Town hall chiefs have warned that plans to change the census must take into account the challenges faced by urban areas. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) launched a three-month consultation on the future of the census on 23 September with two options put forward. The first option is to keep doing a census every 10 years, but primarily online and the second is to use existing government data every year, coupled with smaller surveys for more regular updates. Among the potential data sources being considered by the ONS are the NHS patient register, the electoral roll and customer information held by the Department of Work and Pensions. The ONS estimates a census carried out every decade will be completed by at least 65% of households online.
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