The main outcomes of the review, informed by feedback about the experiences of both users and the statistical producers, as well as from the published documentation and census outputs, concerned:. The Authority provided five recommendations PDF, 1. Shares their experiences of effective engagement gained on the Census with other statistical teams. We the Authority suggest that each statistical producer implement ways of informing users of substantive revisions alongside the statistics in the context of the developments in online dissemination.
Following the release of the Census results, the ONS carried out a significant amount of engagement to share information on lessons learnt around stakeholder engagement. An assessment was provided in the general report for England and Wales. A dedicated webpage was set up to share information on benefits , including a range of case studies that were prepared in association with data users to demonstrate the benefits.
As well as publishing information, we carried out extensive face-to-face engagement with other government departments, the third sector, businesses and other organisations. We carried out a lot of work following the Census to derive benefit from the data. As well as those mentioned previously, there was an end user satisfaction survey and microdata teaching file , and a secondary schools programme with modules on using census data.
Building on what went well for the Census, lessons learnt detailed in the general report are being used to develop wider engagement for the Census. They can also be used by other statistical teams for example, social survey to ensure a coherent relationship with stakeholders that continues beyond the census. This includes building wider relationships with communities, other organisations and groups, as well as maintaining relationships with our traditional stakeholder base. Through these partnerships, we aim to gain assistance in reaching specific groups to improve response, minimise variability in response and understand what data analysis is required from the census results to meet their needs.
This direct engagement approach is aimed at improving the quality of the data, building trust with a wider range of users and improving the value of the outputs. We work with a number of user groups on an ongoing basis to help develop our innovative dissemination approach. We acknowledge we could benefit from a deeper understanding of the needs of census data distributors in light of our new dissemination approach and secondments could be an option.
Frequent and open engagement with users was a major contributory factor in improving the quality assurance QA methods PDF, 1. Engaging with users on the Census continues to be a critical exercise.
This is being achieved in several ways including:. We have set up the Origin-Destination Working Group Appendix 2 and held a public consultation to gather user views on these data.
We have used the lessons learnt from the Census to inform the design of the Census outputs. This includes developing the statistical disclosure control methodology, which we hope will enable us to disseminate data quicker than in We aim to release all the initial findings within 12 months, and all data within 24 months.
The primarily online-first design and new technologies will improve the efficiency and timeliness of the data collection and processing operations and therefore dissemination of results. We are committed to making data available as widely as possible and are responsible for maximising benefits from the Census.
As part of this, we released several different microdata products alongside samples from the and censuses. The products strike a balance between detail and security, allowing a flexible toolset for casual users as well as professional researchers. In , additional microdata samples from the , and censuses were made available as part of a project to make better use of existing data and to advance research based on census data.
This facility provides secure access to sensitive detailed data to Approved Researchers , including those in the commercial and local government sectors, for work on defined and approved projects that serve the public good.
Improvements to the SRS infrastructure have been made in recent years, which make it easier for users to access the data from additional locations.
Further work is planned to allow greater connectivity and increase remote access. Users are kept informed of developments through a programme of events. We consulted with users in the outputs consultation PDF, KB about access to microdata samples see pages 42 to 43 of the consultation. We have consulted with users through the outputs consultation, roadshows, CAGs and Outputs and Dissemination Working Group to gather their needs for creating bespoke geographies and population groups.
In the event of a correction being required to census data after publication, we follow the revisions policy , which outlines the process for amending data and notifying users of the correction. To keep users alerted to any revisions or updates, we produced an issues and corrections page on our website for the Census for England and Wales, to ensure all revisions and corrections were publicly available as soon as they occurred. Where Census data were published through other channels, such as the Neighbourhood Statistics Service NeSS and Nomis , issues were reported separately on these websites.
In preparing for the Census, full account has been taken of the lessons learned from the Census through an internal evaluation titled Census General Report for England and Wales PDF, 1. This includes the production of harmonised statistics, with specific attention being given to:. The main points of the letter were that:. The user need for UK data was recognised and the UKCC will be a vehicle for setting direction and monitoring progress towards common databases, data models and metadata as required.
