2011 Census

[Deerfold]

There has been a bit of fuss around certain quarters of the net about the sex question. I was suprised myself how few possible answers there are to it (or at least an "other" box).

http://www.badreputation.org.uk/2011/03/11/the-census-says-i-dont-exist/
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If you live by yourself, then it won't make any difference. But what about the many people up and down the country who have more than one person in their house? Should someone's wife die between the date they fill in the census and census day, then the information is inaccurate.

Or you may have a child unexpectedly. It does happen that people can be pregnant without realising it - and my partner and I have agreed to look after a relative's children should anything happen that would stop them doing. Hopefully there'll be no change because of that but it could happen.

 

[Ivo]

Just done it now, which is all very well, but we are going to have two guests on the 27th! Urgh! Just our luck; now our already multicultural census (English, English, Chilean, Japanese) will become English, English, Chilean, Japanese, French, Japanese (the last two being on the back cover).

For Ralph, my one point was badly made; here it is in summary: Other than the official position of Q4, there is nothing regarding sexuality at all; religion by contrast gets a question all to itself (which as shown previously in this thread can be heavily manipulated as a bunch of "Jedi" proved last time), even if it is optional. Could sexuality not have the same? I am trying to get LGBT people more involved here. It would give my housemate, the guy(s?) I know on here and others something special to answer (like I have "Limited a little" in Q23 for daily activities being limited by disability).

By the way, would I be right to assume that Q17 is a former question? What is or was the deal there; was it not considered important any more?

 

[Deerfold]

By the way, would I be right to assume that Q17 is a former question? What is or was the deal there; was it not considered important any more?

Q17 is Wales specific. If only appears if your address is in Wales.

http://2011.census.gov.uk/en/index.php?content_id=1605

Can you understand, speak, read or write Welsh?

Select the appropriate boxes if you can: understand spoken Welsh, speak, read, or write Welsh. Tick or click all options that apply.

If you can’t do any of these things, tick or click "None of the above".

It is up to you to judge your own ability in Welsh.

 

[Mvann]

I could read and understand welsh to a certain extent, but I haven't lived in Wales for over 10 years. I'm not welsh and only get practice from reading whatever some of the guys and girls I worked with on there Facebook pages.

 

[GB]

Sorry but you are totally wrong about this. Census day is the day that they require information on. You are required to complete it either on that day or shortly afterwards. If you haven't completed/returned the form by April 6th then you can expect to be visited by a friendly census collector who will offer help, answer questions, explain why it is important, provide a replacement form, etc etc.

With the greatest of respect you cannot know that everyone who you say will be in your house on that day actually will be until that day. They might be knocked down by a bus the day before.

This is a quote taken directly from the Census website.

When you should return the questionnaire
Census day is Sunday 27 March. Your answers should be about your household on this day. Please submit or return your completed questionnaire before, on or after this date.

or

You will be able to complete your 2011 Census questionnaire before, on or just after census day and submit or return it as soon as you have finished. Any delay could mean that our system will show you as a non-returning household, indicating the need for a visit from one of our census representatives.

Please explain how I am "totally wrong" becuase as far as I can see the only part of my post that was incorrect was the 27th being the ultimate deadline.

While you cannot guarantee what will happen on or by the 27th its all about reasonability and the census department will acknowledge that it is possible to have a sudden change in circumstances.

 

[me123]

Or you may have a child unexpectedly. It does happen that people can be pregnant without realising it - and my partner and I have agreed to look after a relative's children should anything happen that would stop them doing. Hopefully there'll be no change because of that but it could happen.

I already mentioned that scenario in the post above I actually know someone who this happened to, and it does happen.

 

[Mojo]

Had a letter from the council informing me why I should complete the census today.

Has anyone else received similar letters from their council?

 

[185]

This years religion is Klingon.

 

[MikeWh]

Please explain how I am "totally wrong" becuase as far as I can see the only part of my post that was incorrect was the 27th being the ultimate deadline.

While you cannot guarantee what will happen on or by the 27th its all about reasonability and the census department will acknowledge that it is possible to have a sudden change in circumstances.

Yes, I agree that 'totally' was too strong a word and apologise for using that. I guess I had been responding to too many people with warped ideas about the census including some who were openly advocating not filling it in. I also have to say that I'm puzzled that they seem to think it's ok to submit it early. That to me is a recipe for confusion, but who am I to argue with the organisers?

 

[GB]

I agree. Even doing it on the day leaves you open to discrepencies as who knows what will happen after you have posted it. Surely to get water tight answers it better to base the questions on a date in the past where things cannot change.

 

[DaveNewcastle]

Had a letter from the council informing me why I should complete the census today.
Has anyone else received similar letters from their council?

I haven't.

Can I just enter pedant mode for a second please?
There are going to be four Census in the British Isles this year: 3 on 27th March and one on 10th April.

