Census when does it need to be completed

The census is a complex project that takes many years of organisation and development. The following table explains the project milestones that are crucial to producing and running the census successfully. The dates for these milestones are based on our current projections and might change as we progress.

An evaluation of the rehearsal will be published. Successfully completed Census Coverage Survey May to June We conduct a short survey to find out how many people we have missed and how many people have been counted more than once in the census. Successfully completed Publish draft of the outputs schedule July We publish a draft timetable of the various outputs of data from the census.

Successfully completed Publish full details of the outputs release schedule March We publish the full details of the timetable of outputs. Updated 15th October National Statisticians Accreditation of census outputs February Decision by the Office for Statistics Regulation on designation of National Statistics status for Census outputs Publication of first results Late spring We publish the first results from the census.

If you didn't receive a letter with your online access code from the ONS by March 21, you can contact them via census.

Scotland has postponed its census until March 20, There is no official, final time or date for when it must be completed, however, as the ONS says that those unable to lodge their census by March 21 should ensure they do so "as soon as possible after". Anyone who can't complete the census on March 21 should ensure they do so "as soon as possible after".

The last census took place in Many people and organisations used information from the Census in a variety of ways. For example, Bristol City Council used it to inform decisions on how to fund local housing improvements. It was also essential for the charity Redbridge Council for Voluntary Services to help people from ethnic minority groups learn more about dementia. To read more about the benefits that information from the Census helped to create, visit the Office for National Statistics ONS website.

Skip to main content Tell us whether you accept cookies We use cookies to collect information about how you use census. However, some have received paper forms through the post, while others have just received a letter asking them to fill in the census online. Though the mechanics of the census may appear complex, the reasons why are actually quite straightforward.

So who gets a letter, who gets a form and why? The Office for National Statistics ONS which is coordinating the census has tried to determine who gets what by assessing which households are likely to find it impossible or more difficult to respond to the census online.

There are a number of good reasons for filling out your form online - it saves the ONS time and money when collating the results and means we can get more accurate data. This is why the ONS has included a code on the forms.