2011 Census

[Felixx62]

Apparently 100 people have been employed to make sure all of us Brits complete and return their census forms. Up to a £1,000 fine and possible criminal record if we dont. Oh how we love this nanny state we have to live in..

rgs. frank..

[SkippyBing]

Well, it makes sense to me, for the data to be of any use you need to check where it's come from and what you've got, and if you make it a legal requirement to complete the census then there needs to be a form of redress for those who fail to. It's not exactly a new phenomenon it's been happening once a decade since 1841.

[DarrenL]

It's all done so that local amenities can support the needs of the people there. So if people don't fill it in then the authorities will have lower numbers, so that new surgery or hostpital every one says is needed isn't because there aren't enough people to justify it.

Conversely if you fill out the religeon section with something silly like Jedi, they don't take it as Jedi they take it as just another religeon, a tick in a box. So the local religeous budget increases because of people saying Jedi instead on "none" and money that could go to better causes gets wasted.

It might be a pain in the arse but its important, its not as if you do it every week, month or even year.

It's all to do with local government budgets so you can influence how your money is spent.

[DaveB]

so that new surgery or hospital every one says is needed isn't because there aren't enough people to justify it.

A more cynical view would be that they can also see who lives where and close current hospitals where they think necessary No rooms at the inn on census night as I don't care to be responsible for up to a dozen extended family

ATB
DaveB

[DarrenL]

They will close them if people don't fill them in, fewer people.

[Felixx62]

The religion question can be left blank,its voluntary if you wish to fill it in or not.. just as well this exercise only happens once a decade. With some £800 million being spent on this one,i dread what the cost will be of the next one,if it happens in the current format...

[ianhind]

Did mine online this morning - seems innocuous enough I suppose it depends how cynical one wants to be about how they use the data, eg there are just two of us living here with that many rooms Time to move to something smaller . I think not.

[Tomliner]

Yes I'm a cynical old git,but I reckon an underestimate of 20% minimum of the UK population figures might be applicable in this census.Iknow that in terms of ethnicity,I spent most of my life in England,I now live in Scotland but above all else I am British.As for religion-forget it.Now where's that Vanguard? EricT

[DelP]

No rooms at the inn on census night

Good one Dave, took me a while though......

I haven't yet decided whether to fill in the form (most of it will be blank) or do it online...and does it have to be done at midnight tomorrow? What if I have company?...am I supposed to kick them out and tell them to fill in their own s*dding form?

I understand the reason for it but I'm cynical as to the use of data...recently the only indoor swimming pool for miles was demolished and Tesco want to put a supermarket on the site. If it's allowed all the major supermarkets will be a few minutes walk from each other and this isn't a big town

Anyway, I'd best keep a copy of the form.....just so I know where I am

Derek

[SkippyBing]

I haven't yet decided whether to fill in the form (most of it will be blank) or do it online...and does it have to be done at midnight tomorrow? What if I have company?

I did mine online about three weeks ago. I think you only have to include people who are staying in the house overnight, not if they just happen to have popped round for a drink.