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General => The Common Room => The Lighter Side => Topic started by: Gillg on Thursday 04 March 21 16:50 GMT (UK)
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Have you received your census form yet? We haven't, but relatives in Wales received theirs today, one copy in English and one in Welsh, each over 30 pages long. We're thinking that when we do receive it we will complete and submit the form online but also fill in the hard copy to keep for ourselves.
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They are sending out a letter with a reference so that you can fill it out online. You can apply for a paper copy though.
Have had my letter / reference ;D
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Yes, had mine today [W Yorkshire]]; will do it online.
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Maybe they're working slowly north as we've not had ours yet.
Gillg - I see that you're SW, so :-\
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Census here delayed until 2022.
But not such a big deal, as we have censuses every 5 years ;D
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Yes, we are, Gadget. Maybe tomorrow....... :-\
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Nothing in this bit of Wales yet, except a card a week ago to say its coming !!
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"Maybe they're working slowly north as we've not had ours yet"
I don't think that is the answer, I haven't had mine yet either. (Kent!)
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Nothing in this bit of Wales yet, except a card a week ago to say its coming !!
We've not even had a card.
T of H - but you are North Kent ;D
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Yes recieved the letter two days ago along with reference number to enable filing online...and a phone number if you want them to send a paper copy
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I am not North Kent - I am East Kent. ;D Actually I an equidistant from N., E. and S. coasts. ::)
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Joking
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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Yes recieved the letter two days ago along with reference number to enable filing online...and a phone number if you want them to send a paper copy
Yes, like iluleah received the letter yesterday with the 16 digit code. Going to fill it in online soon, here in Northern Ireland.
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Yes, like iluleah received the letter yesterday with the 16 digit code. Going to fill it in online soon, here in Northern Ireland.
I'm in Northern Ireland also but all we've gotten so far is that silly card announcing the census ::)
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I've had the card but no letter/form yet in East Dorset.
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Here in west Wales, same as Iuleah.
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My mums neighbour received hers yesterday but my mum still hadn’t had one today. She’s South Essex. But our post is still all over the place.
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Perhaps it is alphbetical?
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Yes recieved the letter two days ago along with reference number to enable filing online...and a phone number if you want them to send a paper copy
Yes, like iluleah received the letter yesterday with the 16 digit code. Going to fill it in online soon, here in Northern Ireland.
Ooo errr 🤔 I’m going to have to go bin diving. Just a leaflet in ours, thought I’d read through it and chucked it in the recycling bin. Better go and have another look. I have serious lock down brain at the moment 🙄
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Next year in Scotland.
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Got my letter with the 16 digit code earlier this week, went online and completed it with no problem - I'm in Northern Ireland.
Maybe they phase it to minimise potential online peaks?
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I'm in Lancashire and received notification of the imminent arrival of the 2021 census form and an invitation to fill it in. The email advised to look on the council website for further information.
I have now looked at their website and see the blank form is already on the site ready to fill in. Why on earth didn't they say so in their email?
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My form arrived yesterday, so put in a safe place. All I hope is that I remember where that place is! :D
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Our letter with code arrived this morning (rural Devon). Like Musicman I will put it in a safe place and hope I will remember where that was. I'm interested to read that you should include everybody who usually lives in your house, even if they are away from home on March 21st, but anyone from a different address who is staying overnight at your address on that date should be included on your form as a visitor. Doesn't that mean that they will be included both on your form and on their own home form? :-\
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It does mean that they would be entered twice but there should not be many of those because of Lockdown :)
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It does mean that they would be entered twice but there should not be many of those because of Lockdown :)
... But you can book a holiday in Scotland or the IoM for next year and get yourself on twice. Possibly three times depending on the timing! ;D ;D
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We have received card but nothing else I am in Lincolnshire
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One neighbour has received hers, I haven't nor has the other neighbour. ??? Not alphabetical - "A" has not received, "L" has, not geographical, so what ever system is being used?
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One neighbour has received hers, I haven't nor has the other neighbour. ??? Not alphabetical - "A" has not received, "L" has, not geographical, so what ever system is being used?
Height!
