The case for the 2011 Census
A census of population has been carried out in Great Britain every 10 years from 1801 to 2001, except in 1941. The census is the only method of producing the information on housing and population that government needs to develop policies, and to plan and run public services such as health and education. The information it provides is also widely used by academics, businesses, voluntary organisations and the public.
The planning process for the 2011 Census started in 2002 with a wide-ranging review of the future requirements for information, and alternative ways of gathering it. This confirmed that there is an ongoing need for high quality census information, and that it can only be provided by a traditional census in 2011. No alternative source would provide the quality of data required.
The review also concluded that, beyond 2011, if a national identity register were to be developed this might form the basis for a future Integrated Population Statistics System, which could remove the need for a census at some point. Experience from Scandinavian countries is that full implementation of such a system can take up to 30 years, as there are significant data quality, administrative and technical issues.
In its report on the 2001 Census, the Treasury Select Committee recommended that any future census should be justified in cost-benefit terms. A detailed business case has therefore been produced. This clearly demonstrates the unique value of the census and that the benefits of having the information far outweigh the costs of its collection. For example, over £100 billion per year (over £1 trillion in the decade between each census) is allocated from central government to local authorities and to NHS Primary Care Trusts. The business case demonstrates the value of census information in ensuring that this funding is distributed appropriately between different parts of the country to meet the needs of local populations.
The way in which the 2011 Census will be conducted reflects the available technology and the modern society in which we live. It also takes account of the lessons learnt during the 2001 Census. These lessons are reflected in reports by the National Audit Office, the Treasury Select Committee, the Public Accounts Committee, the Statistics Commission and the Local Government Association, as well as ONS's own evaluation reports.
