2011 Census this Sunday... a personal plea

[elsiegee40]

We've chatted at length about religion, jediism, etc, but on a more serious note the census is about who is in your household on Sunday night...

 

I've spent a long time trying to unpick my family tree and couldn't have done it without the census records. I've found those little snippets of information about my ancestors both fascinating and frustrating.

 

While parts of my tree have roots back to the 1580s, some bits still stubbornly refuse to go back before 1900.

 

"Grandpa, you should have been so easy to find in the 1911 census. You were aged two with an unusual forename (Erle)... so why do your parents appear to be using a different surname in 1911 and can I believe anything else it says about the family?"

 

For the sake of your descendants in 100 years time, if for no other reason, please fill in the census and please fill it in as accurately as possible!

 

I've got my online submission all ready to go - won't submit it yet as who knows what unexpected visitor might turn up on Sunday. I've been doing my best in the limited space and questions to give somebody in the future a clue as to why my other half is in Australia!

Edited March 26, 2011 by elsiegee40
apostrophe abuse!

[HMCTech]

I am putting a sign on the door saying "Go away or you will ruin my census"

[FN-GM]

Already done mine, cant really see the point in putting anything that is not correct.

[mattx]

Not doing mine - [ never done one ] - waste of money [ 300 million but cuts still going ahead ] and why can't the public see the results for 100 years when other firms like Lockheed Martin can ?

Criminal offence for not filling in a form - what a joke. The government [ any ] already has loads of info on me - they can go whistle dixie.

[localzuk]

Not doing mine - [ never done one ] - waste of money [ 300 million but cuts still going ahead ] and why can't the public see the results for 100 years when other firms like Lockheed Martin can ?

Criminal offence for not filling in a form - what a joke. The government [ any ] already has loads of info on me - they can go whistle dixie.

 

Good luck with that.

[witch]

elsiegee is right, it is about history rather than government. I have done mine, sensibly but I didnt answer the religion question and the children found the 'have you got/ever had a job?' questions really difficult as of course they have worked part-time but are also full time students. The questions seem to be directed at people who work and not study.

How do they marry up the info? I have filled in the census for both sons away at uni, and of course they have filled theirs in as well (I checked that was right).

[GREED]

While I agree with the meaning, I don't think that this census is going to be the cornerstone of historical accuracy in 100 years time. 100 years ago we were recording everything on paper. No PCs, TVs, few recording devices etc. Today everything is recorded, and I think this will be the last census done as we all choose to plonk everything about ourselves on FB/Twitter/etc, what more will the census add?

 

Oh, and I am Jedi for 10 more years!

[Theblacksheep]

Not doing mine - [ never done one ] - waste of money [ 300 million but cuts still going ahead ] and why can't the public see the results for 100 years when other firms like Lockheed Martin can ?

Criminal offence for not filling in a form - what a joke. The government [ any ] already has loads of info on me - they can go whistle dixie.

 

Not just Lockheed Martin but any government official above a traffic warden* and all 27 member states of the EU. Wonder what other data is being gathered from those filling in the Lockheed Martins database (IPs also resolve to Lockheed Martin UK).

 

* just as accurate statement as it being sealed for 100 years.

 

You should be alright Matt, in 2001 1.5m households didnt provide the government with their personal data and only 38 were prosecuted. The 'enforcement officers' have no authority.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUbFrKBoJUs

Edited March 27, 2011 by Theblacksheep

[localzuk]

You should be alright Matt, in 2001 1.5m households didnt provide the government with their personal data and only 38 were prosecuted. The 'enforcement officers' have no authority.

 

They may not have any authority themselves, but they will be visiting people, and the end result will be those who refuse to fill it in will have their details put forward for prosecution. Just you see.

[tech_guy]

I've filled mine in - in biblical Hebrew.

 

Does that count?

 

And on the march in London yesterday I saw a little group in Hyde Park burning theirs in protest!

[DrCheese]

They may not have any authority themselves, but they will be visiting people, and the end result will be those who refuse to fill it in will have their details put forward for prosecution. Just you see.

It's all well and good being all high and mighty about this, but going on past evidence they can put forward as many names as they like but very little will come of it. Is the government really going to spend a fortune dragging everyone who didn't fill it out into court? No.

 

That said, I don't mind filling mine in.

[CAM]

As Elsiegee says, why not just fill it in properly? It's less hassle then refusing to fill it in and helps with historical records. We have already found some unusual links between family and friends here from 100 years ago.

 

Following an Internet trend to be "rebels" and putting things like Jedi or other stupid things on a census is just sad.

[GREED]

Without wanting to start a fight here, but why is Jedi 'stupid' for one, and this is compared to filling in something that oh so many people were against a few years ago in something called ID cards? Amounts to the same!