Regards
Chas
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Not heard anything here - North East and nearer the end of the alphabet ....
For those who have had it, do you get a card or a letter as both are mentioned on this thread?
Thanks.
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Well, if we don't get them, we can't complete them. In this case, they have to chase us up.
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Not heard anything here - North East and nearer the end of the alphabet ....
For those who have had it, do you get a card or a letter as both are mentioned on this thread?
Thanks.
I am in the south east, card came about 10 days ago, form arrived 3 days ago. Nearer end of alphabet
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We are in East Yorkshire and haven't received anything yet, I have seen the online form but will have to wait for the code.
Carol
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Not heard anything here - North East and nearer the end of the alphabet ....
For those who have had it, do you get a card or a letter as both are mentioned on this thread?
Thanks.
candleflame
The card comes first, in our case about 10 days before the letter. The letter contains a leaflet and a single sheet with your household access code on it, which you will need to get your form.
I wonder how many people will think, "Not another leaflet from the government!" and throw it in the bin without looking carefully at it, thus losing their code. The envelope does say "census 2021" and "Your response is required by law" on the front, though.
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So are they not sending out proper forms for those who don't want to fill it in on line?
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You have to request a paper copy by either going through the website or phoning them, details of both on the letter
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Like Treetotal I'm also in East Yorkshire, received the card over a week ago, still not received anything else.
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You have to request a paper copy by either going through the website or phoning them, details of both on the letter
How many people won't bother to do that I wonder, especially if they don't have access to the internet?
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I did try the telephone number yesterday, when I received the letter and FINALLY found the contact details (last paragraph of the letter) - "Sorry very busy, please try later". :-X :-X
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You have to request a paper copy by either going through the website or phoning them, details of both on the letter
How many people won't bother to do that I wonder, especially if they don't have access to the internet?
It is a legal requirement, If they don’t comply they will have to be prepared to pay a fine of up to £1000.
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You have to request a paper copy by either going through the website or phoning them, details of both on the letter
How many people won't bother to do that I wonder, especially if they don't have access to the internet?
It is a legal requirement, If they don’t comply they will have to be prepared to pay a fine of up to £1000.
I know, but I doubt whether they will chase everyone up. If they want people to complete the form they need to make it easier for them. A lot of older people don't have access to the internet and some don't like using the phone, especially if it will be a service where you need to push different buttons.
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...... and when the wibsite crashes ????
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...... and when the wibsite crashes ????
Presumably that is why we are apparently able to enter the information now. The TV adverts are suggesting we can though the paperwork suggests otherwise.
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We had our paper copy this morning in the post. I'm not going to do it online.
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How long is the paper form ..... how many pages ??
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The form is 32 pages long! There is a section of 5 pages for each member of the household - in our case that's 15 pages, I'm going to let my adult sons fill in their sections!
At the front there is a four page section to fill in which asks about the type of property etc.
The last page is if there is a visitor on 21 March 2021.
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Not heard anything here - North East and nearer the end of the alphabet ....
For those who have had it, do you get a card or a letter as both are mentioned on this thread?
Thanks.
candleflame
The card comes first, in our case about 10 days before the letter. The letter contains a leaflet and a single sheet with your household access code on it, which you will need to get your form.
I wonder how many people will think, "Not another leaflet from the government!" and throw it in the bin without looking carefully at it, thus losing their code. The envelope does say "census 2021" and "Your response is required by law" on the front, though.
Thanks gillg
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Not yet got mine, so not had chance to put my middle name as first name, and wrong birthplace. ;D
Nudge to those long dead ancestors of mine.
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Not yet got mine, so not had chance to put my middle name as first name, and wrong birthplace. ;D
Nudge to those long dead ancestors of mine.
And the wrong age by around a decade.
Is there a question about ethnicity? That one put me in a quandary in 2001. There were 2 questions about it in 2011. I felt like writing that I don't fit into any of your little boxes. I had the same problem with something I completed online a few weeks ago.
