08 April 2021
As reminder letters go out this week to around 7,000 households yet to complete their census questionnaires, Statistics Jersey are busting some common census myths.
Census 2021 is over – I’ve missed Census Day, so I don’t have to do it.
Every household is required by law to complete the census. We have had a great response to the census so far, but everyone needs to respond as soon as possible to avoid a fine. Even though Census Day – 21 March 2021 – has been and gone, it is not too late to complete a questionnaire.
The census isn’t important, it doesn’t help me.
The census collects information from every household to help us understand what our society needs now and in the future. It helps to plan school places, healthcare services and transport, and is widely used by businesses, charities, and Islanders. This is why it’s important that the census counts everyone.
My property is vacant, so I don’t need to fill in a census form
It is important that we have a census return for all properties, even if nobody usually lives there – for example second homes and holiday lets - because it’s a census of housing as well as a census of population. Either fill in the paper form and answer the questions about the accommodation as best you can, or contact the census office on 444400 or census@gov.je to let us know about a vacant property. Otherwise your property may be visited by one of our census field officers.
My information will be shared
That’s not the case. Personal census data is kept confidential for 100 years. No individual, or their responses, can be identified in the statistics we publish.
Your individual personal information can't be seen by anyone who makes decisions about you. It cannot be used by government to influence benefit claims, your residency status, or taxes, or by landlords or any other private organisation.
Census officers will fine you on the doorstep
Do not be scammed. Census field officers will never ask for a payment on the doorstep. The role of field officers is to give help and encouragement to those who have not yet filled in their census questionnaire after Census Day and direct them to the support services they need. They will carry ID to show they are genuinely working on the census.
They will never ask to see personal documents like passports or birth certificates. Field officers will never ask for payment and they will not enter your home.
We will continue to support people to respond to the census but if a household refuses to fill out a questionnaire this could ultimately lead to a fine of up to £1,000 and a criminal record.
gov.je