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Almost one in four households in the Highlands still to fill in returns amid fine warning as Scotland's Census enters its final week


By Val Sweeney

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The touring Scotland Connected artwork visited Falcon Square in Inverness to mark the countdown to Scotland's Census.
The touring Scotland Connected artwork visited Falcon Square in Inverness to mark the countdown to Scotland's Census.

Almost 25 per cent of households in the Highlands have still to fill in their census forms.

As Scotland’s Census enters its final week, National Records of Scotland (NRS) confirmed today that 700,000 householders across Scotland have yet to fulfil their legal responsibility and submit their return.

NRS reported that the number completing the census varies across the country, with less than two-thirds (65.5 per cent) of households in Glasgow having completed their census, compared with more than eight out of every 10 (82.2 per cent) households in Aberdeenshire.

In the Highland Council area, 75.9 per cent of households have completed their forms.

With the census due to close on May 1, every household across Scotland is required to complete their return. Failure to do so could result in prosecution and a fine of up to £1000.

Angus Robertson MSP, Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture thanked the two million households who have already completed the census and met their legal responsibility but said many returns remain outstanding.

"For the census to be effective in delivering its many benefits for future public services, it is vital that we secure a higher response rate and one that reflects the diversity of our communities," he said.

"Today we are calling on all of our communities and organisations to come together and to redouble their efforts to encourage participation.

"It’s absolutely essential that every householder in Scotland completes the census."

NRS chief executive Paul Lowe added census data was vital in informing decisions about services that affected everyone.

"We have put in place a number of additional interventions to support those who have yet to complete a return," he said.

"This includes a range of additional household reminders.

"Our field team have already undertaken more than 750,000 household visits to support those who have not completed, and are continuing to make these visits."

Help and support to complete the census is available on www.census.gov.scot or via the free helpline 0800 030 8308. Paper forms are still available on request for those who need them.

Local authority household return rate for the census (per cent):

Aberdeen City: 74.8

Aberdeenshire: 82.2

Angus: 77.9

Argyll and Bute: 75.4

City of Edinburgh: 76.4

Clackmannanshire: 75.7

Dumfries and Galloway: 79.5

Dundee City: 70.1

East Ayrshire: 73.9

East Dunbartonshire: 80.1

East Lothian: 78.5

East Renfrewshire: 81.1

Falkirk: 78.2

Fife: 76.5

Glasgow City: 65.5

Highland: 75.9

Inverclyde: 70.6

Midlothian: 77.5

Moray: 80.6

Na h-Eileanan Siar: 78.7

North Ayrshire: 72.4

North Lanarkshire: 71.5

Orkney Islands: 80.0

Perth and Kinross: 78.2

Renfrewshire: 74.0

Scottish Borders: 80.4

Shetland Islands: 77.5

South Ayrshire: 81.0

South Lanarkshire: 75.4

Stirling: 78.6

West Dunbartonshire: 69.1

West Lothian: 75.7

The 2022 census asks questions on a range of topics, including the types of accommodation people stay in, household relationships, age, sex, health and employment status. New questions for the 2022 census include use of British Sign Language (BSL), passports held, previous armed forces history and new voluntary questions on sexual orientation and trans status.

Census letters have been issued to more than 2.7 million households representing 5.5 million people.

A census of the population has been taken every 10 years in Scotland since 1801, with the exception of 1941, because of World War II and in 2021 owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Scotland's Census 2022 launched


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