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If you don't fit any of the ethnicity boxes, I think you put "Klingon". ;D
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If you don't fit any of the ethnicity boxes, I think you put "Klingon". ;D
I bet some people put their DNA results. :)
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Well as we expect a moving date about the last week of March and the deadline for returning the completed form is March 21st, some of the details we give will be out of date within a week or two ;D
Carol
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Well as we expect a moving date about the last week of March and the deadline for returning the completed form is March 21st, some of the details we give will be out of date within a week or two ;D
Carol
My Dad is temporarily in a care home but is expecting to be home on 22nd March, so his will be out of date within 24 hours ;D
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Well as we expect a moving date about the last week of March and the deadline for returning the completed form is March 21st, some of the details we give will be out of date within a week or two ;D
Carol
My Dad is temporarily in a care home but is expecting to be home on 22nd March, so his will be out of date within 24 hours ;D
I am getting house rennovations done and it's currently a one bedroom house but will potentially be three bedrooms by 21st March, depending how fast the builder manages to work.
Already completed my census but might have to log back on and amend depending on builders progress!
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Not had any notification as yet
Louisa Maud
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They don't seem to be working in alphabetical order.
With Town/Registration District beginning with C, and surname beginning with A, neither I nor my mum have received anything through our letterboxes.
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I am a "B"
LM
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If you don't fit any of the ethnicity boxes, I think you put "Klingon". ;D
For the 2011 census, my idiot stepson gave his religion as "Other (Jedi)" - just like one hundred thousand other young people who thought it was funny.
Regards
Chas
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Regarding alphabetical order, which was my suggestion. I have yet to see a form, but my daughter tells me they are not addressed to a person, only the house. That does make sense.
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T-o-t-h As family historians I suppose we should have known that. :-[
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Regarding alphabetical order, which was my suggestion. I have yet to see a form, but my daughter tells me they are not addressed to a person, only the house. That does make sense.
It always has been. They're not really interested in the name of the person in a census - just the characteristics. :)
https://www.ons.gov.uk/census/2011census/howourcensusworks/aboutcensuses/censushistory
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She also suggested they might be sent out in a random manner to save the postmen being overwhelmed! ::)
Did they not use to be delivered by local officials?
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Yes, I remember a cousin delivered them when I lived with my parents. I think it's only 'recently' that they've been sent by post.
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I've now sent for a paper form. Old-fashioned maybe, but I want to stay traditional! And I want to see all the questions first rather than commit myself with the code online; I want to fill in my personal answers to certain questions as I suspect I might not like what they want some of the answers to be (tick-boxes) !
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I'm with susieroe on all counts.
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Include me in too - requested paper form on Tuesday last. I have seen that someone has revealed it is 30 pages long, hope that's not because some of us of the more mature generation will find it difficult to fathom why people in the 21st Century have ambiguities about their gender at birth.
I see that on the updated 1921 website- https://www.1921census.org.uk/ it still doesn't reveal what FindMyPast are going to charge for downloading census information. Is this delay to avoid a lengthy debate in what might be seen as OTT ?
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I want to see all the questions first rather than commit myself with the code online
If it's not been mentioned already, you can download the forms for England and Wales to look at (without having to fill them in!)
Census 2021 paper questionnaires
https://www.ons.gov.uk/census/censustransformationprogramme/questiondevelopment/census2021paperquestionnaires
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I have to admit I hadn't even thought about it being census year until I saw this thread, I haven't had any sort of communication related to the census. Having looked at the link supplied to the form I must say there will be quite a number of questions I won't be answering, I'm shocked about how many personal questions there are that are not labelled as voluntary to answer, things such as physical or mental health conditions. It all seems horribly Big Brother to me and if the electronic version doesn't allow you to skip questions then I'll be asking for a paper one. I'm really shocked at this intrusion into our privacy.
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I’ve looked at the a copy of census and now as a household we’ve decided we will be filling in a paper copy. I filled the 2011 in online but 2021 appears to be asking questions which seem to apply more to government policies.
Nic
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Excuse me if I'm not being observant enough, but can someone point me to where it says that you won't get a physical form unless you contact them, please?
Through this thread, that was my understanding, but in conversation with my Dad, he insisted he will get a paper form and I have to say, I cannot see where I can show him otherwise. We have both received the card and letter with the code.
