The census is a complex project that takes many years of organisation and development. The following table explains the project milestones that are crucial to producing and running the census successfully.
The dates for these milestones are based on our current projections and might change as we progress.
| Milestone | Date* | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Last publication of Census 2021 articles | Summer 2025 | The last in a series of analytical articles giving insight into Census 2021 data is published | Updated 24 May 2022 |
| Final release of Census 2021 outputs | Winter 2023 | Publish final data from Census 2021 for England and Wales. | Successfully completed |
| First publication of Census 2021 analysis articles | Spring 2023 | The first in a series of analytical articles giving insight into Census 2021 data is published | Successfully completed |
| Publication of first results | 28 June 2022 | The first results from Census 2021 are published. | Successfully completed |
| National Statistics accreditation of Census 2021 outputs | 27 June 2022 | Decision by the Office for Statistics Regulation on designation of National Statistics status for Census 2021 outputs | Successfully completed |
| Update Census 2021 outputs webpages ready for first release | 24 May 2022 | Release plans and product information related to Census 2021 first results is published on website | Successfully completed |
| Census outputs consultation | July to October 2021 | Consulting with the public for feedback on our proposals for the design and release of Census 2021 data and analysis. | Successfully completed |
| Publish draft of the outputs schedule | July 2021 | We publish a draft timetable of the various outputs of data from the census.⁷ | Successfully completed |
| Census Coverage Survey | May to June 2021 | We conduct a short survey to find out how many people we have missed and how many people have been counted more than once in the census. | Successfully completed |
| Census Field Operation | March to May 2021 | The census field force are deployed to visit people who have not yet responded, to offer help and encourage people to take part. | Successfully completed |
| Census Day | Sunday 21 March 2021 | Successfully completed | |
| Census letters sent to all households and communal establishments | February 2021 – Communal establishments, March 2021 – Households | Start dates for mailing out paper contact materials | Successfully completed |
| Field force ready for deployment | March 2021 | All our field force staff complete their training and are ready for deployment | Successfully completed |
| Census operationally ready | February 2021 | Everything in place ready to start census collection | Successfully completed |
| Census end-to-end testing | November 2020 to January 2021 | The final major testing period for all census collection systems | Successfully completed |
| Census 2021 webinar series | November to December 2020 | Sharing our plans and providing opportunities to ask questions and give feedback.⁶ | Successfully completed |
| Operational planning response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) | October 2020 | The potential impacts of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic for Census 2021 and the design changes and contingency plans made in response.⁵ | Successfully completed |
| Statistical Design for Census 2021 | October 2020 | The end to end statistical design for Census 2021 is published³ alongside a summary overview.⁴ | Successfully completed |
| Census processing and outputs rehearsal evaluation | August 2020 | An internal evaluation of the processing and output rehearsal | Successfully completed |
| Census processing and outputs rehearsal | July 2020 | A test of the processing and outputs channels at scale | Successfully completed |
| Census Regulations in force | June 2020 | Delivering the legislative process | Successfully completed |
| Census Collection rehearsal and evaluation | February 2020 | A public facing test of the online and paper channels, and field force, at scale. An evaluation of the rehearsal will be published.² | Successfully completed |
Download this table
.xls .csvNotes:
"*" All dates are subject to change as census work progresses.
Operational planning response to the coronavirus pandemic for Census 2021
Our proposed plans for the release of Census 2021 data and analysis
Census milestones across the UK
The National Records of Scotland and the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency have published information on their assurance mechanisms, for Scotland and Northern Ireland, respectively.