Have you completed your Census 2021 form?

The letter also says that if you want to complete it early, then you need to notify them if anything changes.
I presume it spreads the load on the website if some, who don't expect their circumstances to change, fill it in early.

As for those in hospital, or other places, they are asked to ensure that they appear on the census at their usual address. As a student nurse in 1971, I contacted a few next-of-kin to check, and I remember a discussion with the homeless hostel next door about some patients.
In 1981, I was on a long-distance coach. The driver handed us all slips of paper asking us to ensure that we were on a census form at our usual address.

Chestnut

I think it's wrong to suggest people fill them in now. The data is for the night of 21st March, and there may be all sorts of reasons why things may have changed by then. If you are in hospital for instance, you are entered there. How many people will even bother notifying them of changes?

You are right, Chestnut. Census forms should be filled in on the day specified. The data will be more accurate if kept to one day. How many people who have filled their forms in early will bother notifying anyone of changes?

I did mine on line as soon as it came, it only took a few minutes and I printed off the confirmation email they sent to confirm I had completed it

Excuse my ignorance but the letter says and I quote
( ALL HOUSEHOLDS SHOULD COMPLETE THE CENSUS ON SUNDAY 21 MARCH OR AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER )

No census received in sunny Essex

Completed mine online. I object (and told them so in the feedback) to having had to put my marital status as divorced. I consider myself single but according to their definition, this applies only to those who’ve never married.

I've done ours. There's just the two of us living here, so it's unlikely to change before the 21st, especially as we're shielding. As others have mentioned, if things do change, it can be reported. No probs.

I've done mine - put my nationality as White European

have not received mine yet but will complete on the day its supposed to be filled in

It's meant to be a snapshot in time so the details for 21st March are what is required. In most cases they will be the same as when the form is received but you never know, we might have been knocked sideways by a meteorite by then! As an avid family historian familiar with censuses from 1841 onwards, I feel it's really important that the specified completion date is complied with.
After having said all that, I haven't received my form yet!?...

Nope!
Will fill it in on Sunday 21st March, or as soon as poss after this date.
What’s the rush?

I thought we all had to fill it in on the 21st March or as soon as possible afterwards!! I wouldn’t tempt fate by filling it in ahead of time. I can imagine future generations tracing their family trees will find all sorts of misinformation otherwise.

I thought it had to be done on the evening of 21st March?

I don't understand why people are completing them before the due date.

Thank you Lucca

henetha

I haven't received it yet. Are we meant to do it on a particular set date?

Yes on the 21st

I haven't received it yet. Are we meant to do it on a particular set date?

Just thinking ahead, I guess my mum will be registered by her care home so her form which presumably will go to her house, will need returning as no one living there?

lemsip

I states;
Please fill in the form on Sunday 21 March 2021, or as soon as you can afterwards. This is so we can count the whole population on the same day.
Those are the rules,

In that case, the online form should have been set up to only go live on the 21st March - maybe a slip up!

I’ve not received any post about the census yet, nor has my mum ( will go to an empty house or be redirected to my house) but I’ll end up filling them both in I expect

Not heard anything yet - so - just gone on line to ask for a new ACCESS CODE. Received it as a text straightaway.

census.gov.uk/

We haven’t heard anything yet but it’s not til later in the month.

Census form should be filled in on the actual day. Circumstances may change. The last one I filled in as I was the only one at home, DH working away.

Chance would be a fine thing, haven't received it yet

As long as you keep your ID code, I expect you can go back and change answers Grandma70s
I filled mine in as soon as I got it, in case, with high volume of traffic, the system crashes on 21st!

Grandma70s just checked the form. I got it totally wrong. I'm glad I read your post. Goodness, what a lot of questions!