FOI reference: FOI-2026-3683
You asked
I request the write-in responses recorded for the 2021 Census ethnicity question where respondents selected "Any other ethnic group" and entered their own ethnicity.
Please provide, in XLSX format:
the write-in response;
the frequency of each write-in response; and the corresponding 2021 London LSOA.
If any information cannot be disclosed for privacy reasons, please provide the requested data as far as possible with any necessary suppression or disclosure controls applied, rather than refusing the request in full.
We said
Thank you for your Freedom of Information request asking for the write-in responses recorded for the 2021 Census ethnicity question where respondents selected "Any other ethnic group" and entered their own ethnicity, including:
the write-in response;
the frequency of each write-in response; and
the corresponding 2021 London Lower Layer Super Output Area (LSOA).
We have considered whether the requested information can be provided.
We hold information on detailed ethnic group write-in responses collected as part of Census 2021. However, following assessment under our Statistical Disclosure Control (SDC) procedures, we are unable to provide counts of detailed write-in responses at London LSOA level specifically.
Test tables produced at both LSOA and Middle Layer Super Output Area (MSOA) level for London were deemed disclosive because the counts are very small and the resulting tables are highly sparse. Releasing this information would unfortunately present an unacceptable risk of identifying individuals. Section 39 of the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 (SRSA) renders the disclosure of information that would identify an individual a criminal offence. As we are prohibited by law from publishing statistics in which individuals can be identified, Section 44(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) applies.
Whilst we are unable to provide the information requested, we can provide information at broader levels of geography and aggregation.
Detailed write-in response categories
We maintain a classification containing 1,410 detailed ethnic group write-in categories recorded in Census 2021. Please note that not all categories have a count, even when aggregated to England and Wales level. A list of these categories is available on the Ethnic group (detailed) classifications: Census 2021 page on the ONS website.
We have also published the CT21_0268 Ethnic group ad hoc dataset showing counts for these detailed write-in categories at England and Wales level:
CT21_0268 - Ethnic group (most detailed write-in responses)
Dataset population: All usual residents
Geography: England and Wales
Lowest available geography
The lowest geographic level currently available for London is contained within the CT21_0463 Ethnic group published table:
CT21_0463 - Ethnic group (detailed write-in responses)
Dataset population: All usual residents
Geography: England and Wales; Regions; Lower tier local authorities (Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly merged); LSOAs in London region; Electoral wards in London region
This table contains 235 ethnic group categories, where the most detailed write-in responses have been combined into broader categories, including the "Other ethnic group" categories. This level of aggregation was necessary to meet our disclosure control requirements and allow publication at LSOA level within London.
If you have any further questions, please email pop.info@ons.gov.uk