Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
mancfaith · 07/03/2011 18:44

Are we still allowed to list Jedi Master as our religion then ?

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 07/03/2011 18:51

Some of the questions are not mandatory. I never fill those in on principle.

sourdoughface · 07/03/2011 18:53

i did it online, took me around 8 minutes for a family of four

not exactly life changing when so many people waste so much time faffing on the t'internet anyways :)

ginmakesitallok · 07/03/2011 19:04

You don't include folk who are just visiting your home on the census return - just people for whom it is their main residence. Also - e.g. if your son/daughter lives away during term time then you include them in the census as their family home is deemed to be their main residence. Olderandwider - where is your DDs main residence? If she still lives with you then include her - whether or not she is actually there on 27th

HappySeven · 07/03/2011 19:27

ginmakesitallok, the front of the census says you include all overnight visitors.

bettybosseye · 07/03/2011 20:29

Ooooh i don't have mine yet. I'm a real weirdo who loves filling in forms so am looking forward to it. Sad i know! Also i like the idea of a true snap shot of our society.

ginmakesitallok · 07/03/2011 20:31

well the FAQs on census page for Scotland gives different advice? Aren't there separate questions for overnight visitors?

Hulababy · 07/03/2011 20:33

Got mine today and filled in most of it for me, Dh and 8y DD earlier. Whole form took less than 10 minutes.

TBH I thought it would be more detailed and longer, so I def don't think it is a hard or lengthy task.

Hulababy · 07/03/2011 20:34

olderandwide r- have filled i the bits that won't change before 27th March. I will do the vivistors part at the time - only overnight visitors ont he night of 27th March are included - on back page.

MillsAndDoom · 07/03/2011 20:36

yabu - took less than 10 mins online and its important for all the reasons stated above

sparkle12mar08 · 07/03/2011 20:36

The Scottish census is a different entity, as is the NI census. And for those interested in the family history aspect, make sure you print off or keep a copy of your own return so that furture generations don't have to wait 100 years for it. Especially seeing as this is highly likely to be the last national census.

cricketballs · 07/03/2011 20:38

the paper version would take a bloody long time to complete; online it took less than 10 minutes

BuzzLiteBeer · 07/03/2011 20:56

civic duty and what not, 20 minutes every 10 years, you poor unfortunate creature!

Thats a YABU if not clear.

melpomene · 07/03/2011 20:58

"All overnight visitors"? It would be rather strange if they mean to include guests whose normal home is elsewhere. What if someone has a one night stand on 27 March; are they supposed to complete the census form together with their one night stand over coffee the next morning?

And what about people staying in hotels on 27 March?

Hulababy · 07/03/2011 20:59

cricketballs - did mine on the paper form. Still leess than 10 minutes.

melpomene · 07/03/2011 21:02

Census FAQs

"11. What will happen if I'm not at home on 27 March 2011?
You should complete your questionnaire as soon as possible after 27 March 2011. Or do it before you go away if you've already received your questionnaire.

If everyone in the household is away on census day you should complete your questionnaire as soon as possible after your return. If the household is absent for more than six months after census day, you do not need to complete the questionnaire.
Anyone away from home for up to 12 months should still be included on your questionnaire."

"20. Who should I include?

Everyone living or staying in the household on census day must be included on your household questionnaire - even babies. You should also include any visitors staying with you overnight on census day."

So in other words, people who are away from home on 27 March and staying with someone else will be counted twice? Confused

HappySeven · 07/03/2011 21:08

Sorry, gin, didn't realise you are in Scotland or that the advice would be different.

melpomene, that's what it says on mine. I think it's to make sure noone is missed off.

melpomene · 07/03/2011 21:12

I also wonder what steps they are taking to include street-homeless people.

And what do you do if you give birth to a baby on the night of 27 March? If they are born at home in the small hours they could still count as 'staying overnight'. Or is midnight the cut off point?

ShinyMoonInAPurpleSky · 07/03/2011 21:26

I'm quite excited about receiving mine, I was 11 when the last one was done and I remember watching my mum filling it in and being upset because she wouldn't let me do it {saddo emoticon} ...now I will get my own :o

poptyping1 · 07/03/2011 21:32

for the religion you can write Cling On or Jedi(sp?) if you want a bit of variety!! :o

Guacamole · 07/03/2011 21:36

I'm not sure what to put for my 11 month old DD in the 'How well can you speak English?' he can say 'Ball'!

On a serious note, do I put 'Not at all'?

poptyping1 · 07/03/2011 21:40

Why not guacamole :)

BeenBeta · 07/03/2011 21:44

I read somewhere that a lot of single men disappeared in the census. Was that because they were living on benefits and actually secretly staying at their GF address who was also on benefits?

I suspect in certain areas they have real difficulty getting an accurate census.

Himalaya · 07/03/2011 22:13

Why putting Jedi Knight is not such a good idea this year...

giraffesisonadiet · 07/03/2011 23:36

Guacamole - I suppose it depends on what they may interperate that as? So maybe think children cant speak \English so need more money put in to that area. (Im half asleep in bed so hope ou know what I men!)