The 2021 census is due to start on 21 March 2021.
In 2011, the census recorded that the England and Wales population in the "Chinese" category as 393,141, and in the "Asian Others" category were 835,720. This compares with 208,168 and 260,210 respectively in the 2001 census. During the decade 2001 to 2011, population of "Chinese" grew by 88.8% and "Asian Others" by 221.2%.
HCCS believes that the vast majority of "Asian Others" are people from East and Southeast Asian heritage i.e. Japan, Korean, Mongolia, Brunei, Cambodia, East Timor, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam, and many other countries/administrations in the region.
Yet, did we see any increase in specialist government services or resource allocation to serve the growing East and Southeast Asian communities in previous years? In completing the census, our community maybe eligible for more services.
The 2021 census is primarily conducted on line, the ONS aims to have 70% of the census data are collected online. A significant sector of our community are with very little command in computer skills and/or English illiterate. They may experience difficulties in completing the census form.
The ONS employs a number of community advisers to encourage and assist BAME community members to complete the census form. Please contact the Census Customer Services for details of the Community Advisor for your community or in your area, census.customerservices@ons.gov.uk.
Please circulate the attached census information to your community contacts and encourage our community members to complete the census form.