To be peed off that the Census doesn’t ask about disability?

[RickiTarr]

It asks about “health conditions” but I don’t regard myself as ill, just disabled.

Anyone else?

I don't think it's poor wording.
I'm shocked at some of the posts. The lack of ........ I don't know what to call it. Common sense?

I managed to fill it in OK and DH is in a wheelchair. Didn't notice any odd wording.

I thought the odd thing was to describe what you do at work.

Dyspraxia is an SpLD. As is dyslexia, dyscalculia (sp?) and so on.

Anyway, the overriding aim of the exercise is to capture full and accurate data. So even if there is demographic of people who float in mid air, and their state of levitation is objectively provable, you have to use a description of them that they recognise and accept in order to find them all. So if they call themselves rollers, incorporate that term in the question too.

I'd guess most of the imaginary "roller" demographic you describe would've got over themselves and ticked "yes" when asked if they float in mid-air, even if it didn't include their exact preferred terminology. It's not down to the census office to add dozens of questions to the form to cater for every tiny group who insist on applying definitions weirdly e.g. autistic people who swear blind they don't have a health condition. Those autistic people would only be shooting themselves in the foot, and shouldn't act affronted if they're turned away from the health service for help with that health condition because there's not enough funding due to people refusing to consider it a health condition. (Not that the census is seeking information detailed enough for that purpose, but I'm talking about the principle.)

TBH - any form that gathers information about dyslexia and PMLD under the same category is going to be utterly meaningless at a service planning level

Which is why the census is not a source for service planning in this context.

@DottyWott

Yes! My son is autistic but not ill. One of many examples of how you can be disabled and not have a health condition

Same! My sons health is excellent but he needs additional care to ensure he remains in excellent health as his autism results in some risky behaviours. I put this in the feedback at the end.

(Also, as an autistic person I'd like to take a second to utter a bitter and faintly hysterical laugh at the idea of the health service offering any help for autism at all outside of learning disability services, which only cater for those who also have a learning disability.)

I’m sure it did.

@CurseMyTinyThumbs

(Also, as an autistic person I'd like to take a second to utter a bitter and faintly hysterical laugh at the idea of the health service offering any help for autism at all outside of learning disability services, which only cater for those who also have a learning disability.)

I do know what you mean re adult autism services, but that doesn’t mean adult autists can’t or don’t qualify for other help (PIP, DSA, Access to work scheme, blue badge, bus pass...)

Never said it did :-/ but sometimes we do need healthcare for it e.g. psychologists to help with learning techniques and strategies.

It never occurred to me to click yes for my DDs dyslexia. Its just something that's there, affecting her school work, but not her life. Its not something she has ever seen a doctor about. Nearest to a medical professional was the speech therapist and audiology.

The fact she wasn't born in the UK lead to a range of interesting questions...

I thought it was bizarre they didn’t ask place of birth- would face thought it would be good to see how many of us live away from where we were born.

The gender identity question was ludicrous and I didn’t think much of the “British/Scottish/etc” question either. Identity nonsense is a load of rubbish - they should have just asked us to tick which one we ARE, not which one we FEEL like.

So it turns out they did anticipate problems with the phrasing, but still came up with another phrasing that has similar issues;

“ Some users, notably the Equality and Human Rights Commission, asked for the disability question to cover different types of disability. There is concern that failure to gather this information limits the ability of service providers and others to plan services appropriately for people with different forms of disability. There are also concerns that terminology used in the question will result in some people with particular forms of disability (for example deafness, fluctuating or progressive conditions) not responding and so being undercounted. A question based on the GSS Harmonised Principle which asks about ability to carry-out day-to-day activities which is being tested should help with this.”

www.ons.gov.uk/file?uri=/census/censustransformationprogramme/legislationandpolicy/equalityimpactassessmentforthe2021census.pdf

I thought it was bizarre they didn’t ask place of birth- would face thought it would be good to see how many of us live away from where we were born.

Yes, it was noticeable that it was a much shorter form than previously. Lots of questions dropped across lots of categories. As PP said, there also used to be questions about the number of rooms in your house/flat and the facilities.

