2021 Census

[LagneyandCasey]

How may times have you been included in a census and is yours very different from 2011?

This will be my 6th! I'm nowhere near 60 though. I just squeezed onto the 1971 census.

Ours will be very different this time. A different address with two less of us living here.

1981 - was a baby
1991 - was a preteen
2001 - still at uni / at home
2011 - just me and DP in our second home
2021 - lots more of us now (DP and 3 kids)

Why aren't you supposed to do it in advance of 21st March?

Oh and I have zero recollection of completing the 2011 census.

@Deathraystare ah, I see. No, not if they have seperate forms as it's a form for each dwelling.

If it was a house share/flatmate situation then they would both go on one form, but there would only be one form, they wouldn't do one each.

Does that make sense?

Anyone know what someone who lives at more than one address should do? IE rents room for work and lives there a lot but also has dwelling elsewhere.

@LagneyandCasey

MorePotatoSalad

Have you done it already? You're supposed to do it on 21st March. Dh was itching to do it when the letter came but I said no in case one of us kicks the bucket before the 21st. Fingers crossed we make it!

I've done ours already, and also my mum's. I did vaguely wonder what I'd have to do if my mum kicked the bucket before 21st!

Why aren't you supposed to do it in advance of 21st March?

You can. It is 100% allowed.
Like anything it is supposed to capture "a snapshot" on a certain day, and there is a miniscule chance that you could be run over by a bus or something before that date and then the info would be wrong. However, the statistical difference to the figures for the whole of the census for the whole of the country, of me having said I live at my address, and then dying before the 21st, is so insignificant, it doesn't matter. Hence, they say you can do it anytime from when you get your number until the 21st March.

If everybody tries to do it on the 21st, we all realise the website is going to crash, so crack on now, I say.

@WeatherwaxLives

All is clear! My head was spinning trying to work it out!

91 - at home with sister & both parents
01 - at home with sister & mum
11 - student flat with DH
21 - in own house with DH & 2DC

I think you are supposed to fill it out for wherever you sleep the night of the 21st

I was born at the end of 71, so
81- My mum had a job working for the census, and went around the local estate helping people fill their's in. I remember going with her to drop off the forms.

81- me, sister, mum and dad
91- uni hall of residence
2001- living in own house on my own
2011- different rented house, married with 3 children.
2021- same as above.(plus dog)

I also do not remember filling in the 2011 one!

I hadnt realised there were so many older people on mumsnet.

I think you are supposed to fill it out for wherever you sleep the night of the 21st

That used to be the case, but his census specifically mentions different categories - including if "this is your permanent address but you are away from home for 30 days a year or more" - in which case I had to answer questions on behalf of that particular (adult) dc, or if "this is your home address but you live at a different address during term time", in which case I have to name that particular (adult) dc but not fill in as much information about her. IT really is very clear once you start filling it in.

I hadnt realised there were so many older people on mumsnet.

At what point does one become "older" ?

Was the 2011 compulsory? I don’t remember it at all. I suppose it was the same but I don’t think I did it.

Nor the 2001

Haha! I’m 64 and I’ve been on mumsnet since it started. Still find loads of useful and interesting topics to join in with
Plus, keeping up to date with latest info on baby care, how to be a good mother in law, looking after grandchildren etc.

2001 - living with parents, one adult one child I think
2011 - living with parents, two adults one child
2011 - own home, two adults and three children (well I’m due 20th March so only if he’s punctual!)

Should we get a letter about it? We haven't had anything yet. If we don't can we fill it in anyway?

This will be my 5th.

1981 & 1991 would have been at home.
2001, 2011 and 2021, married with various dcs.

I actually don’t remember filling out any other census forms previous to this, but I must have done!

My mum can’t remember doing 2011 either, she actually didn’t know that it was carried out every 10 years and thought it was random!

tinsel We've had a letter, it has a specific code for 'the household'.

This will also be my 6th

71 - very small baby, third child of 3. All at home, 2 patents.
81 - 3rd of 4 children, younger 3 at home, no. 1 at university
91 - student, rented house, youngest sibling still at school
01 - Fairly newly married and had just bought a house!
11 - DH and toddler DS at home, I was in hospital with hyperemisis while expecting dd.

@tinseloatcake

Should we get a letter about it? We haven't had anything yet. If we don't can we fill it in anyway?

Each household has their own reference number so am assuming you’ll have to wait for the letter before you can fill the form out.

2011 wa my first one living away from home. I was 15 when it was done in 2001 so I can't remember anything about it!

I'm currently researching my family tree and the census I'm interested in is when the 1921 census will become available. I can't wait to see what is on there!

My 5th
‘81 I was 7 and living at home with older brother and younger sister
‘91 I was 17 and at college, living at home
‘01 I was married! No children yet, had gone to Uni, left after a year, gone back to do my nurse training and was just about to qualify. Met DH in my Uni town, still here many years later.
‘11 I had 2 children, DH had lost both parents and I had survived cervical cancer.
‘21 Eldest child hopefully off to Oxford Uni if he gets the grades, youngest child applying to Uni later this year. Still working as a nurse, DH about to retire (he has seen 1 census more than me)

My fourth.
1991 I was a kid at home with my parents
2001 I was a teenager at home with my parents
2011 I was living with my now DH but we weren't married
2021 living with DH and DD in a different house to the last one

Just missed 71 as born in 72
81 - living at home, parents, me and younger DB
91 - living at home, different part of the country, me and DB
01 - married, me, DH, DD and DS
11 - still married, me, DH, DD, DS
21 - still married, me, DS (who should really be in his uni house, damn covid).

I've researched my family tree and I find it fascinating following my family through the decades. I hope that in years to come my descendants can do the same.

4th
1991 - living at home with my parents, just before they divorced
2001 - living with my mum and brother as a teenager
2011 - in my first house with my ex husband
2021 - just moved into our new home with my DP and my baby.

We were really glad to be in the new house for the census. Our house is 300 years old and we can't wait to start looking at past census' to see who else has lived here.