Informal carers in Derbyshire by ethnicity and health conditions

​FOI Ref: FOI/2021/2662

You asked

​Please can I have any information relating numbers for informal carers in the Derbyshire area, specifically relating to their ethnicity /health conditions of cared for/ health / wellbeing or financial need.

Anything that may dictate future health areas for concern with population in Derbyshire area.

Thank you in advance, I understand the last information release was in 2011 after the census and wonder if there was a more up to date record?

We said

Thank you for your Freedom of Information (FoI) request regarding numbers of carers in Derbyshire.

We have attached the following 2011 Census tables about unpaid carers within Derbyshire, which we hope you will find useful:

• LC6301EW - Economic activity by provision of unpaid care by general health

Note - The population for this table is 'All usual residents aged 16 and over' due to the inclusion of the economic activity variable.

• DC2301EW - Ethnic group by provision of unpaid care by general health- KS301EW - Health and provision of unpaid care

We have included this table as it provides some background to the figures. Unfortunately, this is not a cross-tabulation, but does give figures of the numbers of people giving unpaid hours of care, the numbers of people with long-term health problems and disabilities, and the numbers of people with different categories of general health.

2011 Census data is the latest available census data, results from Census 2021 will start to be released from spring next year in a phased approach starting with population counts at the national level for England and Wales. Cross-tabulations for lower level geographies will follow later in the year.

As such, the information you have requested 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.

For further information please contact Census Customer Services.