Council and democracy

Who are 2001 census results about?

The information presented here is extracted from 2001 Census Definitions, Crown copyright 2004

Census results are produced in a series of tables on different subjects. For further information about the different types of table see the section "How are results from the 2001 census published?".

Results shown in a Census table relate to a specified population, such as ‘All people’ or ‘All households’. Information on the basic populations is provided below. Most of the terms used in table populations are defined in the glossary of census terms. See the section on "What do all these census terms mean?".

All people.

This covers all people usually resident in the area and is sometimes referred to as the ‘2001 Census population base’, the ‘usually resident population’ or simply the ‘resident population’. People living in communal establishments as well as people living in households are included.

In the 2001 Census information was collected only on usual residents. This contrasts to the 1991 Census, which collected information on both usual residents and visitors present on Census night.

A usual resident is generally defined as someone who spends the majority of their time residing at that address. It includes:

• People who usually live at that address but who are temporarily away from home (on holiday, visiting friends or relatives, or temporarily in a hospital or similar establishment) on Census Day;
• People who work away from home for part of the time, or who are members of the Armed Forces;
• A baby born before 30th April 2001 even if it was still in hospital;
• People present on Census Day, even if temporarily, who have no other usual address.

Students and schoolchildren in full-time education studying away from the family home were enumerated as resident at their term-time address. Basic demographic information only (name, sex, age, marital status and relationship) was collected at their ‘home’ or vacation address. This information does not allow the derivation of a separate Population Base with students at their ‘home’ or vacation address. Apart from one or two tables where these students and schoolchildren are specifically identified, for all main output they are counted only at their term-time address. The information on families, household size and household composition relating to households at their ‘home’ or vacation address does not include them. They are not included in the ‘all person’ count for the area of their ‘home’ or vacation address. The person variables, apart from age, sex, marital status and relationship, are coded ‘not applicable’. In the 1991 Census, students and schoolchildren were treated as usually resident at their ‘home’ or vacation address.

HM Forces permanently posted in Northern Ireland were enumerated at their actual address of residence unless they were married and unaccompanied by their spouse. In these cases they were included at the address they shared with their spouse. In contrast, HM Forces posted in Northern Ireland on short term tours of 3 to 4 months or less (Roulement troops) were not included in the Northern Ireland Census. Arrangements were made for these troops to be enumerated at their home garrisons.

The usual resident population did not include:

• People present at an address on Census Day whose usual address was elsewhere;
• People away from their home address who had been living, or intended to live, in a special establishment such as a residential home, nursing home or hospital for six months or more (they were enumerated as usually resident at the special establishment).

Usual residents may reside in either a household or a communal establishment as described below. Households and communal establishments themselves form populations in some tables.

All households.

A household is defined as one person living alone, or a group of people (not necessarily related) living at the same address with common housekeeping - that is, sharing either a living room or sitting room or at least one meal a day.

All communal establishments.

A communal establishment is defined as ‘an establishment providing managed residential accommodation’. ‘Managed’ means full-time or part-time supervision of the accommodation. In most cases (for example, prisons, large hospitals, hotels) communal establishments can be easily identified. Identification is less easy with small hotels, guest houses and sheltered accommodation. Special rules apply in these cases:
small hotels and guest houses are treated as communal establishments if they have the capacity to have 10 or more guests, excluding the owner/manager and his/her family.
sheltered housing is treated as a communal establishment if less than half the residents possess their own facilities for cooking. If half or more possess their own facilities for cooking (regardless of use) the whole establishment is treated as separate households.

Workplace population.

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the workplace population is defined as all people aged 16 to 74 who are in employment and whose usual place of work is in the area. Full-time students and schoolchildren, aged 16 to 74, who are in employment and whose usual place of work is in the area are included. People with no fixed place of work are treated the same as people who work mainly at or from home and are counted as working in their area of residence.
In Scotland, the workplace population is defined as all people aged 16 to 74 who are in employment and whose usual place of work is in the area, excluding full-time students.

Daytime population.

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland the day-time population is defined for people aged 16 to 74 as those people who do not work who are resident in the area plus all people who are working within the area. People with no fixed place of work and people who work mainly at or from home are counted as working in their area of residence. Full-time students and schoolchildren, aged 16 to 74, who are working within the area or who do not work and are resident in the area are included.
In Scotland the day-time population is defined as all people who are not working or studying who are resident in the area plus all people who are working or studying within the area.