Scotland's Census 2022: Why is the Census Important?

The time for Scotland to count its population has come again. The census, which happens every ten years, rolled out on 28th February 2022.

This time, the census is being conducted online, households were sent a letter with a code to access the census through the post and have until 20th March to complete it. Every household has a legal responsibility to fill out the census questionnaire and may be prosecuted if they refuse to fill it out. In some cases, you may receive a criminal record and a fine.

The census in Scotland is run by the National Records of Scotland and data gathered in the census is set to be published from 2023 onwards, whereas in England, data gathered in the census is only published after 100 years.

This census will also see questions asked about people in your household’s sexual orientation and gender identity with an option for transgender and non-binary people. This is the first time the census has included such information.

The census is important, as it allows the government to understand how many people are residing in Scotland, who they stay with and what type of accommodation they stay in. This then goes on to help the government make choices on how they will spend money in your local area on things such as schools, roads and healthcare.

The census also helps the government get an idea on how healthy the population is, where and how people live across the nation and what types of jobs and industry exist in Scotland which in turn helps influence policymaking in these areas.