The 2007 Census Test: evaluation of key objectives

The Office for National Statistics conducted a major census field test in May and June 2007 as part of the planning and preparation for the next census of population and housing in England and Wales in 2011. The 2007 Census Test was a large scale test covering approximately 100,000 household in five local authorities (LAs) selected to reflect a range of geographic conditions and social characteristics. Within England the Test covered parts of Bath and North East Somerset, Camden, Liverpool and Stoke on Trent. In Wales the Test took place in Carmarthenshire. The selected LAs were chosen to provide a varied cross section of the population and types of housing that would be covered in a full census. This article summarises the evaluation results and, where decided, decisions for 2011 on four key aspects of the Test: delivery method - post-out compared with hand delivery; inclusion of an income question; outsourcing recruitment, training and pay; and liaison with LAs.     

An analysis of patient register data in the Longitudinal Study - what does it tell us about the quality of the data?

This article uses data for members of the ONS Longitudinal Study (LS) from both Census 2001 enumeration and patient registrations "frozen" on census day 2001 from the National Health Service Central Register (NHSCR) to examine potential sources of difference in area of usual residence.Overall 95.7 per cent of ONS LS members enumerated at census resided in the same area as recorded on the NHSCR data. Where areas differed, or the ONS LS member was not on the NHSCR on census day, subsequent NHSCR records were examined. Records flagged on the NHSCR as ONS LS members in England and Wales on census day but with no census record were also investigated.     

Looking beyond the 2001 Census

This article outlines the Office for National Statistics' strategic review process for the best way of meeting users' future requirements for information that has traditionally been collected by taking a census. It reports on a possible design for such a census in 2011 but also considers alternative approaches to collecting comparable information. The work described in this article is being undertaken within ONS and relates essentially to research on the census in England and Wales only. The General Register Office for Scotland and the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency are, however, carrying out similar reviews.     

The 2011 Census: a proposed design for England and Wales

This article sets out the proposed design for a 2011 Census in England and Wales, as part of the ONS's proposed future population statistics system. The design draws on experiences from the 2001 Census and changes in available technology, and takes account of the many comments received from respondents to a Discussion Paper published in October 2003 and of views expressed at a joint ONS/RSS Conference on 11-12 November 2003. The article highlights the statistical and operational strategic aims for the 2011 Census, the major changes proposed from the 2001 approach, and gives an indication of the benefits and risks. It is important to note that this design remains a proposal at present, the elements of which will be subject to further research building on comments received during consultation and a detailed testing programme over the coming years.     

Rebasing the annual mid-year population estimates for England and Wales

The ONS produces mid-year population estimates annually, which are based on updating from the most recent census. Therefore, whenever results become available from a census, a new base is created for the population estimates. This has implications for historic series, which need to be revised to be consistent with both the past and the most recent census. This article describes the methodology that will be used for this rebasing of the mid-year population estimates following the availability of results from the 2001 Census. Census results also provide a unique opportunity to assess the accuracy of the population estimates that are based on the previous census and this article also describes the approach that will be taken to the assessment of accuracy.     

Geography for the 2001 Census in England and Wales

This article provides an overview of 2001 Census geography systems in England and Wales, concentrating primarily on the creation of output geography. It is important to note that there are significant differences between the systems being implemented in England and Wales and those which apply to Northern Ireland and Scotland. The Northern Ireland system is broadly similar to that described here, whereas the entire data infrastructure and output area design process in Scotland are different.     

Population bases and the 2011 Census

In an increasingly complex society there are a number of different population definitions that can be relevant for users, beyond the standard definition used in counting the population. This article describes the enumeration base for the 2011 Census and how alternative population outputs may be produced. It provides a background as to how the questions on the questionnaire were decided upon and how population bases can be constructed from the Census. Similarities and differences between the information collected across the three UK Censuses (England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) are discussed. Finally, issues around estimating the population on alternative bases are presented.     

Key issues in the quality assurance of the One Number Census

As part of the 2001 Census, the One Number Census project estimated and adjusted the Census database for underenumeration. As a result of the highly innovative One Number Census and the Quality Assurance process it encompassed, it was also ensured that robust results could be obtained for each local authority area. This article examines some of the issues and analyses that were undertaken as part of that assessment of the 2001 Census population counts for England and Wales. The article firstly highlights the key issues surrounding the implementation of the 2001 Census fieldwork. The article then explores the 2001 Census results through a series of demographic analyses to illustrate the sorts of issues investigated during the One Number Census Quality Assurance process itself. These analyses look at the patterns contained within the results, and comparisons with key alternative sources of population counts. Overall, these in-depth analyses and investigations provide further credence to the plausibility of the One Number Census results.     

2011 Census Field design: getting the numbers right

A labour force of over 30,000 temporary field staff has been employed to carry out the Census. This article summarises the role of the field staff in collecting census questionnaires from households and communal establishments for the March 2011 enumeration. Building on the lessons learned from the 2001 Census, and taking account of changes in society and technology since 2001, the article provides a summary of the planned field staff structures and processes intended to deal with returned questionnaires and non-responders.     

