Everyone will benefit from completing the Census 2021
Hart District Council is supporting this year’s 2021 Census and is asking all its residents to make sure they take part to help shape future services locally.
The census, run by the Office for National Statistics, is a once-in-a-decade survey that gives us the most accurate estimate of all the people and households in England and Wales. It provides a wide range of data from a national to a local level and it has been carried out every ten years since 1801, with the exception of 1941.
This year will be a “digital-first” Census, as the Census 2021 will be mainly online in a bid to reduce contact and comply with current guidelines during the Covid-19 pandemic. This could be challenging for some residents, but there will be a full range of support services available to anyone who needs assistance, these include:
- comprehensive guidance and support in many languages and formats,
- Local help from centres located in Basingstoke and Aldershot, with trained staff and online access,
- a contact centre to provide help via telephone, web chat and social media with a separate translation helpline for those who need help in a different language,
- field staff contacting households that have not yet responded,
- accessible census questionnaires, for example in large print,
- the option to request paper questionnaires.
The survey will ask people to base the information they provide on their circumstances on a single day – Census Day (21 March) so that a clear picture of data can be captured. Residents are asked to fill in and complete the form by this date if they can but not to worry – just make contact for help and support at any time before or after that date if you need help or additional survey forms. Results will be available within 12 months, although personal records will be locked away for 100 years, kept safe for future generations.
The information that will be collected during the Census will help to create an in-depth picture of society at this moment in time. By taking part in the 2021 Census residents will be able to play their part in marking this unprecedented, historic period of time and highlight the changes that we have all made during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Cllr David Neighbour, Leader of Hart District Council, said: “I would urge all residents to take part in the 2021 Census, it’s not only important that we mark these unprecedented times, but the Census will lay the foundations for future projects and funding here in Hart.
“The Census statistics are hugely important for local authorities, affecting the amount of funding a local area receives and providing essential information on different demographic groups living in the area, which helps with the planning, development and delivery of local services.
“It is therefore important that the Census is completed by as many people as possible, of all ages and backgrounds from right across the district.”
There is also an opportunity for primary and secondary aged children to be involved and learn all about how the Census works and the unique data-set that it captures. Schools across Hart are taking part – more details are available at http://census.gov.uk/education
For more information and to get the latest updates on Census 2021, visit www.census.gov.uk
