HUNDREDS of landmarks across the country will be lit in purple as a reminder that people have to fill out the Census 2021.
Buildings including the Blackpool Tower, the Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff, and the BT Tower in London will be decked in purple lights – the colour used for the census.
The census takes place every 10 years with every household in the UK required to fill out a form providing details of who lives or stays at the property and details of the house itself.
This year's census is only taking place in England, Wales and Northern Ireland as Scotland has decided to postpone until next year due to covid.
The punishment for failing to complete the form, either physically or online, by Sunday is a whopping £1,000 fine.
Read our Census 2021 live blog below for the latest news, updates and useful tips…
- Jon Rogers
CENSUS 2021 EXPECTED TO COST £900M
The cost of carrying out the Census 2021 is expected to reach £900m.
The questionnaire, which household are legally obliged to fill out, is expected to be largely carried out online, for the first time ever.
Some 28m households in England and Wales are due to complete the survey tomorrow, March 21.
“It’s going to be fascinating,” said Peter Benton, the ONS’s director in charge of the census. “There has never been a more important time to take a snapshot. We have just left the European Union, we have the impact of the pandemic and we will be able to see that in the census statistics.”
- Jon Rogers
WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU DON'T FILL OUT THE CENSUS 2021?
Completing a census is a legal requirement every 10 years – and census day in England, Wales and Northern Ireland this year is Sunday, March 21.
A spokesman for the Office for National Statistics explained what will happen if you don't fill in the census this weekend – or as soon as possible afterwards.
She said: "Operating in line with the Government’s latest Covid-19 guidance, field officers will be deployed across the country to contact those who have not responded.
"They will offer help and advice to those who need it and remind people that their census response is required by law. However, they will never enter a property.
"All contacts with the public will be socially distanced and field staff will be equipped with PPE in line with government guidance. It will operate much like postmen and supermarket delivery drivers have worked during the pandemic.
"We will make every attempt to help people complete their forms and we’ll provide assistance wherever possible – including support for those who find on-line completion difficult.
"The census is a legal obligation we will as a last resort, prosecute those who actively refuse."
- Jon Rogers
LANDMARKS TO BE LIT IN PURPLE FOR CENSUS
Hundreds of landmarks around the country will be lit in purple as a way of reminding people of the census.
The event is being organised by The Office for National Statistics (ONS) to highlight Census 2021 which takes place tomorrow, March 21.
Iconic landmarks, including the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff, BT Tower in London and Blackpool Tower are signed up for the celebration.
- Joseph Gamp
LANDMARKS ACROSS BRITAIN LIGHT UP IN PURPLE TO MARK CENSUS DAY 2021
London's BT TowerCredit: PA Lambeth Town Hall in Brixton, south LondonCredit: PA Blackpool tower is lit up to mark the 10-year census questionnaireCredit: PA - Joseph Gamp
WHAT IS CENSUS DAY 2021?
The census takes place every 10 years in the UK, including this year in Wales, England and Northern Ireland.
People have a set date by which they need to complete the relatively short questionnaire. In 2021, the date is Sunday, March 21, 2021.
The census takes into account whole households, and it is compulsory to complete it.
If you haven’t heard from the ONS by March 21, you can contact them via census.gov.uk to ask for your unique code.
Scotland has postponed their census until March 20, 2022.
- Joseph Gamp
WATCH: HOW TO FILL OUT YOUR CENSUS 2021 FORM
Video explains how to complete the Census 2021 form
- Joseph Gamp
DEADLINE DAY FAST APPROACHES
THE Government has released its 2021 census in order to determine how many people are living in England and the needs of the population.
The census is a questionnaire about your household, covering topics such as who you live with, the type of property you live in and your employment status.
Read more here.
- Joseph Gamp
CAN YOU REFUSE TO COMPLETE CENSUS?
No. There is a statutory requirement to complete a census return.
Your local council can provide help if needed or you have difficulty completing it.
There is also a helpline. If you live in England: telephone free: 0800 141 2021
If you live in Wales: telephone free: free: 0800 169 2021 (available in English or Welsh).
You can also send a text message on 86677.
- Joseph Gamp
WILL CENSUS OFFICERS COME TO YOUR HOUSE?
Later this month and early April, census field officers may visit your household if you haven’t submitted the census form or filled out the questions online or over the phone.
The officers will be wearing PPE and will not enter your home.
They will encourage you to complete the form and give you help if needed.
- Joseph Gamp
WHAT QUESTIONS ARE ON THE CENSUS 2021?
According to a House of Commons briefing paper published on March 8, 2021 the census collects a wide range of demographic information about topics like age, sex, marital status, health, education and housing.
There will be three new questions in the 2021 census, covering:
• Veteran status: whether the respondent has ever served in the UK Armed Forces.
• Sexual orientation: whether the respondent identifies as gay, lesbian, bisexual, heterosexual, or some other sexual orientation. This question will be voluntary and only asked of respondents aged 16 and over.
• Gender identity: whether the respondent’s gender is different from the sex they were registered as at birth. This question will also be voluntary and limited to respondents aged 16 and over.
- Joseph Gamp
CENSUS 2021: WHAT TO DO IF YOU'VE LOST YOUR FORM
If you have lost your census form, the best thing to do is obtain a unique access code in order to login to your census account online.