All three census offices will work in collaboration with the commercial users and UKDS. There is a project looking at providing a single point of access for harmonised results for areas across Great Britain and the UK where the data collected are consistent across the census offices of the UK.
We have already started work with our colleagues in Scotland and Northern Ireland to enable the harmonisation of outputs and dissemination of UK data. Trustworthiness means that statistics are produced using trusted processes, are free from any vested interest and that they represent the best professional judgement of statisticians acting in accordance with the highest standards.
People in organisations that release statistics should be truthful, impartial and independent, and meet consistent standards of behaviour that reflect the wider public good. Our employees are expected to carry out their role with dedication and a commitment to the Civil Service and its core values set out in the Civil Service Code and the Better Statistics, Better Decisions strategy PDF, 1.
The core values are:. All staff who work on the census must sign a Census Confidentiality Agreement and Conflicts of Interest form. Organisations should assign a Chief Statistician or Head of Profession for Statistics who upholds and advocates the standards of the Code, strives to improve statistics and data for the public good, and challenges their inappropriate use.
It is understood how to engage the Statistics HoP, Debra Prestwood, and how the Statistics HoP Office can be used to advise on judgements about methods, standards and data release, as well as ways to improve the statistics. This enables each agency to keep abreast of plans and progress at a strategic level, to discuss ideas and risks, and to support work on harmonising censuses in the UK.
These meetings are complemented by regular discussions at an operational level. The HoP from each devolved administration is represented and the meeting is chaired by the National Statistician. Organisations should commit to releasing their statistics in an open and transparent manner that promotes public confidence.
We outlined our plans for the dissemination of statistical outputs from the Census to the public as part of the Census outputs strategy consultation PDF, 1. Dissemination of outputs will follow a pre-arranged timetable, with the aim of releasing population and household estimates by March as part of the first phase of outputs, followed by all remaining pre-planned outputs by March This includes microdata and origin-destination data. The intention is for the outputs to be published within a shorter timescale compared with the Census, that is, 12 months rather than 16 months.
There will be a single point of access to Census outputs through a dedicated website that meets the needs of users. Furthermore, we are proposing the development of a flexible dissemination system, allowing users to create their own tables that have been appropriately protected from a statistical disclosure control perspective.
These results will be complemented by a range of other outputs which will be made available online as they are completed. An analytical work programme including topic-based reports and visualisations will support the release of the data. The published statistics from the Census will include detailed metadata along with quality and methodology documentation. Contact information will also be provided that enables users to direct queries or seek further guidance from a relevant ONS statistician.
Organisations should have effective business processes and appropriate resources to support their statistical functions and be open about their plans, priorities and progress. As part of being open about plans, priorities and progress, we published the Census General Report and laid it before Parliament in March The report reviewed the whole of the Census operation from the early planning and consultation through to the production and dissemination of outputs and evaluation.
Overall, however, the Census for England and Wales was conducted successfully, in line with international best practice, and provided a sound basis for understanding the nature and diversity of the population. The census spans three directorates. Public Policy Analysis, which is led by Liz McKeown and is responsible for developing analytical outputs for the Census.
In , we will present recommendations to government as to the future of census arrangements. This will be based on the progress made using alternative sources of data, new methodologies and how far new systems will be fit for purpose.
The strategic aims for the Census are based around the following success criteria. The census supports decision-makers throughout the country, with:. The census operations are designed with respondents at the heart to enable delivery of high-quality data for decision-makers.
This is achieved by ensuring that:. This report:. To develop the proposed census design, we have undertaken extensive engagement with interested parties, users and members of the public. This has taken place through international liaison, formal advisory committees, topic-related working groups, outputs-related working groups and via channels such as formal ONS consultations and the census pages of the ONS website.
This enables each agency to keep abreast of plans and progress, to discuss ideas and risks, and to support work on harmonising censuses in the UK. We have held a number of formal public consultations, supported by roadshows and open meetings.
