One in five feels census does not fit the bill

ONE in five Britons does not feel that the census is representative enough, a poll has found.

The research comes after the 2021 census has faced a series of controversies and debates as to whether Sikhism is an ethnicity, and how transgender people should fill in their forms.

The Office for National Statistics is currently collecting data for the 2021 census, which will be the first of its kind to be conducted primarily online, setting a target of 75 per cent for digital submissions. Today marks the deadline for every household in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to fill in their form. Scotland’s recordings have been delayed until next year.

However, according to research compiled by the target audience company GWI, around one in five people does not feel the questionnaire is representative enough of everyone in the UK.

Following a survey of more than 2,000 internet users, it also found that almost one in four agreed that the census was outdated. Katie Gilsenan, consumer insights manager at GWI, said: “With the country in a constant flux right now, it’s hard to imagine that data collected this March will hold true for another full decade.”

Earlier this week, the ONS backed down over a legal dispute, leaving the High Court to rule that sex must not be self-identified on the nationwide survey. Meanwhile, the question of which ethnic group Sikhs should tick in the census has divided the community.

Many Sikhs may have historically listed their ethnic group as Indian and their religion as Sikh.

However, some UK community leaders, who believe Sikhs are both an ethnic and religious group, are urging them to label themselves as such for the corresponding questions on the online census.

Responding to the survey data, an ONS spokesman said: “We have worked extensively with a wide range of groups over years to make sure the questions we ask reflect groups and communities as widely as possible.”