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?

[jourdain2]

We have received a patronising form telling us that the Census is 'all about us' - honestly, what is wrong with saying that the govt. needs a census to know who is where and make forecasts? Pathetic 'tone'. Anyway, that is all we have had so far.

[jno]

er, because the questions are all about us, jourdain?

[Chinajan]

Update on the High Court hearing I referred to:

The Judge has today ruled that the ONS guidance on the gender identity question is wrong and should be removed. The guidance had previously stated that gender identity could be what is on one's passport or driving licence, but it was argued that these documents can be amended without legal process.

The legal documents to be referred are now only one's birth certificate or Gender Recognition Certificate.

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/swift-campaigners-office-for-national-statistics-census-high-court-b923116.html

[TonyV]

Did mine last night

[emmie]

might do mine tomorrow... will see,
we are supposed to do them on 21st but can see their system going into freefall

[choux]

I did ours this morning. The one I really enjoyed answering:

Q What did your job entail? (paraphrased)
A What ever I was told to do.

Somehow made up for all the "intrusive" questions.

[emmie]

how long did it take

[TonyV]

About 20 minutes

[emmie]

ok thanks tony

[zebo]

I did mine a couple of days ago, took about 10 minutes. The employment question is, in my opinion, flawed, it asks for the last paid employment. Like a lot of retirees I do odd bits, like exam marking, it doesn't ask about one's main employment.

[TonyV]

No probs emmie

[emmie]

that's surprising, i was expecting to put down when i last worked, a taxable position.

[New Judge]

//...what is wrong with saying that the govt. needs a census to know who is where and make forecasts?//

Probably because for that purpose it is completely ineffectual. There are tens, probably hundreds of thousands of people in the UK about whom nobody knows much at all. These include all those who have arrived in rubber boats but who were not assisted into Dover by the Border Farce (and, no doubt, many of those who were); people who have arrived here legally (probably under the EU's free movement facility) who make a living off any radar to avoid taxation; many "single" men who have fathered children across the nation who are either living with the mother of their children or who have disappeared into the ether to avoid paying for their upkeep; many of the "travelling" community; those who simply do not engage with the authorities. The list is quite lengthy.

The census is a complete waste of time and money. The government of this country has no idea how many people are here and what they are doing. And it never will.

[Mamyalynne]

I'll do mine nearer the day.

[TrevorThePug]

The census will be useful in a hundred yeas time when our descendants are on 'Who do you think you are' and can be elated by the fact that Great Uncle Brian (RIP) survived the Covid and lived a long happy gay life working in a call centre just outside Reading.