filled in and returned before the date shown.

 

...

 

5) In order to be nailed in 1 above, you HAVE to fill in all of the questions which are NOT marked as voluntary

 

...

 

What on earth does 5) mean - or am I being thick?

 

Is it meant to begin "In order NOT to be nailed... "

[Manxman in exile]

39 minutes ago, unclebulgaria67 said:

...

So the day of completion depends on where you live.

...

 

No - as cjcregg says it's "as at" the same date for everybody - otherwise it would be pointless taking a snapshot in time across the country on different dates.

 

You can fill it in before or after but the information needs to be as at 21 March

Edited March 10, 2021 by Manxman in exile

[unclebulgaria67]

The way I read it, was that it could not be completed before 21st March.  It says to be completed on 21st March or asap afterwards.  No mention that you can complete before this, so I have not tried to complete online.

[Hammy1962]

Just lie.................................

 

One-legged poly amourous icelandic goat herder married to a sheep.

 

H

Edited March 10, 2021 by Hammy1962

[unclebulgaria67]

18 minutes ago, Hammy1962 said:

Just lie.................................

 

One-legged poly amourous icelandic goat herder married to a sheep.

 

H

 

I was trying to keep this secret !   She hates the smell of my mint mouthwash, says it brings back baad memories

 

Just completed the census. 

[Manxman in exile]

As long as you accurately answer the questions "as at 21 March 2021" there is nothing to stop you filling it in before or after that date.  (Having said that, maybe the online version won't allow you to do so before the date... )

 

Mind you, unless you are a precision fortune-teller, I always think it's a bit risky filling it in beforehand.  (I once worked on a project run for the Isle of Man governement which depended on certain statistics being measured at a certain point in time.  Needless to say they weren't and sorting out the double-counting and things that had been completely missed out altogether was a nightmare.)

[Andyorch]

You can complete it on line now...nothing is going to change here from now to 21st March