to resent the census requiring details of employer from years ago

M0nica

I think I had the question. In my case my last job was a brief fill in. so obviously this job, did not reflect the high exalted status I occupied during my main career

I too was one of the millions of over 50s, who in the 1990s, in particular, were made voluntarily redundant into early retirement.

As I said, all the retirement detail that causes you such distress, ElderlyPerson, will be reduced to basic facts of date, place and time and of no interest to anyone until diluted by several million other people's data. You, like the rest of us are merely statistics.

And some over 50 got several years of enhancement so got a pension as if they had worked for longer.

And those who were under 50, even by a few days, were involuntarily out with no early pension.

That's life.

I just filled the thing in. Thought some of it was a bit odd, but nothing to get my knickers in a knot over!

I had to do it for elderly relative with dementia, I only have the vaguest idea of her last job 30 years ago. I explained somewhere on the form. I can't tell them what I don't know.

What is it that distresses you, ElderlyPerson? Clearly you are upset about the way in which you retired, but the information on the census is simply recording what happened, not treating you differently because of it. I'm not sure why you think you are being branded or 'followed for life' with this information, but something has obviously got under your skin that the rest of us can't see.

True, but it may well come round again, and again, and ... for the rest of your life.

Is that why I've had phone calls informing me that I have an unpaid tax bill and that the police will shortly be arriving at my door to arrest me unless I press 1 on the keypad NOW?

I thought it was a scam.

M0nica

That's life.

Exactly.

But a 'That's life' approach would have meant no old age pension system, pay to visit the doctor, no nhs hospitals, no education, no votes for women nor for many men, slavery continuing, no council houses, perpetuation of the discrimination of The Statute of Apprentices blocking progress for many.

You are just a statistic, ElderlyPerson.

I can see no connection.

You seem to have become overly anxious about this ElderlyPerson and a molehill is becoming a huge mountain.

I just filled it in. Anyone on LinkedIn can see my employment history for the last 25+ years anyway. I’m retired now, but being ‘known’ was important in my profession. I’m probably not going to be here to see the 2031 census anyway.

Why should my father’s profession on my birth certificate have marked me for life? I don’t really understand that.

You don’t have to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I used to be a census manager and the clear rubbish some people wrote was laughable. That is in Australia ,though, perhaps they are more particular in the UK.

Full, detailed and excellent reply at 10.40 is Monica - you have explained very clearly why elderly person really is getting worried about nothing.
You may lament the passing of your high exalted status but nobody else knows or indeed cares. You are a statistic - no more, no less.
Just a thought, however, you are not Justin Welby are you? (Archbishop of Canterbury recently photographed selling the Big Issue on a high street) but no, you say you are a Sir and he isn’t.

oh good grief! You might as well say that the employer is shackled to me and has to bear the mortification of being linked to all the good stuff that I got up to after I retired.....including drinking alcohol.

I don’t understand the problem I’m afraid. It’s just data/statistics/ trends etc

I don't understand it either, but it clearly troubles ElderlyPerson, so it would help if he could tell us what it is about the situation that has upset him. I don't think it's fair to write it off as an over-reaction without knowing what 'it' is.

An individual's information on a census form is going nowhere. There are strict rules over confidentiality and always has been. When have you read a story of the census details of an individual coming out into the public sphere? This information will not be given or seen by anyone before 2121, if then.

I appreciate your concern, when you end up leaving employment under circumstances you have not chosen at a time you would not have chosen, it is bruising. But you are not alone and it is happening to people more and more these days.

I left work under a voluntary redundancy scheme, not because I wanted to, but I realised that my profession had become redundant and if I didn't jump when asked and when I could benefit from the soft landing from the severance parachute, once the scheme ended, I would just be pushed out of the door without a parachute.

As for 'thats life' well wherever there is a cut off date someone will be just the right side of it, someone else just on the wrong side. someone will be half a centimetre to join the police force, someone will just creep through. One 5 year old will just get through the low height door to get into a child's entertainment, the next will be too tall.

Life is full of these 'that's life' moments we just squeak into or squeak out of something. We win some, we lose some. but - that's life.

Elderlyperson
I think you need to find an absorbing hobby.
Why are you ruminating so much on meaningless issues, it’s not healthy.
I don’t suppose it entered you head to put something witty in the last job box.

rewrit: some will be half a centimetre too short to get into the police, another will be half a centmetre taller and just get in.

MerylStreep

Elderlyperson
I think you need to find an absorbing hobby.
Why are you ruminating so much on meaningless issues, it’s not healthy.
I don’t suppose it entered you head to put something witty in the last job box.

he has one already.....

Greenlady ?
Elderlyperson
Here’s a list to choose from if your still around next time.
www.genproxy.co.uk/old_trades_occupations.htm

You could have just written:
'Gentleman, living on own means'
Which one of my ancestors had written on an old census firm.

I just filled my census in as quickly as possible sent it off and promptly forgot about it. The employment question was a bit odd as I had retired many years ago.

Fascinating, MerylStreep!
It also shows us how some surnames were derived.

Printer's errand boy = Devil!