2011 Census  

Background

The Census of Population and Housing is the largest and most complex statistical exercise undertaken in Northern Ireland. The Census, as it is more commonly known, usually happens once every ten years.

Planning and development work is being taken forward on the basis that the next Census in Northern Ireland will be conducted on Sunday 27 March 2011. This is in line with developments throughout the rest of the UK. It is intended that censuses in England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will take place on the same day. This will help to produce consistent outputs for the UK as a whole, as well as for each component country.

The Northern Ireland Assembly will be asked to approve a Census Order and Regulations to allow the Census to take place.     

Why do we have a Census?

The Census is unique as it provides comprehensive demographic statistics for small areas and small population groups, as well as Northern Ireland as a whole. Information from the Census is used extensively across the public, private and voluntary sectors and has many important uses including:  

• Acting as a benchmark for demographic statistics by providing the base count of the population;

• Informing policy and funding across all parts of Government, spanning housing, education, health care, social welfare and transport;

• Providing a base for population and housing projections which are required for planning and decision making for front line services between censuses;

• Supporting development, targeting, delivery and evaluation work in key policy areas and equality monitoring by providing demographic information for geographical areas and population groups;

• Identifying and targeting areas of need and disadvantage;

• Benchmarking and improving the quality of information collected from other data sources such as administrative systems, address registers and sample surveys;

• Providing information on small population subgroups, such as ethnic minority populations, for which sample surveys cannot provide robust statistics; and

• Informing and supporting research.

The 2011 Census - Frequently Asked Questions

Planning the Census

The Census is an extremely large-scale and logistically complex exercise, which requires significant government funding. The information that it provides has many important uses and failure to deliver would have considerable implications, carry heavy costs and would undermine both user and public confidence. Detailed planning is therefore required to ensure that the aims of the Census are met and that public investment can be properly allocated.

As the Census only takes place once every ten years, there are a number of complexities and challenges that go hand-in-hand with such an exercise. Problems need to be anticipated and contingencies developed to ensure that operations run smoothly, even in the event of a crisis (e.g. the Foot and Mouth outbreak during the 2001 Census).

New questions and questionnaire designs need to be tested to determine public reaction, as well as our systems and processes. 

Development Work

Three major phases of testing are planned as part of the development of the 2011 Census;

• A census test (13 May 2007);

• A systems integration test (autumn 2008); and

• A census rehearsal (11 October 2009).

Similar arrangements are in place across the rest of the UK.

User Consultation

NISRA held a formal consultation exercise on demographic statistics and the content of the 2011 Census in 2005. This was followed up by a series of three information days held in Limavady, Belfast and Enniskillen in 2006. The information gathered through these events contributed to the development of the content for the 2007 Census Test form. 

Further details on the consultation work

2007 Census Test

A major test of Census processes took place on 13 May 2007. It was conducted in five areas of Northern Ireland, covering approximately 14,000 households. The Test examined the feasibility of using the postal service to deliver Census forms and the impact of including an income question on the form. The Test was also used to develop Census processes including the use of the Pointer address register and working with external contractors as described above under procurement.

Further details on the 2007 Census Test

2009 Census Rehearsal

A census Rehearsal took place on Sunday 11 October 2009 to test the systems and processes ahead of the 2011 Census. The rehearsal took place in two areas of Northern Ireland - Derriaghy and Moy & Benburb, and included some 5,000 households.

Further information on the Census Rehearsal