These consultations have been open to all and have welcomed views and submissions on the census from all sources. More can be read about our consultations in Public consultations, roadshows and meetings in Section 6. Events are also publicised such as conferences, roadshows and more targeted community engagement, for example, the Sikh community open meeting.
Our Twitter channel tweets occasionally on behalf of census. We posted tweets announcing the census White Paper being published and explaining why the census matters. We also tweeted when we announced the rehearsal areas. In summer , a Census Twitter channel and Facebook page will be launched. We undergo various independent reviews to evaluate the effectiveness of our statistical processes. These reviews are future facing, ensuring methods used by the GSS are keeping pace with changing data sources and technologies.
NSQRs complement existing quality assurance practices, providing an additional tool to make sure methods are, and remain, fit for purpose and among the best in the world. The latest NSQR covers privacy and data confidentiality methods. The approach and methods being developed to protect confidentiality in the outputs from the UK censuses are consistent with the findings from the NSQR on privacy and data confidentiality. In particular, they reinforce and encourage a balanced disclosure risk compared with data utility approach next step 3 in latest NSQR.
The use of a new dissemination strategy, a table builder that applies automated disclosure control, has exploited the potential for practical applications of new software and technologies in protecting privacy and confidentiality.
Designing and developing this has required us to explore new methods and support the traditional census anonymisation approach with those of the differential privacy paradigm, and highlighted their applications and limitations next step 6 in latest NSQR.
The review ensures we are working efficiently and effectively, and helps us to deliver benefits for society and provide value for money. More can be read about internal and external audit and peer review in in Developing sound methods in Section 5. People producing statistics should be appropriately skilled, trained and supported in their roles and professional development. As part of the Civil Service, we must adhere to the recruitment principles , updated in , which explain the legal requirement that selection for appointment to the Civil Service must be on merit on the basis of fair and open competition.
The Civil Service is changing the way it recruits — making it modern, fairer and more inclusive. The Success Profile Framework is being introduced to attract and retain people of talent and experience from a range of sectors and all walks of life, in line with the commitment in the Civil Service Workforce Plan.
The Success Profile Framework moves recruitment away from using a purely competency-based system of assessment. It introduces a more flexible framework that assesses candidates against a range of elements using a variety of selection methods. This gives the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, driving up performance and improving diversity and inclusivity.
Behaviours are one of five elements within the success profiles, the others being: strengths, ability, experience and technical. We have been piloting the use of some of these elements in recruitment since November and fully transitioned to this method of recruitment in January The roles and responsibilities of those involved in the production of census statistics are clearly defined from the outset.
Job advertisements on the Civil Service Jobs website have a job description, with the sections:. Once in post, staff are required to adhere to the performance management policy, which includes setting goals that are then reviewed on a regular basis with line managers.
We provide the necessary space that people need to learn to allow staff to develop their talent and capability. This includes granting time that is set aside specifically for learning. A standard approach for each learner is five days of learning each year. Dependent on their profession, staff are encouraged to spend an average of hours learning per year over a three-year period. All staff are required to complete six mandatory e-learning courses as soon as they are employed and ensure they are completed on an annual basis.
By completing the course, staff will be able to:. The session introduces staff to the purpose, methods and transformation journey of ONS surveys and the census.
A copy of it is also included in the new starter pack. Staff are encouraged to think about how their role and the work of their team fits with the roadmap. The course is available to staff once they have been in post for six weeks.
The course introduces the main principles of quality management, quality assurance and quality control. The course is available to staff once they have been in post at least a month and for those who are new to working in a statistical role. The course provides guidance on quality assuring work produced in census-related statistical roles.
It includes:. We fully recognise the importance of privacy, confidentiality and security for the public. There is an obligation on the government to ensure that personal information provided by the public for statistical purposes is treated in the strictest confidence. The statutory requirement to provide personal census information is prescribed by the Census Act and secondary legislation in the form of the Order and Regulations made under the Act.