His argument is that it keeps saying about "completing the form" which to his generation is a paper thing and I can't show him otherwise.
Probably just that I can't see the wood from the trees, but...
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Our house received the form in the post - didn't have to make a special request. (I'm in Lincolnshire.)
The paper form is 32 pages long because it repeats the questions for individual household members 5 times and also has a page for any visitors to fill in basic information. There are 50 questions per household member: personal (similar to those routinely asked when accessing NHS treatment); educational history, and employment. As far as I can see the questions address traditional areas of concern (such as housing and transport requirements) and areas that have come to the fore more recently (eg gender allignment and mental health). The more "prying" questions are included in order to establish what the current requirements of the population are in order to plan as adequately as possible for the needs of the population over the next 10 years. It is necessary to ask about mental health (for example) so that the current government (and administrations to follow) can try to fund services appropriately. Although I have no more reason to trust "Them" than the next person, it should benefit me to be honest in my answers - if I am not, I cannot complain if services I require are not provided in my area.
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If you look at the letter you’ve received it has a code on it. This is what you’re use to complete the online form.
But the last line on this letter says ‘you can request a paper form at Www.census.gov.uk or call 0800 141 2021’
Nic
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Surely the questions on physical and mental health are there to find out what services the government needs to think about for the future? I would have thought these things are part of the purpose of a modern census. Though as they are talking about this being the last, I wonder what other method of collecting statistics they have in mind?
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At the foot of the letter it says, "You can request a paper form at www.census.gov.uk or call 0800 141 2021". I must say I am much more comfortable with a paper form and like to review what I have written. Don't know if it's possible, but ideally I would like to complete and keep the form for future reference and then fill in one online.
For those of us who still feel European, you can answer question 14, "How would you describe your national identity?" by writing "European" against the option "Other". It's a "tick all that apply", so you can answer British, English, Scottish, Northern Irish, Welsh as well.
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Guy posted this on the other census thread so it looks as though there is a good chance that they won't be read by anyone else in 100 years time ;D
Knowing the way the authorities twist the assurances given on census forms it is very doubtful if the 2021 census will exist in 2122.
If the assurances on the 2021 census "What you need to know booklet" are correct it will not be kept until 2122.
The assurances claim "Under data protection law personal data should be kept no longer than needed to fulfil the purposes for which it was originally collected." It also claims "We hold the least amount of personal data or make it anonymous, where appropriate." also "We'll securely hold the data and control this data for 100 years."
In other words we will start destroying data as soon as it is no longer needed and at the most within 100 years of taking the census.
Cheers
Guy
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I've just requested a paper form via the website. They ask how many people are in the household, so that they can send enough forms!
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At the foot of the letter it says, "You can request a paper form at www.census.gov.uk or call 0800 141 2021".
But it doesn't actually say anywhere that won't get a paper form unless you ask (and Old Mother Reilly said in their reply that they received a paper copy without asking). So I am none the wiser and I think my discussion with my Dad on this might be one where neither side persuades the other. ???
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Isn't this another total shambles? How ridiculous if some people are getting a paper copy without asking, when it clearly says on the letter that you need to apply for it. Either send everyone a copy or don't, not half and half. I expect in a few weeks they will be wondering why a lot of people haven't completed it!
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Had ours last week in South Staffs.
Online it will be for us, and my wife as already submitted her recently bereaved dad's online. I didn't realise you could submit it in advance.
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I've just completed our census. I wonder how many, and who, will access this in 100 years' time!! With no direct descendants (no children), will anyone be interested?
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Oops! Just seen this topic on 'The Lighter Side'...so I'll read that now. Sorry!
Threads merged.
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Will now reply on this one (I'm one who put the subject on 'Totally off topic"!)
It may seem that some questions are 'intrusive' but the government needs a lot of information that may not seem relevant - or to be too personal - in order to collate details that can be used for future planning. We lived in Canada and one of the questions on the 'long' census was "how long do you spend doing housework in a week" (among a lot of other questions on activities). Now, most people would think this was stupid, after all, the gov't doesn't provide these services does it? However, my company used to complete what were known as "Cost of Future Care" reports for the courts for traumatically injured people who needed the majority of assistance in all aspects of daily living activities. As part of the report, one could assess the need for housework (light or heavy tasks) and produce an annual cost, along with all the other costs. These would then be forwarded to an actuary who would 'futurise' the costs to present to the court for a settlement. This is just one simple instance of how such a question - which would eventually form part of the National Statistics data - becomes so pertinent.
