FOI Ref: FOI/2021/3327
You asked
Please supply access to multiple public records including census records and marriage records. I am interested in records dating after 1960.
We said
Thank you for your Freedom of Information request for access to census and marriage records after 1960.
All censuses carried out from 1921 onwards have been taken under the powers of the Census Act 1920. This Act contained provisions prohibiting the release of personal census information and set out penalties for unlawful disclosure.
The Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 (SRSA) makes it a criminal offence, subject to a maximum penalty of 24 months imprisonment and/or a fine, for a member or employee of the UK Statistics Authority (UKSA) (of which the Office for National Statistics (ONS) is the executive arm) to unlawfully disclose personal information held by the Authority in relation to any of its functions. As per government policy, personal census data remains in the custody and ownership of the UKSA for 100 years. As the disclosure of the requested information is prohibited by another enactment, Section 44(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) applies.
Census statistics are in the public domain from all censuses from 1801 to 2011. The first release of data from Census 2021 will be from late spring this year. Please contact Census Customer Services for more information.
With regards to marriage records you will need to contact the General Register Office. Marriage statistics, however, can be obtained from ONS. You may find this page of our website helpful.