2021 Census instructions begin to arrive in Southport homes

4th March 2021

Instructions to complete the 2021 British Census are starting to arrive in Southport homes.

Census 2021 will be the first British census to collect most data online and will be completed despite the coronavirus pandemic.

The census is a count of the people and households in England and Wales, and is collected every ten years.

The findings are used by local and central government to assist in policy decisions.

Scotland’s census is independent, and will be held in 2022 after being delayed due to coronavirus.

Households must complete the census to avoid being fined up to £1,000.

Letters will provide access codes to access the census online, as well as providing instructions on how to claim a paper copy if a household does not have access to the internet.

A question on gender will be included for the first time.

The voluntary question in the 2021 survey reads: “Is the gender you identify with the same as your sex registered at birth?”

New questions will be included about whether the respondents are ex-armed forces.