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Had ours last week in South Staffs.
Online it will be for us, and my wife as already submitted her recently bereaved dad's online. I didn't realise you could submit it in advance.
Firstly, my condolences to your wife on the loss of her father. However, I am wondering why a form has been submitted for him if he is deceased? After all it is supposed to be for all those who are living on 31 March 2021.
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Firstly, my condolences to your wife on the loss of her father. However, I am wondering why a form has been submitted for him if he is deceased? After all it is supposed to be for all those who are living on 31 March 2021.
"Bereaved", not "deceased". You need a fresh brew!
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Firstly, my condolences to your wife on the loss of her father. However, I am wondering why a form has been submitted for him if he is deceased? After all it is supposed to be for all those who are living on 31 March 2021.
"Bereaved", not "deceased". You need a fresh brew!
Doh :-[ :-[ :-[ :-[ Looks like I need to have my eyes re-tested! :-X :-X
Or even set up a search for the second brain cell - that is assuming I've got the first one! :-*
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Both my neighbours have now had the forms, while I have not. I had a chat with the postman and he confirmed that it is quite random - he gets a box to deliver, but the addresses are scattered around the village.
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Both my neighbours have now had the forms, while I have not. I had a chat with the postman and he confirmed that it is quite random - he gets a box to deliver, but the addresses are scattered around the village.
The question is why -who has decided that some people get paper copies and others don't?
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He also said that some seem to be the full pack, and some just a thin one, or words to that effect. It gets odder! I am just waiting to see which I get.
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Firstly, my condolences to your wife on the loss of her father. However, I am wondering why a form has been submitted for him if he is deceased? After all it is supposed to be for all those who are living on 31 March 2021.
"Bereaved", not "deceased". You need a fresh brew!
Doh :-[ :-[ :-[ :-[ Looks like I need to have my eyes re-tested! :-X :-X
Or even set up a search for the second brain cell - that is assuming I've got the first one! :-*
I'm right with you there B-B, I misread it too! Is it a Tamworth thing?
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It might be Guyana, but I do have to admit that I'm an "incomer". :)
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The question is why -who has decided that some people get paper copies and others don't?
All my children got the code to fill out census online as did our household. Elderly relatives got paper form (without asking) although her sister's household got letter with access code. Guess who got experience of filling out paper form this afternoon?
The Northern Ireland version had 2 questions about Irish language and two about Ulster-Scots. I did theirs first and did ours when I came home.
The education/employment bits were the most ridiculous-
Occupation- farmer, place of employment- farm, description of job- farming. Also asked for name of place of employment (put 'farm')
Education- none of the 4 people I filled in today (myself included) really fit into the categories
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So I thought I'd been sent my Census letter and online code. But I've received a 'special' request letter by the look of it. Apparently my household has been selected to do a Household Assets Survey and I've received a shop voucher as a 'thank you' . Today I've also had a letter from a Field Interviewer to make an appointment to provide my answers. It's all from the ONS so not a scam. There is a code with this letter so I might just try it and see if it takes me to my census form.
CD
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That might be a quite different survey. We have been involved in a few ONS surveys over the last couple of years - both telephone and person to person interviews. In all cases we had vouchers for taking part but it was a random sample rather than self-selected or full census.
These surveys are conducted by ONS on a number of ad hoc or routine social/economic studies. See the ONS site for the whole range.
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This seems to be it:
https://www.ons.gov.uk/surveys/informationforhouseholdsandindividuals/householdandindividualsurveys/householdassetssurvey
Another one I wouldn't complete.
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Mine arrived this morning. I had asked for a paper copy and had to complete my name and address online on the request.
What has arrived this morning is an envelope addressed to the Householder - so have I got the forms I requested, or is this the "letter" that everyone gets?
