Addressing
Q: What are local authorities required to do before the Address index refresh?
A: We have been working with GeoPlace to publish guidance and this has been distributed by GeoPlace to Local Custodians. More generally, we are asking that Local Land and Property Gazetteers (LLPGs) are kept as accurate and up to date as possible, and wherever possible, unit level records for Halls of Residence are captured.
Q: Will the LLPG custodians be updated with communal establishment (CE) unit numbers where we don't already know them?
A: Where possible, GeoPlace are working with individual authorities to supply data on student hall capacities.
Q: Will address information, not referenced from Ordnance Survey AddressBase, be relayed back to GeoPlace for LLPG Custodians to update Address Gazetteers?
A: There are restrictions around sharing any data collected during census. If it is possible to share findings from admin data sources under the use agreements we have, we will share those findings with GeoPlace in the run up to census.
Q: If a property is re-classified is there a timeframe or cut-off for us having to include it in the address index?
A: No - we are asking that LLPG custodians maintain classification codes to the best possible standard so that the classification is reflected accurately at the time.
Q: The address database doesn't mention electoral roll; how will it identify houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) needing more than one form?
A: Unless HMO units are addressed separately, HMOs will be treated as a household and sent one form.
Campaign
Q: Can we have some information on the schools project please?
A: The rehearsal demonstrated the schools campaign in primary schools was successful. For 2021 all secondary and primary schools will be eligible and encouraged to participate. Further information will be supplied to all LAs via their census engagement manager (CEM) and news channels such as the LA Newsletter.
Q: To avoid duplication, can you share your communication plan so that we can also work on our LA specific communication plan?
A: Yes - we will be sharing our campaign plan dates and messaging with you in the autumn. We'll also contact you regularly throughout census each time the campaign messaging changes.
Q: Will the materials be in various languages?
A: Yes - translations of census questions and of publicity and marketing materials will be available in many languages.
Q: Will we be provided with printed publicity material or will we need to print them locally for distribution?
A: We intend to provide a variety of different publicity in paper and digital format. Use of each will vary. ONS is not expecting the LA to fund publicity but we will ask you to support and promote ONS supplied products.
Census engagement managers (CEMs) and community advisers (CAs)
Q: Is it the intention for the CEMs and CAs to liaise first with the census liaison manager (CLM) and assistant census liaison manager (ACLM)? Can you say more about how the engagement of these roles will work?
A: The CEM's first task is to research the local area, then arrange to meet your CLM and ACLM in early October. They will share ONS data on your area with you and work with you to draw up a bespoke plan to engage the communities in your area to maximise census response. Together you will work through a tailored partnership plan to agree priorities for engagement in your local area and they will keep you regularly updated on their progress.
The CA will work directly with their allocated community. They are managed by the CEM who will share their progress with the CLM and ACLM.
Q: Will the CAs only work with language communities or also other communities of interest e.g. LGBTI?
A: CAs will work with their allocated community - CEMs will work with all other communities in their area that are not covered by CAs, including LGBTI.
Q: Are the CEMs and CAs expected to be based in the communities they are supporting?
A: Yes - CEMs and CAs will be based in their areas and will work within communities to build trust and engagement.
Census in Wales
Q: Are you linking with Welsh Local Government Associations who would be able to provide cross authority co-ordination/facilitation?
A: Yes - we meet regularly with Welsh Government. It is ONS's responsibility to deliver the census in England and Wales.
Q: Will all the publicity information be available in English and Welsh?
A: Yes
Communal establishments (CEs) and special population groups (SPGs)
Q: Is there potential to double count students at a term time and non-term time address?
A: Students should always be included at both addresses, with just a few questions asked at their non term-time address and the full questionnaire completed at their term-time address. We are currently considering options and impacts of students being more likely to be at their parents’ address for a longer period as a result of COVID-19 scenarios. We will update you on any changes to our plans through the monthly LA newsletters.
Q: Is a care home manager responsible for answering questionnaires for all residents?
A: No - the manager isn’t responsible for answering for all residents; however, they do have proxy power to complete on their behalf, as do the resident’s family. The care home manager must complete a CE manager form online, although they can request a paper version of this. They will also be given a listing form, which does not need to be returned to us. This allows them to track who has completed their forms within the care home. The care home manager will also need to complete their own form at the establishment if that is where they live.
Q: Are you speaking to care homes currently as part of your contingency planning for further waves of COVID-19?
A: Yes - we are undertaking user-research to help prepare for all eventualities.
Q: How are holiday parks (not meant to be a permanent residence) dealt with to identify those actually resident there?