The unique 16-digit code will be printed on the letter sent to you by Census UK.
You can request a new access code to start a new census if you’ve lost or not received a code in the post.
- Joseph Gamp
WATCH: BRITS WARNED ABOUT £1,000 FINE FOR NOT FILLING IN CENSUS 2021
Brits warned about £1,000 fine for not filling in Census 2021 forms as letters start to arrive
- Joseph Gamp
WILL CENSUS 2021 BE THE LAST ONE EVER?
The UK's national statistician, Professor Sir Ian Diamond, recently announced that the government is looking at getting "to a similar place, more quickly, using different strategies".
The current estimated cost of the next count is £906million, nearly double the cost of the 2011 one.
Cheaper alternatives could include using current administrative data like GP lists, Ordnance Survey, council tax records and driving licence details.
This could be combined with large scale population surveys to achieve a similar level of accuracy to the census, which relies on people filling out a lengthy form.
- Joseph Gamp
EXPLAINED: WHAT HAPPENS TO CENSUS RECORDS?
Statistics obtained from recent censuses can be found at the ONS website but if you want to dig back even further you can go to the National Archives.
No personal data is released or shared by the ONS, but people can look at profiles of the country and their local area.
ONS carries out a number of checks before publishing results to protect people's personal information.
- Joseph Gamp
WHAT IS CENSUS DAY 2021?
The census takes place every 10 years in the UK, including this year in Wales, England and Northern Ireland.
People have a set date by which they need to complete the relatively short questionnaire. In 2021, the date is Sunday, March 21, 2021.
The census takes into account whole households, and it is compulsory to complete it.
If you haven't heard from the ONS by March 21, you can contact them via census.gov.uk to ask for your unique code.
Scotland has postponed their census until March 20, 2022.
- Joseph Gamp
CENSUS 2021: WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU DON'T FILL OUT YOUR FORM?
According to Census.co.uk, anyone who doesn't complete the form will have a census officer get in touch with them.
They will help make adjustments for the participant to complete their document – but further failure to comply is a crime which results in a potential court case.
Should court proceedings go ahead, people risk paying £1,000 and any associated court costs.
These fines are usually a last resort though, and likely wouldn't be enforced until several months after this deadline.
Just four people received the maximum £1,000 fine during the last census in 2011.
- Joseph Gamp
EXPLAINED: WHY DO WE HAVE A CENSUS AND WHAT IS IT USED FOR?
Modern censuses have been taking place every ten years since 1801 with the exception of 1941 (during World War Two) and another in Ireland in 1921.
The Office of National Statistics (ONS), which carries out the census, says it helps to give a “complete picture of the nation”.
The census helped provide vital information that the government needs to develop policies, plan and run public services and allocate funding.
- Hana Carter
LINCOLN CATHEDRAL ILLUMINATED PURPLE FOR CENSUS DAY
- Hana Carter
HOW DO I FILL OUT MY CENSUS ONLINE?
- Hana Carter
WHAT DO I DO IF I'VE LOST MY CENSUS?
If you have lost your census form, the best thing to do is obtain a unique access code in order to login to your census account online.
The unique 16-digit code will be printed on the letter sent to you by Census UK.
You can request a new access code to start a new census if you’ve lost or not received a code in the post.
- Hana Carter
WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU MISS THE DEADLINE?
Anyone who can't complete the census on March 21 should ensure they do so "as soon as possible after".
Although this is the allotted date, people can complete their census forms earlier than this if they know their circumstances won't change.
Some people will find they have already received a letter in the post which guides them to an online form.
Once they have the letter, they can complete the questionnaire at their leisure.
Those who choose to complete the form earlier may find their circumstances change before March 21.
In this case, they should contact census runners with the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
- Hana Carter
WHAT IS THE CENSUS USED FOR?
Modern censuses have been taking place every ten years since 1801 with the exception of 1941 (during World War Two) and another in Ireland in 1921.
The Office of National Statistics (ONS), which carries out the census, says it helps to give a “complete picture of the nation”.
The census helped provide vital information that the government needs to develop policies, plan and run public services and allocate funding.
- Hana Carter
ROMA INCLUDED IN ETHNIC MINORITIES IN HISTORIC FIRST
For the first time in the history of the census, Roma has been included as one of the ethnicity options.
Marius Daniel Banceanu, a campaigner and project advocate for the Roma Support Group, welcomed the change.
"When authorities know that we are so many [in number] it will be their duty to offer the services we need.
"We have been moving for hundreds and hundreds of years, and trying to adapt into societies, but it is now time for society to understand us."
- Katie Davis
INCORRECT INFO COULD LEAD TO CRIMINAL RECORD
If you don’t take part, you could be fined £1,000 as it’s a legal requirement for each household to fill out the census.
Supplying incorrect information is also a criminal offence, so make sure your answers are accurate.
However, not all questions are mandatory – for example, you don’t need to answer questions about your sexual orientation, gender, and religion.
- Katie Davis
WHAT HAPPENS TO INFORMATION COLLECTED?
The Office of National Statistics (ONS), which carries out the census, says it helps to give a "complete picture of the nation".
Statistics obtained from recent censuses can be found at the ONS website but if you want to dig back even further you can go to the National Archives.
No personal data is released or shared by the ONS but people can look at profiles of the country and their local area.
ONS carries out a number of checks before publishing results to protect people's personal information
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