Every ten years the Office for National Statistics (ONS) carries out a census to find out more about the people who live in England and Wales, and about the make-up of local neighbourhoods.
The census asks about work, health, national identity, citizenship, ethnic background, education, second homes, language, religion, marital status and so on. These statistics are then used to build a picture of today’s society.
Most of the households in the country have sent their questionnaires back, and field staff have been knocking on doors, offering assistance and collecting questionnaires from those who have fallen behind.
Like all local authorities in England and Wales, the Vale of Glamorgan Council relies on census population statistics to get the government funding we need for public services. How much we get is directly related to how many and what kind of people the census says live in our area. So even if the census were to end up just a few households short, it could make a very real difference to people’s lives. The census needs to include everyone, everywhere – and that’s why everyone has to take part.