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The census is a snapshot of our country, its people and their lives that takes place every 10 years and the next one is on the 21st March. The census in England and Wales is conducted by the independent Office for National Statistics.
The census is important for Shropshire. This is a largely rural county of 1200 square miles with a widely dispersed population and a variety of industries which means there are challenges for the council when planning services and allocating funding. The accuracy of the information that the census provides is crucial to ensuring that we all have schools of the right size, doctors surgeries in the right place and the transport infrastructure that we need to get to work.
The importance of the census was highlighted following the 2011 census when the Shropshire population was shown to have unexpectedly grown by 10,000. That resulted in the increased allocation of landing for building and the large increase in house building over the past 3-4 years.
The 2021 census will enable information to be accessed more quickly than before as a result of it being primarily carried out online.
Anyone with a computer, tablet or smartphone will be able to complete the census. It actually is quicker to complete it online although we haven’t forgotten that some people will need to complete the census on a paper form.
The 2021 census will include 3 new questions regarding service in the armed forces together with optional questions about sexual orientation and gender identification. The answers will help to support the Armed Forces Covenant and allow people to identify as they wish.
The information that the census provides is important for national, local government and charities. The ONS ensures all the data is confidential and protected. No personal information is released for 100 years.
The ONS is obviously aware of the implications of Covid and its teams will be complying with all regulations so that the public is protected. Some people ask why the census is still going to take place against the background of Covid? The answer is that it will be more important than ever to record the impact of this exceptional virus upon the population, our lifestyles and jobs among other factors.
We all have to complete the census by law. The Shropshire team will support households, those in care and anyone that requires help to complete the census. We will have 6 Census Support Centres throughout the county and helplines will also be provided. In the coming weeks more information about the census will be provided on television, the radio and through social media. It’s a great opportunity for us all to help plan our future.
To find out more please visit our website https://census.gov.uk/
Roger Belham
Census Engagement Manager for Shropshire