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- Member
Mon Apr 16, 2007 9:05 pm
Everyon who uses census data as part of their work recognises its shortcomings, especially in areas of multi-occupation, high immigration, squats etc..
As this data is used in part to formulate social policy the most vulnerable sections of society tend to lose out and be under represented in the figures. Carers are probably high on the deprivation index according to the dasta I have seen, but I have never done a respectable comparative study of this area. Food for somone's Ph.D. perhaps ?
When I was working in this area I always took the perhaps unchartitable view that those who were under represented by the Census and lost out as a result of their failure to fill in the form have no reason to complain. However in retrospect, having been a Carer for five years, between Censuses. I have not been counted as a Carer by the tool which government statisticians may rely on. The only stats which picked me up were the Carer's Allowance ones despite the fact that I never got it because I have a pension and it was an underlying benefit.
On a historical note, the idea of a census was mooted during Britain's wars with Napoleon, in order to assess the potential size of the British army. The government of the time quashed the idea, because if Napoleon ever discovered reliable figures for the size of the British army, he would have no second thoughts about invading Britian with an army sufficient for the purpose. It was 1841 before the first tentative steps were taken and 1851 before a reasonably reliable census was imposed on us bolshie British. Who have been compaining about the infringement on our rights and liberty ever since. But it is still here !
best wishes normangardner
As this data is used in part to formulate social policy the most vulnerable sections of society tend to lose out and be under represented in the figures. Carers are probably high on the deprivation index according to the dasta I have seen, but I have never done a respectable comparative study of this area. Food for somone's Ph.D. perhaps ?
When I was working in this area I always took the perhaps unchartitable view that those who were under represented by the Census and lost out as a result of their failure to fill in the form have no reason to complain. However in retrospect, having been a Carer for five years, between Censuses. I have not been counted as a Carer by the tool which government statisticians may rely on. The only stats which picked me up were the Carer's Allowance ones despite the fact that I never got it because I have a pension and it was an underlying benefit.
On a historical note, the idea of a census was mooted during Britain's wars with Napoleon, in order to assess the potential size of the British army. The government of the time quashed the idea, because if Napoleon ever discovered reliable figures for the size of the British army, he would have no second thoughts about invading Britian with an army sufficient for the purpose. It was 1841 before the first tentative steps were taken and 1851 before a reasonably reliable census was imposed on us bolshie British. Who have been compaining about the infringement on our rights and liberty ever since. But it is still here !
best wishes normangardner
