The UK Statistics Authority has recommended the Government commissions the Office for National Statistics (ONS) to deliver a census of England and Wales in 2031. The recommendation outlines a vision for a mandatory questionnaire-based census asked of the whole population, supported by the growing power of administrative data and new technologies.
Through our public consultation and extensive engagement, a wide range of users expressed the value of a decennial census in 2031, building on the success and lessons of Census 2021. We also heard a lot of support for the increasing use of administrative data – such as tax records, and NHS data – which have the potential to support higher quality, more frequent estimates on a broader range of topics.
The UK Statistics Authority’s recommendation also urges the UK and Welsh Governments to commit to a regular and reliable flow of administrative data, which is necessary to maintain and further improve estimates.
The power to call a questionnaire-based census for England and Wales rests with government ministers. Should the Government accept this recommendation, the ONS will begin the process of designing the shape and structure of Census 2031. We will launch a public consultation later this autumn to gather views on topics users need data on from the population statistics system.
We would like to thank everyone who responded to the public consultation on the future of population and migration statistics, offering essential evidence which fed directly into the recommendation published today.