The Act — alongside the confidentiality provisions of the Statistics and Registration Service Act — imposes strict requirements on us to protect the confidentiality of the information collected. We recognise that the public needs to be confident that personal information will be held securely and used only for statistical purposes. As in previous censuses, all the information provided will be treated in strictest confidence and these protections will be made clear to respondents.
There is a well-established reputation of maintaining census confidentiality, which we will uphold. The information collected in the Census will only be used for the production of statistics and statistical research. In all cases access to, or use of, census data must comply with requirements set out in the Statistics and Registration Service Act and data protection legislation the General Data Protection Regulation GDPR and the Data Protection Act , as well as the standards set out in the Code of Practice for Statistics.
We are in the process of writing a full data protection impact assessment DPIA for both the Rehearsal and the Census. We produced a privacy impact assessment a precursor to DPIAs at the initial research stage of the census in and for the Test. We have carried out a privacy impact assessment for ServiceNow. This is the incident management system we will be using to log any incidents that occur during the Rehearsal and the Census operations, and their impact.
Under GDPR, it is a statutory requirement to provide privacy information to data subjects prior to processing their personal data. We will achieve this by publishing privacy information on our website, including a link to the information clearly within the electronic questionnaire EQ system and sending the information alongside paper questionnaires. We will also provide the necessary privacy information to our staff, whether that be permanent staff or temporary members of the field force. Information about how we process staff personal data will be available on the ONS intranet.
If field staff are unable to access this information, privacy information will be provided by other means and will be available on request. We will ensure that government-wide standards relating to information risk management and data security are met.
Our data and security policies that underpin our data principles were updated and published in January A main strength of the census is the ability to generate statistics about small areas and groups of people, so that public policies and plans can take account of the needs of local communities.
However, it also poses a risk of inadvertent disclosure of identity if results are published that show small values in particular population counts in small areas. As a result, particular care must be taken to meet both the need to safeguard statistical confidentiality and minimise the damage to the utility of the data.
This is not a new risk, and strong precautions will be taken so that any data made available to the public in any form comply with the confidentiality provisions in the Statistics and Registration Service Act and the Code of Practice for Statistics. Measures will be taken to prevent the release of statistical information that identifies characteristics about an individual person, household or group of people. Approaches to security are developed in close co-operation with the Registrars General in Scotland and Northern Ireland, who are responsible for the census in those jurisdictions.
In a census context, where thousands of cross-tabulations can be generated from the underlying data, the protection of statistical confidentiality will be best addressed by introducing uncertainty about the true value of small cells. The preferred option is combining a pre-tabular method such as record swapping as the main form of protection similar to with a post-tabular cell key perturbation adding random noise to cell counts to protect against disclosure through differencing.
These methods will enable users to produce outputs in a more flexible and timely manner than for previous censuses. The three UK census offices have agreed that small counts may be included in publicly disseminated census data if:. The final method and parameters will be agreed by the National Statistician and the Registrars General in consultation with users and other experts, including the Information Commissioner.
Depending on the need, procedures will include:. A joint agreement PDF, KB has been published by the National Statistician and the Registrars General for Scotland and Northern Ireland covering the statistical procedures to be applied to census data including methods for disclosure control. The procedures to be used will be tested, evaluated and agreed in advance of the census, and co-ordinated across the UK. In April and May , we held a series of roadshows in support of our outputs consultation.
At the event, we updated interested parties with information about our plans for statistical disclosure control for the Census, which is based on a similar approach used in the Australian census. The event included information on cell key perturbation, which introduces a sufficient level of ambiguity or uncertainty by altering some numbers, and record swapping, which swaps a sub-set of records or households.
Overall, the feedback about our proposal on statistical disclosure control methodology was positive, as it would speed up the release of data and allow users to create their own tables. Some users were concerned about the effect of applying the cell key perturbation method and the impact on table totals leading to different estimates depending on how the table were defined. We will permit controlled access to census data, while keeping them secure at all times.
