High Peak Liberal Democrats

3 Things You Should Know About The 2021 UK Census

1. This census will collect information on the LGBT+ population for the first time.

2021's census will be the first UK census to include both a question on sexual orientation, and one on gender identity, for people over 16 years of age. Given the importance of the census as a robust universal measure of demographics at a local level, whilst these questions are voluntary, we believe it is vital that everyone in the LGBT+ community who feels comfortable doing so stands up to be counted. The resourcing of services which meet the needs of our community will be partly determined by population data gathered in the census.

2. You can request a private form to fill in without the rest of your household knowing.

You don't have to "out" yourself to your household to fill in the census truthfully. If you are not out to your family or housemates, or for whatever other reason do not feel comfortable completing some census questions on the "household" form (the default way that census data is collected), you can request a private form just for you, to fill in by yourself. The rest of your household will not be told that you have done this, and the answers you give will override any answers given about you on the household form. All data released from the census is anonymised, your personal information will be kept secure for 100 years before it is released as a historical record.

3. The "sex" question on the census is not a "sex assigned at birth" question (but it is binary).

One of the questions on the form is "what is your sex?". This question is not asking about your sex assigned at birth, but rather your current "official" sex, as recorded on "your birth certificate or Gender Recognition Certificate". In this respect it is less inclusive than the sex question asked in 2011. Whilst the insistence on an answer of either "male" or "female" makes the form difficult for non-binary people to complete, we would still urge all LGBT+ people to complete the form as best they can. The separate "gender identity" question later in the form ("Is the gender you identify with the same as your sex registered at birth?") will still allow you to make your true identity known.

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