Why Is The Release Of The Uk Census Set At 100 Years?

[barney15c]

Is there a case to reduce it to 70 or 80 years because of the increase in interest in tracing family members since the internet.

[KARL]

The UK is a secretive society.

[THECORBYLOON]

Presumably because it is personal information and the chances are, after a hundred years, most folk in the census will be dead.

[barney15c]

The 1931 census (England and Wales) was totally destroyed in a fire andt here wasn't one in 1941 so there will be a long gap after the 1921 one is released. Maybe they might change the rules for 1951?

[Old_Geezer]

Because it's overly cautious. Was always disappointed that my grandmother and her generation were long gone before I could look at the census concerning her and my great aunts and uncles. Can't see how 20 or 30 years isn't enough to cover privacy concerns.

[woofgang]

Because if you are in the census at 20 then 40 years later you are likely to be still very much alive. You might still be living at the same address.

[barney15c]

...Thats why i said 70 or 80 years, i believe 70 years is the period the US set.

[Old_Geezer]

And so many folk would know that it would hardly be private any more, but common public knowledge.

[jackthehat]

When the (later) Census Papers were issued to the households there was a commitment to them being kept 'private' for 100 years. Successive governments have tried to adhere to that.
However, there are lobby groups who fight for early release of the details of earlier Censuses as the respondents could have no expectation of the details being kept quiet for the 100 years.
We shall have to wait and see....

[Old_Geezer]

Politicians' promises are made to be broken, aren't they ?

[twix123]

The records from the National Registration Act 1939 are available, although some details have been redacted:

The records created under the National Registration Act are held by The National Archives but were not freely accessible to the public for many years. From 2010, subject to restrictions to safeguard the privacy of people who are or may still be living, information could be obtained from the NHS Information Centre about specific individuals for a fee. The National Archives has now entered into an agreement under which the original documents for England and Wales have been digitised and scanned and are available (subject to privacy restrictions) on the subscription-based Findmypast and Ancestry.com websites. The digital images can also be viewed at The National Archives themselves in their reading room.

Per Ancestry.com, they are updating the records when people are over 100 years of age, or a death has been reported to their archives.

[zebo]

The 1911 Census was published a couple of years early but it's already been said that this won't happen with 1921, sadly.
It would be interesting, were the gap 70 years, to be able to discuss some of it with old relatives, I could have told my mother in law all about her mother for a start! Has anyone else uncovered skeletons I wonder?

[zebo]

The 1939 Registration document is also available in most libraries, as are the subscription based sites, well worth spending a morning or four.