Census first as most are expected to reply online

NORTHERN Ireland’s 2021 census has gone live, with households now able to complete the 10 yearly survey online.

Some experts have speculated that the census could show a Catholic majority here for the first time. Such a scenario could lead to pressure for a border poll.

The last census in 2011 put the Protestant population at 48% — 3% more than Catholics (45%).

This year’s census is the first with an expectation that the majority of people will submit it digitally.

Census packs are being sent to 840,000 addresses across Northern Ireland from today. They are all due to arrive by Saturday.

They each contain an access code to enable people to complete their census online.

Households will have the option of completing the survey in traditional paper format if desired, though they have to proactively request one.

The first tranche of results are expected to be published in June 2022.

Those will include top line findings such as Northern Ireland’s population calculation.

The population is currently estimated to be around 1.9m.

Data considered significant to Northern Ireland’s constitutional future — regarding religious background and national identity — will be published in a second tranche of information in the autumn of 2022.

There are a range of questions new to the 2021 census, including on sexual orientation and renewable energy use.

It is a legal requirement to complete the census, which is used to shape public policy and distribute resources, funding and services.

The official Census Day for 2021 is March 21, though households are able to complete their returns before then.

Census field staff will conduct visits to properties that have not completed their forms.

Those visits will take place under strict social distancing conditions to reflect the current Covid-19 emergency.

While the timeline for the publication of the findings is in line with previous censuses, organisers had hoped the results could be published some months earlier than summer 2022.

But social distancing restrictions on staff processing the returns mean that earlier publication target will not now be achievable.

Northern Ireland’s Registrar General Siobhan Carey said: “You don’t have to wait until March 21, once you receive your Census pack through the post, simply go to census.gov.uk/ni to complete the information for your household.”