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Wales Online
Wales Online
National
Neil Shaw

Results of 2021 Census have been delayed

The results of last year's Census in England and Wales have been delayed, and won't now be published in detail until this summer.

The Office for National Statistics originally said it hoped to have some results ready to release by May, but now says we will have to wait longer.

The delay comes after 97% of households responded to the survey - 89% of them online.

A spokesman said: "For the first time, we are also drawing on the unique insight and expertise of local authorities across England and Wales to ensure we produce the best possible statistics for every area.

"We have offered the opportunity to work in partnership with all local authorities, combined authorities and county councils. The extremely positive response has resulted in more than 250 organisations being involved.

"This is an exciting prospect but the complex processes to get the best possible estimates for the local authorities have taken slightly longer to complete than planned.

"Our original plan was to share the aggregate, anonymised provisional data, under controlled access, at the end of February 2022. This will now take place at the start of April 2022.

"Taking the Easter 2022 public holidays into account and to ensure all local authorities taking part have sufficient time to investigate the data and respond, we have extended the review window from two weeks to three weeks.

"Earlier this year, we said we were aiming to publish the first results in May 2022 and would announce the date of the first release of census data once we had completed our processing and quality assurance.

"We want to take into account every piece of insight, where supported by evidence, from the over 250 organisations taking part. To allow this valuable work to take place, we now aim to publish the first results in early summer. "

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