This will allow approved researchers to realise the potential public benefits of these data, while being able to assure respondents that their details will never become public. The Approved Researcher Scheme requires researchers to be accredited by the ONS, and their specific research proposals to be scrutinised to ensure there is a clear public benefit.
The criteria for accreditation require that all researchers be fit and proper. We require each accredited person to sign a declaration to show that they understand the confidentiality obligations placed upon them and we publish a record of all such researchers and the data accessed.
Access to census information will only be allowed within a secure environment. Census data are an information asset; a body of information defined and managed as a single unit so it can be understood, shared, protected and exploited efficiently.
It is vital that the confidentiality, integrity and availability of ONS information are appropriately protected. To protect information assets from unauthorised access, modification or destruction, it is necessary to ensure that only individuals authorised by the Information Asset Owner IAO have access to them and the systems on which they are processed. An IAO is a senior individual involved in running the relevant business. Their role is to understand:.
As a result, they are able to understand and address risks to the information, and ensure that information is fully used within the law for the public good, and provide written input to the Senior Information Risk Owner SIRO annually on the security and use of their asset.
Quality means that statistics fit their intended uses, are based on appropriate data and methods, and are not materially misleading. Quality requires skilled professional judgement about collecting, preparing, analysing and publishing statistics and data in ways that meet the needs of people who want to use the statistics.
Statistics should be based on the most appropriate data to meet intended uses. Every decade there has been a review to establish what population information is needed, and whether a yearly census is the best way to meet those requirements.
In , the then National Statistician recommended PDF, KB that these needs be met through the conduct of a predominantly online census in , and alongside this, the use of administrative data from across government be fully explored to produce more timely estimates.
The Welsh Government confirmed its support Word, KB for the proposed census approach in a statement published on 27 March by the minister for finance. The recommended date for the census in England and Wales is 21 March We will enumerate all people in England and Wales who are staying, or expecting to stay, in the UK for six months or more.
This is the same enumeration base as in the Census for England and Wales. The primary output base for the Census will be all usual residents. Anyone temporarily away from their usual residence in the UK for less than 12 months will be counted as a usual resident. This is consistent with the primary output base for the Census. The census is the largest peacetime operation in England and Wales, and it is mandatory for all to take part.
Therefore, it is important that the topics and subsequent questions collect appropriate data, are of relevance and meet intended user need. To understand the needs of census data users, in June , we launched a week public consultation. The consultation asked census users for their views and evidence on the topics they would like to be included in the questionnaire in England and Wales for the Census. Anyone could take part in this consultation and the resulting feedback informed further research that contributed to the development and testing of proposed census questions.
We published our full response to the consultation in May , setting out the evaluation criteria used and updating the initial view of ONS on content for England and Wales. We also published individual topic reports, each setting out the evaluation of that topic against the set criteria, the updated view for that topic, equality implications and the next steps to be taken. In June and July , we held regional roadshows to share the latest news on the proposed content for the Census questionnaire.
In addition to the main consultation, we also worked with a number of interested parties to understand detailed needs for specific questions and definitions to be included, for example, on types of communal establishment. Testing and development of proposed new census questions, or amendment of existing census questions, follows a similar path for each question:. This evidence is then considered alongside overall strength of user need, overall respondent burden, space constraints in the paper form and legal duties, to make a recommendation on whether to include a question in the Census.
We published two topic reports in December and December that provide an update on our research and testing of Census questions and topics.
Another aspect of the recommendation made in March included the increased use of administrative data and surveys to enhance statistics from the Census and improve statistics between censuses.
We are developing our use of administrative data to enhance the Census by increasing its use in data collection, processing and outputs. This work is in the early stages and no decisions on the use of administrative data have been made.
All work is being conducted in accordance with our policy on data security, disclosure and ethics. This research has identified that Valuation Office Agency VOA data may be of use and further research will be undertaken on Council Tax data in the future. To improve and enhance the quality of the address register. For example, attributes of administrative data, such as flags to denote an address as a care home or unoccupied, may help us deliver an efficient census enumeration process.
