Census 2021

[Girl Guide]

I've now had my paper one that I requested.  One of the questions asks what were you doing in the last seven days.  For me that means retired.

So skip the next few questions then Have you ever done any paid work.  Well yes but over 30 years ago.  I left to have the children and never went back.  I therefore don't see the relevance of answering loads of questions about my employment of over 30 years ago. 

What are any long retired Rootschatters planning to put for Question 38 which is:- Yes, in the last 12 months, Yes, but not in the last 12 months and No, have never worked.

Including this census I will be on seven census records.

[LizzieW]

What are any long retired Rootschatters planning to put for Question 38 which is:- Yes, in the last 12 months, Yes, but not in the last 12 months and No, have never worked.

I ticked the box Yes, but not in the last 12 months.  That's true, even though I retired in 2001.

[Girl Guide]

Did you then go on to fill in all your employment details Lizzie, or left that blank?

[LizzieW]

I filled it in and also my husband's.

[Girl Guide]

I wonder if a better question would have been Have you worked since the last census in 2011? Yes or No option.  You could say no and skip all the employment questions.

[coombs]

I shall do mine online, everyone in the household on the 21st March.

I may go to the pub that night and be enumerated there, so I am enumerated twice, to help descendants in 100 years time. 

Very close to home doing the modern day censuses as they are a huge part of our FH research.

[LizzieW]

I wonder if a better question would have been Have you worked since the last census in 2011? Yes or No option.  You could say no and skip all the employment questions.

That would mean the people who set the census having commonsense. 

[LizzieW]

I shall do mine online, everyone in the household on the 21st March.

I may go to the pub that night and be enumerated there, so I am enumerated twice, to help descendants in 100 years time. 

Very close to home doing the modern day censuses as they are a huge part of our FH research.

On another thread, Guy Etchells quoted National Statistics Office (I think it was them) saying that the census will be destroyed when they've finished using it, so it won't be around for ancestors in 100 years.

[Girl Guide]

Commonsense doesn't always come to the fore when doing these sort of things.  Some government forms can be as clear as mud.  You are left wondering what is actually being asked, is it a or b?