On 27th March:-
England and Wales have the same procedure and form (with some national variations within the one form)
Scotland has its own Census (with on line version)
Northern Ireland has its own Census (I haven't seen an on-line version as yet)

On 10th April:-
The Republic has its own Census (with online version)

 

[The Barlow Boy]

The census. Another thing to keep civil servant drones in a job. "It's so we can plan ahead for the future". So how come we don't have enough hospitals and schools now, what did you do with the last census results? Planning ahead for transport requirements? You're 'aving a larf! There are three hundred thousand illegals in this country at a (very) conservative estimate. I don't think that any of those people will be remitting a census form.
Take a warning from history. The Germans used the results from their 1932 national census to discover who was Jewish.

 

[ralphchadkirk]

Take a warning from history. The Germans used the results from their 1932 national census to discover who was Jewish.

Reductio ad Hitlerum

 

[Deerfold]

The census. Another thing to keep civil servant drones in a job.

Except it's not - it's being run by that family-friendly private company Lockheed Martin (as metnitoned previously).

 

[Pumbaa]

Except it's not - it's being run by that family-friendly private company Lockheed Martin (as metnitoned previously).

Only the collection is. The legwork of analysing it all and cataloguing it all etc is still done by ONS (Office of National Statistics)

 

[The Barlow Boy]

Reductio ad Hitlerum

It's a fact old son. read your history.

 

[Sun Chariot]

I see the census as a positive aspect of our society. I'm all for it.

Besides, if you're worried about divulging personal information, just think what you've already told Tesco's Clubcard database...

 

[Greenback]

As far as the Tesco Clubcard database is concerned, I bought some milk, bread and baked beans in 2003. Then I never used the card again. I have also since moved house!

I think the census is a good thing. otherwise they will be stuck when they come to make Who do you think you are' in 2211!

 

[Eng274]

As far as the Tesco Clubcard database is concerned, I bought some milk, bread and baked beans in 2003. Then I never used the card again. I have also since moved house!

I think the census is a good thing. otherwise they will be stuck when they come to make Who do you think you are' in 2211!

They always look for wealth, nobility, or some bigamous scoundrel with 13 illegitimate children on 3 continents on that programme, unfortunately i doubt I'll either 1) do anything remotely interesting to merit a mention, 2) live to 124 to make sure they copied my details off the form correctly! (although if I'm 124 I doubt I'd know my own name, but I'd remember vividly what a Cummins NT855-R5 used to sound like )

 

[jon0844]

I really don't care what Tesco learns about my shopping habits. There can't be anything too dodgy, as it's only stuff they sell!

As a result of giving them data, I get offers relevant to me - and money back that they've taken off me in the first place. It feels wrong not to claim them, and they're converted into BA miles to get me cheap, or free, flights and special deals.

I really don't do anything interesting enough to be worried. Of course, if I whip out my camera at a train station, then suddenly I have every security agency in the world on my case.

 

[Greenback]

I stopped using Tesco full stop when Morrisons opened opposite my house!

 

[me123]

As a result of giving them data, I get offers relevant to me - and money back that they've taken off me in the first place. It feels wrong not to claim them, and they're converted into BA miles to get me cheap, or free, flights and special deals.

A lot of the "money" they give you, though, can only be redeemed against purchases in Tesco when you give them more money. It's very hard to stop using clubcard. You end up getting vouchers for "save £5 when you spend £50 in store" or something like that, for which you have to use your card, which gets you more of these vouchers...

I absolutely loathe Clubcard; I think it's a loyalty scheme that almost penalises you for shopping anywhere else rather than just rewarding you for shopping with Tesco. Having said that, they don't actually hold all that much info for you (although I believe they have rights to hold more information should they want to, eg political opinions, but you'd have to give them that information for them to get it in the first place!). There's no real privacy concern about using clubcard unless you're a closet alcoholic or something.

I stopped using Tesco full stop when Morrisons opened opposite my house!

Good man!

 

[jon0844]

A lot of the "money" they give you, though, can only be redeemed against purchases in Tesco when you give them more money. It's very hard to stop using clubcard. You end up getting vouchers for "save £5 when you spend £50 in store" or something like that, for which you have to use your card, which gets you more of these vouchers...

I don't fall for that nonsense. I get points for things I want to buy. If there's an offer, I use it IF I want 2 or 3 of something (but I saw a photo on FB the other day which was £1.50 each or Buy 2 for £3 as the offer).

I get points for what I spend at the end, but most points actually come from buying petrol if I'm honest. I only redeem the actual cash value vouchers, or petrol ones, and never buy something just because I'll get an extra few points (they're not worth much individually!).

In fact, for the last year we mostly shop at Waitrose because it's virtually next door to where my wife works so she shops on the way home. And, it isn't much more expensive. I love shopping there as we use the self scan machines, so you throw stuff in bags or boxes in the trolley, pay and load the car. No packing nonsense at the checkout - in and out in minutes!

Finally, I also have a Nectar card and other loyalty cards. I'd rather have the money off the purchases in the first place, but as long as you only get that extra money from having a loyalty card, I'll carry one as I feel they owe me that money.