A: Caravan parks are not treated as CEs. The way caravan sites are counted in the census depends on whether their unit address information is available. If the unit address is available, the caravan site will receive a household questionnaire and be counted as standard along with the general public. Non-respondents will be followed-up by a household census field officer. If the unit address is unavailable, a CE field officer will visit the caravan site to check if any usual residents live on the site. If there are residents, the caravan site will be treated as an SPG and will fall under the responsibility of a CE officer who will liaise with the site managers prior to census day to establish these details.
Q: How will you address boats and boating communities?
A: Any boaters who have a fixed permanent address will be enumerated by the household team and will be sent their questionnaire in the post. Those without a fixed address will be enumerated by the CE field officers. Work will be conducted by the CEMs to ensure they liaise with harbour masters, marina managers and the local authorities to establish where the visitor moorings are located.
Q: Do you require support from council officers when engaging with gypsy sites? We sometimes have the experience that they like to see a known face.
A: Yes - our CEMs will want to work closely with the Gypsy Liaison Managers in the various local authorities, as we will not be sending our CE field officers to the authorised/unauthorised sites unaccompanied.
Q: SPGs - does this cover HMOs, flat shares, families sharing households, etc? How do you get the data on unofficial HMOs?
A: All households will receive a household form, regardless of whether they are a single family, multiple families or a flat share. Individual forms are available on request if people wish to respond separately from the rest of the household and additional household forms can be requested if there is more than one household at an address. Where we have unit (room) level information for HMOs, forms will be sent to each unit, otherwise a single household form will be sent to the address.
General questions
Q: Do councils need to inform ONS if they are paperless?
A: Yes - please let us know as this will help to reduce unnecessary waste. Our support products will always be provided digitally.
Q: Are you working with Trading Standards to reduce the risk of people impersonating census officers and targeting vulnerable people?
A: Yes - we will keep trading standards updated. All census field officers will carry an ID badge to identify themselves as genuine ONS census employees.
Q: Is there budget for LAs to support the census?
A: There is no additional funding to support the census. However, ONS has put in additional resources to help LAs to support the census. This includes new engagement roles (census engagement managers) and an increased and bespoke range of publicity materials.
Q: Are you hoping for engagement from parish and/or town councils as well?
A: Yes - everyone has a role in promoting the census. Our CEMs will make sure that no-one is missed.
Q: Does sharing community contacts require consent as per GDPR or does the census bypass this requirement?
A: ONS follows the GDPR requirements which are not over-ruled by the census. Sharing contacts requires consent, unless those contact details are already in the public domain. For example, published on a website and widely available.
Q: Will the hard to count areas be shared with us by the CEM when they visit us? Will our knowledge be used to update the hard to count list?
A: The hard-to-count areas for your local authority will be shared with you by the CEMs using the LA data pack for your area. This will be available in the autumn. The hard-to-count index has been updated with the latest administrative data sources to reflect any changes to the population since the 2011 Census. We are keen to hear where your knowledge indicates any differences from the data we share with you, but the hard-to-count index has now been fixed for 2021 as we have had to use this already to make our resourcing decisions.
Outputs
Q: How do I register my LA's wish to become involved in the data dissemination process?
A: Please email 2021Census.LA.liaison@ons.gov.uk to let us know and we will forward this on to our census outputs and dissemination team.
Publications
Q: What publications will I receive?
A: A range of support materials will be available on the local authority partner page of the census website. For example, the Local Authority Guide, the Councillor Handbook and a range of leaflets and presentations. The first products will be available in the autumn. We will use the monthly LA newsletter to alert you when new products are available.
Support to complete the census – online or on paper
Q: What options are there for people who do not want to or are unable to complete the census online (e.g. lack of technology)? Are paper questionnaires still available?
A: Respondents can request paper questionnaires through various routes; from phoning the contact centre, to asking field staff at your door or requesting it on the census webpage. They might have been issued with a paper questionnaire as their first form of contact but these respondents still have the opportunity to complete the online version through the household access code on their paper copy.
If they wish to complete the census online, but don’t have the capability, there will also be Census Support Centres available where people can get help to complete their questionnaire online.
Q: What is involved in supporting the assisted digital service?
A: This link to the Good Things Foundation (GTF) website gives you all the information you will need to support the Assisted Digital service.
Q: Are there plans to revise deadlines for digital support applications based on the current situation?
A: The first phase of the recruitment of centres began in February and, based on the current COVID-19 situation, plans were made to hold a second recruitment window which is due to begin in September.
Q: What about people who want to complete their own census if they aren’t the householder?
A: Anyone over 16 can complete an individual return. They can request an individual access code or a paper questionnaire from the census website or through the census contact centre or from census field staff.
Q: Are questionnaires available in different languages and how do residents access them?
A: Questionnaires are available in English and Welsh. Support materials, including a translation service, is available in other languages.
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