The 2011 UK Census and Its Coverage

• Activity Number: 51
• Type: Invited
• Date/Time: Sunday, July 29, 2012 : 4:00 PM to 5:50 PM
• Sponsor: Section on Survey Research Methods
• Author(s): Marie Cruddas*+ and Owen Abbott and Garnett Compton
• Companies: Office for National Statistics and Office for National Statistics and Office for National Statistics
• Keywords: Census ; undercount ; dual system estimator ; Post-enumeration survey

Abstract

One of the key goals for the 2011 UK Census was to produce high quality local authority population estimates. A number of innovations were developed to produce the best possible Census count, including the use of post-out with an improved address register, a flexible field force, and a wide reaching community liaison and engagement programme. Following the Census, the Census Coverage Survey re-enumerated a sample of the population with the aim of estimating the level of Census coverage through the use of a Dual System Estimator. The methodology was an improved version of the 2001 One-Number Census, this time including a method for measuring overcoverage and adjustments for observed correlation bias. This presentation will give an overview of the 2011 Census and the coverage assessment methodology, and then report on the outcomes of the Census fieldwork, the Census Coverage Survey and the estimation processes including some comparisons with the 2001 Census outcomes. This will provide some early results from, and analysis of, the 2011 Census processes.