Provision of unpaid care by age as per Census 2011 and 2021

FOI Reference: FOI/2022/4345

You asked

I am making a request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 relating to data that should be included in the 2011 and 2021 census.

Please could you tell me:

1. In the 2021 Census for England, how many people answered 'Yes' (with any number of hours) to question 24 in the whole of the Bradford District of West Yorkshire.  The Bradford District being defined as any household that falls under a BD postcode, as well as LS29 Ilkley, which falls within the Bradford District.

2. From the data in query 1 above, how many of those people were over the age of 18?

3. From the data in query 1 above, how many of those people were under the age of 18?

4. In the 2011 Census for England, how many people answered 'Yes' (with any number of hours) to question 14 in the whole of the Bradford District of West Yorkshire.  The Bradford District being defined as any household that falls under a BD postcode, as well as LS29 Ilkley, which falls within the Bradford District.

5. From the data in query 4 above, how many of those people were over the age of 18?

6. From the data in query 4 above, how many of those people were under the age of 18?

We said

Thank you for your request.

The 2011 Census question 14 asked: Do you look after, or give any help or support to family members, friends, neighbours, or others because of either:

• Long-term physical or mental ill-health /disability?
• Problems related to old age

The table attached titled, Provision of unpaid carers by age - for the BD (Bradford) postcode area and for LS29 postcode district shows the number of people that provide unpaid care daily in your requested areas by six age bands. This table does not provide the age groups you requested though. However, the age breakdown you have requested is available to order from our Census Customer Service team. Such services are subject to legal frameworks, resources and agreement of costs. If you would like to request this bespoke dataset, please contact census.customerservices@ons.gov.uk to discuss your enquiry further. Please note, there will be a charge for this work which would be subject to our charging policy.

Census statistics are freely available from the Nomis website. Nomis is maintained by Durham University on behalf of ONS. Instructions on how to navigate the website, are attached.

Unfortunately, detailed Census 2021 statistics have not yet been released.

On 28 June 2022 we published the first results from Census 2021 for England and Wales. The results included rounded population and household estimates for England and Wales, for local authorities.

From October to the end of 2022, we will publish a series of data and supporting commentary groups by a similar theme, known as topic summaries. Statistics on the labour market will be amongst these topics. However, detailed information for Postcode Areas and Districts is unlikely to be available until later next year.

As such, 2021 Census Data 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.

Should you require further assistance, our Census Customer Services team can advise census.customerservices@ons.gov.uk.