BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 27 Mar 11 - 02:43 PM

LOL Arthur itis!

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: Arthur_itus
Date: 27 Mar 11 - 02:40 PM

Ah they would answer Not Well Jimmy!

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 27 Mar 11 - 02:38 PM

They wanted me to choose from 'well', quite well' 'fair' and 'not well'. I've had a few pupils in my time whose English was incomprehensible, even though they were born here! (eg in Glasgow)

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: Arthur_itus
Date: 27 Mar 11 - 02:29 PM

""And how well do I speak English? Using what standard of measurement exactly?""

Well if you were born in England, one would assume you can speak English.

Sounds like they are building up a budget for the cost of all those foriengers that need to be taught English, so they they can get the jobs us English need, That excludes me as I am retired.

Oh yes we want to look after all the foreigners that can't speak english, so that we can give you the jobs.

Grrrrrrrrrrrr.

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 27 Mar 11 - 02:18 PM

Filling in my 'last work' as 'Schoolteacher', I was asked to describe this type of work. What could one put but 'Teaching in a school'? And what was the purpose of the place where I worked? 'Teaching pupils'. And how would I describe my state of health? Not bad thank you very much! And how well do I speak English? Using what standard of measurement exactly? All very vague. I've discovered that the mysterious Question 17 is left blank for the purpose of Welsh people. Are they going to write something very rude there in Welsh?

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 27 Mar 11 - 02:14 PM

Landlords? They own most of the housing stock these days, apart from the UberRichUberReich

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 27 Mar 11 - 02:08 PM

Some puzzling bits - for example - "If no-one usually lives here and there are no visitors staying overnight here on the night of March 27 2011, answer questions H7 to H11 on page 6 and then go to the Declaration on the front page"

Who are they addressing?

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: BTNG
Date: 27 Mar 11 - 01:50 PM

God help us if there is a Republic of England, that'll bring all the nutters out of the woodwork

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: WalkaboutsVerse
Date: 27 Mar 11 - 01:47 PM

We are getting somewhere: next to my country? I was allowed to tick England...and, God willing, next time it will be Republic of England - http://walkaboutsverse.webs.com/#225

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: Arthur_itus
Date: 27 Mar 11 - 01:31 PM

It's all a load of bollocks really

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: Smedley
Date: 27 Mar 11 - 01:24 PM

The most concerning thing about this census is that the government has contracted out the data collection to a branch of the arms manufacturers and dealers Lockheed Martin, who will be making large profits from this. There are various suggestions online about how to fill out the form in ways that will involve LM in more work and reduced profiteering.

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: GUEST,Alan Whittle
Date: 27 Mar 11 - 01:14 PM

I think the problem is that its difficult to imagine what could be the possible use of it. As someone says all this information and much more is available on other government computers. Instead of paying for all this postage, why not get a computer that can collate the information they already have.

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 27 Mar 11 - 01:12 PM

Yes, I understand that bit, Will, but I'm at the end of my tether about being asked questions all the time. The Data Protection Act is enough to drive you batty...

"Hello there, I was just wondering if you could......"

"National Insurance Number! Full Name!! Mother's Maiden Name!!! Father's Occupation!!!! Address, including Postcode!!!!! Telephone Number!!!!! Password!!!!!!!"


"....if you could tell me about the overpayment of tax I paid recently and....."


"We can't tell you anything until after 29th April, too busy, too many letters! Goodbye!"

AAAAARRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!

Even Joan Collins was moaning about it the other day...

Information Overload Information Overload...never felt so watched in all my life.


So, how much does the Census cost?

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: Will Fly
Date: 27 Mar 11 - 01:03 PM

Did the census form online in a few minutes this afternoon. No problem. It's going to be the last one, apparently - which will be a sad loss for family researchers in 2111. I've used the, admittedly much simpler, censuses from 1841 to the 1911 one, and the information about my family has been of huge value.

As far the personal info is concerned, there's far more about us all available, for those in the know, from the DVLA, central Police computer, banks, building societies, online stores...

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 27 Mar 11 - 12:54 PM

I had to answer questions about Nanny..."What kind of work do they do?"

"She's 96 years old! For Chrissake!!" is the answer they got...

I'm sorry, but these things are purely for people who love facts...They eat them up like the rest of us munch cornflakes and I truly don't see whose business it is WHO is staying in my house, who they are, what they do, how old they are...etc..etc..etc..

The people who want to know it all are the paranoid ones, Bonzo..They should get a real job...

Oh...hang on, there aren't any.....Oops..

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: BTNG
Date: 27 Mar 11 - 12:49 PM

so you say Bonzo, freedom of choice is what it's all about, or don't you believe in that? silly question really I already know the answer

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 27 Mar 11 - 12:47 PM

It took no more than 15 minutes of my time, objectors clearly have something to hide or perhaps are just plain paranoid.

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: Edthefolkie
Date: 27 Mar 11 - 12:13 PM

The questions about the relationships between persons 1 2 3 & 4 suddenly reminded me of the 11 plus exam. Thanks fer nuthin' Lockheed Martin!

By the way, why are they scanning census papers when they used to make spacecraft?

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: GUEST,lively
Date: 27 Mar 11 - 11:54 AM

a) I'm not interested in filling out the census, though I don't have a problem writing.
b) If it's a self-perceived problem, then gladly it's not my self-perceived problem, but the self-perceived problem of whomever demands that I fill out their form
c) Yes, the invasion of privacy winds me up.

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: Dave MacKenzie
Date: 27 Mar 11 - 11:40 AM

You do (and me and ........)

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 27 Mar 11 - 11:28 AM

By the way, who pays for the Census?

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 27 Mar 11 - 11:20 AM

I have a problem with ALL forms. They make my head spin, get me stressed out, fed up and cross...I usually end up scribbling on them...I found that form way too intrusive and utterly stupid to be honest...

We've become obsessed by forms, fact and filling in...

I've decided to opt out of it all....

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: BTNG
Date: 27 Mar 11 - 11:16 AM

A multi-choice question here

(a)are there really people who have a problem with the Census (I've not come across any)

(b) Is this a self-perceived problem?

(c) Is this a windup?

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: Arthur_itus
Date: 27 Mar 11 - 10:51 AM

We filled ours in online. Simple and in all honesty not any questions that concerned us.

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 27 Mar 11 - 10:28 AM

I decided to really piss them off and sent mine back to them, filled in, weeks ago. I'm done with people wanting to know so much personal information about me. Up theirs, is what I say...

I expect I've ruined The Census by doing this.. ;0) ...plus I'll have no doubt thrown a few pedantic twits into complete confusion...

Ho hum... :0)

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: DMcG
Date: 27 Mar 11 - 10:20 AM

I don't see many problems myself either. There is always the question of what information about yourself you are revealing and what 'they' might do with it but actually the level of information sought is very coarse compared to, say, Nectar cards which many people sign up to without a second thought.

Subject: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 27 Mar 11 - 10:08 AM

Having just completed my details on the Census Form, I really cannot see what problem some people have with it. It is dumbed down to such an extent that a 7 year old (even the announcer at East Croydon Station who sounds like one) could complete it with little difficulty.