To develop a Hard-to-Count HtC index to identify sub-populations or geographical lower layer super output areas at risk of census non-response. This will be used as a tool in the Census to support pre-planning including work allocation of field follow-up.
Data from Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency administrative and Ofcom commercial will be used to develop the methodology. The Census Research Advisory Group CRAG has signed off a proof of concept but further implementation still needs to be done and tested before we are able to commit to using the administrative data. To estimate the under response in large communal establishments and feed into the imputation of missing records.
To provide information that will help us to place donor households and people within them to adjust the unit level census database for under coverage. We recognise the importance of building on the experience and lessons learned from the Census to ensure that the quality of the census is maintained and improved, even as introducing new content poses new challenges. As a result, we will use administrative data to improve the quality of the data collected by the census and to increase the value of our outputs.
The initial proposal for quality assurance of census data states administrative data will be used to quality assure the Census population results, to ensure the estimates are plausible when compared with data from administrative sources.
To complement the release of census data, we intend to create outputs where census data will be supplemented by integration with other data sources.
We have already produced some research outputs to demonstrate the potential of this approach. In , we looked at VOA data as a potential alternative to estimating the number of rooms and bedrooms on the Census. We held a public consultation to invite users to respond to this proposal. Given the findings of the consultation and our view that it is only appropriate to ask one question to meet user needs, we recommend PDF, KB keeping the number of bedrooms question, and removing the number of rooms question.
We are developing an approach for edit and imputation for VOA number of rooms. We will continue to work with the VOA to explore the feasibility of supplementing the census questions with administrative data on total floor space and property type.
We are working with the Department for Education DfE to understand whether administrative data could be used to derive highest qualifications obtained. However, it is unlikely the required population coverage can be achieved.
If administrative data can be used to support statistical geographies, they will support the improved efficiency of census outputs. For disseminating Census outputs there is a need to maintain the core statistical building block geography — output areas OAs — which change only when there is significant population or household change, as recorded in the census.
They are the lowest level at which census estimates are released so need to be in place before census outputs are created. In , the process needed to maintain OAs and super output areas SOAs could only be done once the census data was processed and adjusted for coverage, and is one of the reasons why Census outputs took longer to be released.
To address this, we are investigating whether maintaining the OAs can be done in advance of Census processing using administrative data to produce indicative revised OAs for some areas. These planned revisions can then be further enhanced as necessary when the final Census processing has been completed.
The highest rates of population growth were reported in the South and West. The Census Bureau is nothing if not persistent. If there is no response, then a census worker will visit the household.
But for a more accurate profile, demographers need more than the basic information mandated by the decennial census, De Jong says. To get that going, we had to know how many children in the state were uninsured—and the best way to get an accurate, trustworthy source of that information was from a Census Bureau survey.
While census data are useful to lawmakers, the same information may be of interest to marketing companies, political groups, and even nosy neighbors curious about the family next door. For this reason, some people are reluctant to participate in the census, including U. Bachmann spoke out about her census concerns in a recent "Good Morning America" interview, commenting that the census has become "very intricate, very personal.
Could census data fall into the wrong hands? Statistical summaries of the data for geographic areas and political units are available on the Web, but there is no way that individual households could be identified based on their responses," he explains.
Why Is the U. Census So Important? Article Details Date March 15, Paola Scommegna Senior Writer. Focus Areas U. Apportionment State population counts from the decennial census are used to reapportion seats in the U. Money to States and Localities Census totals help determine the amount of funding that state governments and local communities receive from the federal government for the next decade.
Planning Data from the census inform a wide range of government, business, and nonprofit decisionmaking. Emergency Response Detailed population information is critical for emergency response in the wake of disasters. A Base for Federal Surveys Decennial census data provide a population base for dozens of federal surveys. References 1 The Census Bureau also has special procedures to count people living in group quarters like college dorms or nursing homes and those who are homeless.
Resources World Population Data Sheet.
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