The Census Coverage Survey--the key element of a one number census

The key measure of census quality is the level of response achieved. In recent censuses worldwide this level has been in the high nineties per cent. This was also true of censuses in Britain in 1991 (98 per cent). However, what was particularly noticeable about the census in Britain in 1991 was the differential response rate and the difficulty in effectively measuring this. The One Number Census programme was set up in the UK to research and develop a more effective methodology to measure and account for underenumeration in the 2001 Census. The key element in this process is the Census Coverage Survey--a significantly larger and redesigned post-enumeration survey. This article describes the planning and design of the survey with particular emphasis on the implementation of the proposed field methodology in practice. It also provides a high-level overview of the success of the survey.     

Covering all bases: early thoughts for population bases for the 2011 Census

This article discusses early thinking on the options for the population bases to be used in the 2011 Census. It describes some of the work being conducted to enable a decision about bases to be reached, including historic and international reviews of censuses. It also discusses the implications that our rapidly changing society has for census planning.     

2011 census coverage assessment and adjustment strategy

Every effort is made to ensure everyone is counted in a census. However, no census is perfect and some people are missed. This underenumeration does not usually occur uniformly across all geographical areas or across other sub-groups of the population such as age and sex groups. Coverage levels in censuses across the world are declining leading to an increasing need to firstly slow the decline through improved enumeration, and secondly in improved methods and data for measuring coverage. In order to achieve the mission critical aims of the 2011 Census, a coverage assessment and adjustment strategy is required. This article outlines the proposed strategy for the 2011 UK Census. The strategy is to significantly improve upon the 2001 One Number Census, and use it as a platform to develop an improved coverage assessment and adjustment methodology. The article also outlines the key areas of innovation for the 2011 strategy and the options that will be considered in order to develop the final strategy. Stakeholder management is also an important part of the strategy to ensure that key users both buy into and understand the methodology. ONS will look to build on the consultation carried out prior to the 2001 Census and widen the user base with which it engages on this important topic.     

Improving ONS spatial referencing--the impact on 2000 births and deaths data

This article describes the improvements in the way that ONS will be allocating births and deaths data to administrative and health areas in England and Wales, beginning with data for 2001. Births and deaths registered in 2000 are used to examine the differences in area allocations at ward, local authority and health authority levels, which this change will introduce. Differences in the geographical characteristics of births and deaths are also described.     

Short-term international migration trends in England and Wales from 2004 to 2009

Short-term migration estimates for England and Wales are the latest addition to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) migration statistics. This article discusses definitions of short-term migration and the methodology that is used to produce the estimates. Some of the estimates and the changes in the estimates over time are then discussed. The article includes previously unpublished short-term migration statistics and therefore helps to give a more complete picture of the size and characteristics of short-term international migration for England and Wales than has previously been possible. ONS have identified a clear user requirement for short-term migration estimates at local authority (LA) level. Consequently, attention is also paid to the progress that has been made and future work that is planned to distribute England and Wales short-term migration estimates to LA level.     

Estimates of the population by ethnic group for areas within England

This article describes, and provides some initial analysis of, the experimental population estimates by ethnic group for areas within England published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in January 2006. The article considers growth and the population structure of each of the ethnic groups identified in the 2001 Census; subnational patterns of change; population turnover; and measures of diversity and segregation, and also provides a comparison of the estimates and corresponding sample-based estimates from the Labour Force Survey.     

The long shadow of childhood: associations between parental social class and own social class, educational attainment and timing of first birth; results from the ONS Longitudinal Study

In September 2004, linked data from the 2001 Census was made available in the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Longitudinal Study (a 1 per cent sample of the population of England and Wales). The study now includes information from four censuses on sample members and the people they lived with. The availability of this new information, the length of follow-up and other features of the study (such as records of births and deaths to sample members) provide new opportunities for analysing change--both over the life course, between time periods, and between generations. This article illustrates the potential for analysis of continuity and change with new results on intergenerational social mobility, and on parental social class and age at first birth.     

Which authorities are alike?

This article describes the first results from the recent revision to The ONS classification of local and health authorities of Great Britain to allow for boundary changes. For each local and health authority of Great Britain as at April 1999 it presents 'most similar' authorities as measured by a selection of 37 socioeconomic and demographic variables from the 1991 Census. These results will assist local and health authorities in identifying other appropriate authorities for comparative studies. A second article, to be published in Population Trends 99, will present the results of the analysis to identify groups of authorities in a hierarchy of new Clusters, Groups and Families for the revised classification.     

Geographic variations in conceptions to women aged under 18 in Great Britain during the 1990s

This article examines geographic variations in conceptions to women aged under 18. It presents data on conception rates and the percentage leading to abortion for the three countries of Great Britain, the Government Office Regions of England and local authorities within Great Britain. It provides an overview of variations between areas at each of the three geographic levels and examines whether this variation is associated with the social and demographic characteristics of local authority areas. This article is the first occasion on which conception rates for Scotland have been published on a comparable basis to England and Wales and also the first use of the revised ONS classification to examine conceptions to women aged under 18.