FS
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This seems to be it:
https://www.ons.gov.uk/surveys/informationforhouseholdsandindividuals/householdandindividualsurveys/householdassetssurvey
Another one I wouldn't complete.
"Depending on your circumstances these may be about, for example, how your household manages financially and your savings, investments and provision for retirement."
Me neither! If I get any survey that asks about my financial situation I always tick the "prefer not to answer" box.
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Mine has just arrived with a code to go online
LM
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"Ready Dale" is asking: Excuse me if I'm not being observant enough, but can someone point me to where it says that you won't get a physical form unless you contact them, please?
I found the 'request for paper form' on the back page of the purple leaflet which accompanies the official letter from Census 2021 supplying the household Online Link Code. I used that link online to request it 7 days ago.[From London]. The envelope had a return if undelivered address for Dagenham, East London.
It's all a test of 'will' to get people to conform. Saving money by not engaging a swathe of humanoids to door-step deliver forms, as per census in the days of yore. If they are agreeing to "post a paper copy" upon request - they jollywell do so. If it doesn't appear, I cannot complete it.
PS For anyone in dispute over invasive questions, write N/A(i.e.Not applicable), just as you would on a Tax return.
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Got mine today with a code for the online one, to record everyone in the household on 21st March. The internet is the enumerator.
The form says we are promised the info will remain secret for 100 years. This assurance was never given 1841-1931 (and probably later up to the 1970s or 1980s). The 1851 census was released in 1912, after just 61 years.
Guy Etchells will probably explain when that assurance was actually given, but I read it was about 1981.
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I received a paper copy yesterday, but it also has a code so I can fill it online, think I'll stick with the paper version.
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And you are confident the internet ("the enumerator") you say, is qualified to undertake the task? Can you recollect what happened when a not too distant past census was handed to a company who enlisted prisoners to transcribe some of it. A well established faux pas recorded many prison warders and police officers were given an extremely derogatory term under their 'occupation'! As a result online researching was temporarily suspended as the census website "had (allegedly) crashed under the strain" :o
I, personally, have received no information who is specifically named as in charge of the 2021 effort.
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And you are confident the internet ("the enumerator") you say, is qualified to undertake the task? Can you recollect what happened when a not too distant past census was handed to a company who enlisted prisoners to transcribe some of it. A well established faux pas recorded many prison warders and police officers were given an extremely derogatory term under their 'occupation'! As a result online researching was temporarily suspended as the census website "had (allegedly) crashed under the strain" :o
I, personally, have received no information who is specifically named as in charge of the 2021 effort.
Well, let's hope it's not the Track & Trace lady. ::)
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Completed my census form today - would be interested to hear what folks are thinking about the questions asked and would this census be helpful in the distant future for people searching their family history.
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And you are confident the internet ("the enumerator") you say, is qualified to undertake the task? Can you recollect what happened when a not too distant past census was handed to a company who enlisted prisoners to transcribe some of it. A well established faux pas recorded many prison warders and police officers were given an extremely derogatory term under their 'occupation'! As a result online researching was temporarily suspended as the census website "had (allegedly) crashed under the strain" :o
I, personally, have received no information who is specifically named as in charge of the 2021 effort.
Well, let's hope it's not that expensive Track & Trace lady. ::)
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For those who have yet to receive a letter with access code, you can request one here:
https://census.gov.uk/
Follow the 'Don't have a code' route.
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Copper1: I suppose the Enumerator this year is Leidos who hold the contract to "do" the census for the UK this time around.
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I have now received my letter! I asked for a paper form in accordance with the notice I got first. The questionnaire came first!!
Both addressed to the Householder - and with totally different reference numbers!
FS
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Our requested form took one week to arrive, so do hurry up if you are thinking of asking for one!
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Completed my census form today - would be interested to hear what folks are thinking about the questions asked and would this census be helpful in the distant future for people searching their family history.
I think that the question on marital status would have been quite useful with some of the people I've researched. A difference between "currently single" and "never been married".
Not sure how the relationships are worked out, because I've only been involved in single-occupancy properties, so never saw such a question.
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What if the court case changes the form requirements. Admittedly it's only one question but it could be a scramble to get the information out.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-56338666