[CAM]

Because the government has asked for information to help build up a picture of the nation. This in turn goes to government departments to help develop and (ironically) fund services provided to you by your council. Example, no point funding extra childcare services in an area populated predominately by pensioners since all their kids have flown the coop and got children of their own. But the area a few blocks down with mostly married couples will benefit greatly from such funding.

 

Putting Jedi on your census because someone on the Internet 10 years ago told you to will contribute to distorting the data collected by the government. Atheist groups are already up in arms over the Jedi fad as it reduces the number of people declaring themselves as non-religious in the country.

 

The census has also been going for a considerably longer time then ID Cards. It's an established process with a purpose. ID Cards were an expensive waste of money to get people to walk around with a piece of plastic holding biometric data and a serious privacy nightmare (and you had to pay for it!). The census does not ask for biometric data and contrary to what every other person on the Internet thinks, not everything the government does is an attempt at some malicious act to screw the public over.

[elsiegee40]

Wate of money? Maybe, but the forms are already printed and the website set up. the census is going to happen regardless of individuals.

 

My view is that it may be of use to the current government (equally it may not!), but in terms of a historical snapshot of a point in time in the UK, it's invaluable. Given the speed of change, not just in IT, I hope I'm watching from above or below and can see people scratching their heads over why jedi was a religion or why on earth schools needed a network manager!

[mattx]

Because the government has asked for information to help build up a picture of the nation. This in turn goes to government departments to help develop and (ironically) fund services provided to you by your council. Example, no point funding extra childcare services in an area populated predominately by pensioners since all their kids have flown the coop and got children of their own. But the area a few blocks down with mostly married couples will benefit greatly from such funding.

 

Putting Jedi on your census because someone on the Internet 10 years ago told you to will contribute to distorting the data collected by the government. Atheist groups are already up in arms over the Jedi fad as it reduces the number of people declaring themselves as non-religious in the country.

 

The census has also been going for a considerably longer time then ID Cards. It's an established process with a purpose. ID Cards were an expensive waste of money to get people to walk around with a piece of plastic holding biometric data and a serious privacy nightmare (and you had to pay for it!). The census does not ask for biometric data and contrary to what every other person on the Internet thinks, not everything the government does is an attempt at some malicious act to screw the public over.

 

Picture of the nation ? It takes 3 years to sort though it all so even that is a waste of time as it will be 3 years out of date by the time they have it all. How can you base funding on childcare on data that's 3 years old ? That's daft !!

Edited March 27, 2011 by mattx

[witch]

Picture of the nation ? It takes 3 years to sort though it all so even that is a waste of time as it will be 3 years out of date !!!

No matt, it will be a picture of the nation in 2011 which in 100 years time will be very interesting. It's not a government thing but something that has been done for a very long time

[plexer]

There are 100 enforcement officers who will interview you under caution and several thousand to just knock on doors in the first place.

 

It's unbelievable though the fine amount if you don't fill it in.

 

Ben

[mattx]

No matt, it will be a picture of the nation in 2011 which in 100 years time will be very interesting. It's not a government thing but something that has been done for a very long time

 

Well being a loony leftie ;-) I would like to think I had a choice in regards to filling it in...... If there was a box for just filling out your name and then an option of I want to fill it in or not I feel it would be better for people like me. Being told by a government that if I don't fill it in I may be fined I find quite disgusting especially as I won't be able to have access to the data but they and other departments will. The government tried very hard to block info on their expenses etc as they know what would happen but they feel it's ok to push forward possible fines and prison for not filling in one of their forms. Double standards !! Aaaagggghhh.

[mattx]

There are 100 enforcement officers who will interview you under caution and several thousand to just knock on doors in the first place.

 

It's unbelievable though the fine amount if you don't fill it in.

 

Ben

 

Will they have the power of arrest and the power to go into your premises ? [ Warrent etc ] all over a census form ? If that's the case then this country is going mad. Mad I tell you !!!

[localzuk]

Will they have the power of arrest and the power to go into your premises ? [ Warrent etc ] all over a census form ? If that's the case then this country is going mad. Mad I tell you !!!

 

Most likely not. However, they'll just summons you to court if you don't talk to them.

[Stuart_C]

Not meaning to be too argumentative but what do you gain by not filling it in? There's the obvious risk of prosecution on the downside but what upside is there for you by not doing it?

 

Yes all the information is probably out there, so what's the downside to filling it in?

 

Just think of all the future episodes of "Who do you think you are" you are causing problems for by not completing it .

[elsiegee40]

I can't help wondering what some of our foreign compatriots are making of this debate. Many of them are forced to vote (e.g. Australia) never mind fill in the census.

 

It's not even like this is anything new. It's been compulsary since it was introduced on a household basis in 1841!

[Stuart_C]

To be honest the more serious question is "why is question 17 intentionally left blank"?

[featured_spectre]

question 17 was for the welsh only, and was written in welsh, hence why it was left blank.