A once-a-decade census has been performed in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, trying to provide insights into the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and Brexit on people's lives.
The census on Sunday, organised by the British Office for National Statistics (ONS), asked households to fill in an online questionnaire about every person living at the property, including their age, race, occupation and relationship status, Xinhua news agency reported. The ONS said the census aims to gather vital information to help plan services such as transport, education and healthcare.
As per reports, the census includes voluntary questions for over-16s on gender identity and sexual orientation for the first time. Besides, it is also the first time people are asked whether they have served in the armed forces.
By law, all households should complete or be accounted for in the census. Those who fail to fill it in or give false information can be fined up to about USD 1,387.
Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, this year people in Britain are asked to complete the survey online, with unique access codes being sent out to households. In Scotland, the census has been delayed to March 2022 as a result of Covid-19 restrictions.
Census field officers will follow up with households after Sunday if people have not completed their questionnaire. The census results will be available within 12 months, although personal records will be locked away for 100 years.
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