@Aroundtheworldin80moves

It never occurred to me to click yes for my DDs dyslexia. Its just something that's there, affecting her school work, but not her life. Its not something she has ever seen a doctor about. Nearest to a medical professional was the speech therapist and audiology.

The fact she wasn't born in the UK lead to a range of interesting questions...

This is one of the examples given for physical or mental health or illnesses

"Learning impairments, for example, dyslexia and processing issues"

Now I dont use that language of impairment but it was clear from the guidance notes that the ONS were (poorly) attempting to gather information on a whole range of disability. We have just had turned down locally a plan for a state Dyslexic school on the grounds there is no demand. There is but how to prove.

You were then asked the questions about how it impacted day to day life.

So sorry to be critical but your no response reply was inaccurate and contributes to understating the issues.

I'll out myself with this but when I was asked about my identify eg British, Irish etc. I ticked British but also ticked other and put Northern. Hopefully that will give my ancestors a giggle in years to come 😂

@grandpacificpineapple

I'll out myself with this but when I was asked about my identify eg British, Irish etc. I ticked British but also ticked other and put Northern. Hopefully that will give my ancestors a giggle in years to come 😂

I love that.

I assumed that the question about health conditions was intended to pick up disabilities. What else is a disability if not a health condition?

I came on here to look to see what other people were putting for this question as I care for my son with Down Syndrome - I came across your comment which I find unhelpful and thoughtless. It is not quibbling thank you very much. I do not class my son as having any of the options given and it should have included disability. I even rang the census line and FYI I was told by the guy on the phone that Downs Syndrome does not come under mental or physical illness as it is a disability.... so you see as I get some help with DLA caring for my son it is important the questions are answered correctly.... since reading other helpful comments on here I have actually had to say 'yes' and on my sons part I have had to put 'yes' - I never normally write on these things but have actually made an account so I can answer your comment on here. Do you have a disability or care for anyone with one? I was really angry they went into detail about so much other stuff such as sexuality etc and couldn't even use the word disability. I am sure you are a nice person but I hope you can see how your words were a bit crap ' quibbling' ....I need to make sure I give the correct info on this thing and as I say even the guy on the phone thought the question was terrible and that Downs Syndrome does not come under ANY of those options

It talks about "conditions or illnesses". Would Down's not count as a condition?

@Gandwand

I came on here to look to see what other people were putting for this question as I care for my son with Down Syndrome - I came across your comment which I find unhelpful and thoughtless. It is not quibbling thank you very much. I do not class my son as having any of the options given and it should have included disability. I even rang the census line and FYI I was told by the guy on the phone that Downs Syndrome does not come under mental or physical illness as it is a disability.... so you see as I get some help with DLA caring for my son it is important the questions are answered correctly.... since reading other helpful comments on here I have actually had to say 'yes' and on my sons part I have had to put 'yes' - I never normally write on these things but have actually made an account so I can answer your comment on here. Do you have a disability or care for anyone with one? I was really angry they went into detail about so much other stuff such as sexuality etc and couldn't even use the word disability. I am sure you are a nice person but I hope you can see how your words were a bit crap ' quibbling' ....I need to make sure I give the correct info on this thing and as I say even the guy on the phone thought the question was terrible and that Downs Syndrome does not come under ANY of those options

I agree with you that the PP who called it “quibbling” was massively missing our point.

It’s interesting that they agreed with you on the helpline. I will be emailing the census development department or similar, when I get time this week.

They use the legal definition of disability in the Equality Act in the question. Most disabilities are either a physical or mental health condition. I'm not sure what the issue is here tbh.

I agree with you that the PP who called it “quibbling” was massively missing our point.

Which is…?

No point rehashing it all ab initio, @CurseMyTinyThumbs , some of us simply disagree, but @Gandwand has registered with Mumsnet specifically to comment on this thread so I wanted to answer her. Her contribution is interesting, even more so because of the response she received from the helpline.

If it says physical or mental health condition OR illness, then I'm not really sure what you're complaining about. I've seen people on here complaining that they got called disabled, now there's complaints that the word disabled isn't being used. They can't win.