Census Form

[Barsel]

Have just been trying to fill the form in online. Why do they ask so many personal questions about your sexuality and why do they need to know where you last worked?

[Chinajan]

There are several optional questions. Don't fill them in if you don't want to.

There's currently a legal challenge in regard to the questions on sex.

https://fairplayforwomen.com/sex-in-the-census-our-legal-challenge-to-stop-the-ons-redefining-sex/

[emmie]

no idea, didn't think we were supposed to fill it in till the 21st

[emmie]

makes interesting reading if you have a few minutes

[Pooka1950]

I did mine last week, but I wonder what do you do if you don't have internet access? Is there a paper version available?

[Georgiesmum]

Wasnt it supposed to be arriving through our letter boxes?

[Buenchico]

>>> Why do they ask so many personal questions about your sexuality?

Among other reasons, no doubt, to be able to monitor levels of discrimination within society. For example, the Civil Service might only have 1% of its workforce who (within their job application forms) have identified themselves as being members of LGBTQ+ groups. If the census shows that only 1% of the general population identify themselves as being within such groups, then it would seem that the Civil Service isn't discriminating against people based upon their sexuality. However if the census finds that 10% of the UK population fall within the definition of 'LGBTQ+', then there are clearly questions to be asked about the way that the Civil Service recruits its staff.


>>> why do they need to know where you last worked?

Probably because much of the data compiled by the Office of National Statistics is based upon socio-economic factors. For example, the ONS might compile data to show that people within higher socioeconomic groups (such as doctors and lawyers) have much longer average life-spans than people within lower groups (such as supermarket checkout assistants). In order to be able to allocate retired people to socioeconomic groupings, they need an indication of the type of employment that they were in prior to retiring.

[Mamyalynne]

I believe there is information on that in the letter you get.

Yes, it should be filled in on Census day but if things alter between when you filled it in till then you can report changes.

[emmie]

you must ring a number if you want a paper copy, if you don't have internet access. see if i can find the number

[Barsel]

emmie it seems you can fill it in before then, but you have to let them know if the circumstances change on that day.
I don't have a problem with the questions on sex although there are probably people who do.
The worse part for me was where did you work as I honestly can't remember.
I can remember where I worked when I was 16yrs old, but can't remember where I last worked as a lot of the work I did then was part time and cash in hand as I was raising a family.
A friend of mine is in a similar situation put that she never worked, but that isn't true.

[vulcan42]

I don't understand how people are filling in the form on line if they haven't received the paper version. That contains an access code which has to be used on line.

[emmie]

https://census.gov.uk/contact-us/

[emmie]

i have received my access code, and will perhaps wait till 21st providing their system doesn't crash...

[cashier]

My paper copy arrived last week, without me asking for one.

[emmie]

can you remember the last place you paid tax???

[Barsel]

I have received the paper version vulcan but it isn't one you can fill in. It gives you a code and tells you to fill it in online and if you need the full paper version, you have to contact them on 08001412021 or on the link emmie has given.

[emmie]

that was for Barsel ^

[emmie]

if you remember the jobs you did that were taxable, then put that, i would have thought. Mine was yonks ago, but it was a taxpaying job

[Barsel]

No emmie I really can't. I know it was a shoe shop but can't remember the name of it, so I've just put A Shoe Shop.

[emmie]

was it a famous one like Clarks...

[emmie]

then that would have to do barsel, no good beating yourself up trying to remember.