FOI Ref: FOI/2022/4025
You asked
Please supply the Census 2021 results.
We said
Thank you for your request.
We aim to release the first results for Census 2021 data on the population of England and Wales in Summer 2022, and to publish all other main Census 2021 data within two years of census.
As such, the information you have requested for the Census 2021 results is considered exempt under Section 22(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, whereby information is exempt from release if there is a view to publish the information in the future. Furthermore, as a central government department and producer of official statistics, we need to have the freedom to be able to determine our own publication timetables. This is to allow us to deal with the necessary preparation, administration and context of publications. It would be unreasonable to consider disclosure when to do so would undermine our functions.
This exemption is subject to a public interest test. We recognise the desirability of information being freely available and this is considered by ONS when publication schedules are set in accordance with the Code of Practice for Statistics. The need for timely data must be balanced against the practicalities of applying statistical skill and judgement to produce the high quality, assured data needed to inform decision-making. If this balance is incorrectly applied, then we run the risk of decisions being based on inaccurate data which is arguably not in the public interest. This will have an impact on public trust in official statistics in a time when accuracy of official statistics is more important to the public than ever before.
Detailed information about how to access the data from Census 2021 will be available nearer the time. For more information about the planned release schedule please see the Office for National Statistics website here.
Census data from 2011 is available on www.nomisweb.co.uk. Nomis is a service run by Durham University on behalf of the Office for National Statistics.