How the census will uncover the make-up of our communities and help services plan

Every ten years, residents are asked to take part in the census and help services meet the needs of our changing society

A huge national effort is underway to complete the Census 2021, which will shed light on the make-up of our communities and how they are changing over time.

The census is a survey that happens every ten years and gives a snapshot of all the people and households in England and Wales on a particular day.

All households will now have received a letter in the post with information on how to fill in their details online, or how to access a paper form.

People are being encouraged to fill it in as soon as possible. It can be done immediately if they know who is going to be at home on Census Day (March 21).

Completing the census is compulsory, however some questions are marked as voluntary, and people can be fined up to £1,000 if they do not take part, or if they supply false information.

The first results will be available within 12 months – although personal records, including anything that could be used to identify people, will be locked away for 100 years, kept safe for future generations, and nobody has access to it.

John Heaton, the local census engagement manager for Arun, Adur, Worthing and Chichester, said the very first piece of information to be revealed will be the total population of England and Wales. This will be announced with much fanfare by a primary school, which will be selected through a competition, and broadcast on national TV.

More detailed breakdowns of information will then be released.

The census can tell us a lot about the character of communities, which can help make sure the services people use meet the needs of our changing society.

“We know there are a lot of older people in my patch of Arun, Adur, Worthing and Chichester,” Mr Heaton said.

“Not so much in Shoreham, but certainly in

Arun, parts of Worthing and parts of Chichester. We are a retirement destination.

“But there are pockets where there are concentrations of younger people.

“We know just how much housing there is being built in our part of Sussex, and of course many of the people in these houses have young families. So it’s important to know where there are older people so services can be put in place for them, and also where there are young people for schools and things like that.”

He added: “A big thing for everyone is doctors’ surgeries. Once we have the census figures, where doctors’ surgeries are can be compared to where the population centres are. Is there a disconnect between the two?

“Transport is another critical one, because again knowing how many people are in particular areas and also knowing where they work helps to inform transport decisions.”

Questions around work may be a challenge this year, with the pandemic having altered the employment landscape. But Mr Heaton said: “There’s very clear guidance as to how to answer particular questions, so that even though the census is a point in time, the figures can be extrapolated so that it gives an indication of where people are likely to be when we return to a degree of normality. That’s enormously helpful for planning purposes.”

He added: “Local authorities rely enormously on census data. Of course they get information from other sources, but that’s usually patchy, whereas the census gives a truly comprehensive picture.”

Various organisations make use of the census to help them determine how to support their clients.

“Age UK use the census figures to get a clear profile of older people in particular areas, and quite often the census can be used to support funding requests for charities,” Mr Heaton said.

“The Citizen’s Advice Bureau use census figures, they might get a profile of an area they work in to make sure their service is a truly inclusive one.”

Previous census data had been used by The Office for National Statistics to help understand how the pandemic has affected people in different ways and how to respond accordingly, Mr Heaton said, and the Census 2021 will give fresh information to improve our understanding of the pandemic.

Mr Heaton was also involved in the last census, which was held back in 2011, where he held a similar engagement role as well as an operational position. His engagement responsibilities involve working with local authorities, service providers and communities to encourage people to complete the census.

However the pandemic has meant the job is quite different this time round.

“Last time one of the great joys of the job was being able to get out and meet people,” he said. “Nowadays I can’t do that. That’s a shame, but I’m in regular contact with people by video conference or telephone or email. I’m still able to engage with people.”

One of the other big differences since the 2011 census is that, back then, only 17 per cent of people completed the form online.

This time, there is a big push towards the website and it is hoped that 75 per cent of people will fill it in online, Mr Heaton said.

The census gives a truly comprehensive picture JOHN HEATON

Local census engagement manager