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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

that the census is a bit bloody long and a bit bloody nosey

57 replies

racmac · 07/03/2011 16:19

How many questions?

Do i really have to answer them all? I thought they just needed to know who lives here not the hundreds of nosey questions they ask

OP posts:

givemushypeasachance · 07/03/2011 16:21

From "what is the census for" on the website:

"The census provides a detailed snapshot of the population and its characteristics.

For example the census will show the balance of young and old people, what types of work people do, and what type of housing they live in.

These statistics can be used to identify needs within an area, such as more school places in a boom birth year. The statistics also feed into planning decisions like where to build new housing for families, or where to provide more managed care homes for elderly residents.

The census tracks changes in society and provides the relevant details for decisions to be made about what is needed to help tomorrow take shape."

Seems fair enough to me! (Plus I am a saddo who quite likes filling in forms...)

ShatnersBassoon · 07/03/2011 16:22

YABU. It took me a few minutes to fill in the form for our family, and I'd already forgotten about it.

HecateTheCrone · 07/03/2011 16:23

I did it online and it skipped most of them.

took me less than 10 minutes and didn't tell them anything they didn't already know.

orienteerer · 07/03/2011 16:24

Just had a look at it, yes it does seem rather detailed!

iamthere · 07/03/2011 16:28

I'm a bit of a history buff, so I like the idea of one of my descendents looking me up in 100 yrs time, so I'm happy to give details - perhaps I'm naive but I don't see what harm it does. The govt already know loads about all of us, so why not? I presume there are only certain questions that are compulsory? Haven't had our form yet (and am sadly looking forward to it!)

jenniec79 · 07/03/2011 16:31

Not even got mine yet. Isn't it meant to be the end of the month?

TysonNobdie86 · 07/03/2011 16:32

I filled our households in, the only bit I though was stupid is the lack of not applicable. Like whether my 4 month old has been married and also where was she living 12 months ago, erm she was a very young foetus
Other than that its not too bad to fill in :)

HecateTheCrone · 07/03/2011 16:36

you have the "never married and never registered a same-sex civil partnership status" option for children.

re the where were you 12 months ago, since she was with you, then it's just the 'Same as person 1' box.

babies who were not conceived 12 months ago, well, tick the 'outside the uk' box and have fun

LaWeasel · 07/03/2011 16:38

I found the results from last rounds really really interesting. They do have an impact on social policy and government planning. The results are collected and turned into stats obviously, but no one will be able to see what you personally wrote for a very long time...

I think it's fun too.

Ours isn't here yet either.

BluddyMoFo · 07/03/2011 16:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ajandjjmum · 07/03/2011 16:43

I filled in the paper copy and thought it was pretty long and intrusive. I was filling in for 5 adults - not sure whether that made any difference. Got nothing to hide either, but I am surprised at the depth of the questions - thought they'd all offend our human rights sensibilities!!

BigBadMummy · 07/03/2011 16:44

To all of you that have done it already. Are we not supposed to wait until 27th March?

Isnt it supposed to be who is on our house on that day? Lots of questions relate to visitors etc.

I know, technically, you can say "we wont have anybody" but surely we should be waiting until then to complete it?

Milngavie · 07/03/2011 16:45

We haven't got a form yet either.

HecateTheCrone · 07/03/2011 16:47

It didn't stop me from filling it in online, so I assumed it was fine. I thought it would have come up with a message saying "you can't fill this in yet" if it was a problem.

If they're not happy, I'm sure they'll write

LaWeasel · 07/03/2011 16:47

ooh, 27th is it?

That's DDs birthday party day... there will be a lot of visitors to list!!

BluddyMoFo · 07/03/2011 16:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

omletta · 07/03/2011 17:01

You are permitted to fill it in advance if the same will apply on the 27th.

AMumInScotland · 07/03/2011 17:05

I think its only people who are staying overnight at your house that you have to include, so most visitors won't be included. But if the party is a sleepover I guess you have to include them all.....

LaWeasel · 07/03/2011 17:07

Oh, god no, She is 2.

Which narrows the list hugely at least.

SpermyShenanigans · 07/03/2011 17:09

It is unbelievably intrusive.

Surely the government has all this information anyway? If not, what are my taxes paying for?

I have filled it in using my scruffiest handwriting.

EauRouge · 07/03/2011 17:21

I'm not sure what national identity my DDs feel they have. DD1 is 2.5 and DD2 is 8 days.

givemushypeasachance · 07/03/2011 17:23

Spermy (great name btw!) the trouble is that they don't have all the information for everyone all at the same time. They might get some bits here and there, and some details about certain characteristics regionally, or some nationally but only for some age groups. By asking everyone the same questions on the same day, it's your best shot to get an accurate picture of the data across the entire country. Otherwise you risk counting some people twice and some not at all!

For example they have special procedures for collecting information about people in prison, some for students who are living in communal houses or in halls of residence, some for people who live with travelling fairs! All these people should at least have their existence acknowledged when the provision of public services is being worked out, so they need to be tallied up along with everyone else.

Chil1234 · 07/03/2011 17:24

@SpermyShenanigans. I thought people had all my information already until last week when I got a cold call that started 'our records show that you entered our competition, your partner works full time and you are not a homeowner!'.... err wrong, wrong (no partner), wrong and wrong. :) Off you moggy, dear.

A census completed by my own fair hand is the one point every 10 years when the right information about me enters the eternal record books. 10 minutes well spent.

BellBookandCandle · 07/03/2011 17:26

YABU - it is once on 10 years - hardly an onerous task is it?

I think it is fascinating - it informs so many other parts of our day to day lives and helps future generations track down ancestors.
www.ons.gov.uk/census/what-is-a-census/index.html

My bis issue is around the fact that paper forms are pulpled after info has been collated - the Gov't has greeen targets,so why njot encourage people to do it online rather than spend the reported £5mill on poastage sending paper forms to all households?

olderandwider · 07/03/2011 18:41

I thought you had to fill it on 27th March or as soon as you can afterwards. So why are you all filling it in early? I thought the whole point was to eliminate double counting etc. Eg I have no idea if DD will be here or in her flat/at boyfriend's house on 27th March, and neither does she I imagine.

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