Where do I get more recent Census information?

1971 Census

Area-level data

The UK Data Archive holds computer files of 1971 Census data. Various files exist:

The Linking Censuses Through Time website is a much more accessible option.

Individual-level data

NB. CHCC overview unit 11 Individual vs. Aggregate explains the differences between Area-level and Individual-level data.

1981 Census

Area-level data

1981 Census area data, which cover all 1981 census topics, are downloadable from the Casweb interface following registration with the UK Data Archive Census Registration Service. The principle aggregate dataset is the Small Area Statistics (SAS) which contains information about households and individuals covering topics as diverse as age, gender, occupation, qualifications, ethnicity, social class, employment, family structure, amenities and tenure.

You can also use the Linking Censuses Through Time website.

Population surface data

Individual-level data

N.B. CHCC overview unit 11 Individual vs. Aggregate explains the differences between Area-level and Individual-level data.

Interaction data

1991 Census

Area-level data

1991 Census data, which cover all 1991 census topics, are downloadable from the Casweb interface following registration with the UK Data Archive Census Registration Service. The principal output from the 1991 Census was tables of aggregate data for the constituent areas of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The Small Area and Local Base Statistics consist of approximately 30,000 crosstabulated counts and constitute the richest source of 100% sample socio-economic data collected in the UK. They contain information about households and individuals covering topics as diverse as age, gender, occupation, qualifications, ethnicity, social class, employment, family structure, amenities and tenure.

You can also use the Linking Censuses Through Time website.

Population surface data

Individual-level data

The Sample of Anonymised Records (SARs)

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) Longitudinal Study (LS)

N.B. CHCC overview unit 11 Individual vs. Aggregate explains the differences between Area-level and Individual-level data.

Interaction data

2001 Census

Area-level data

2001 Census data, which covers all the 2001 census topics, can be obtained directly from the national Census office websites for England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and from CD-ROMS which they distribute. 2001 Census data are more easily accessible from the Casweb interface following registration with the UK Data Archive Census Registration Service. The 2001 census tables contain information about households and individuals covering topics as diverse as age, gender, occupation, qualifications, ethnicity, social class, employment, family structure, amenities and tenure. New data from the 2001 Census includes provision of unpaid care, general health and religion.

Individual-level data

There are two main sources of 2001 census-based microdata:

The Sample of Anonymised Records (SARs)

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) Longitudinal Study (LS)

The LS contains linked decennial census and vital events data (e.g. births, deaths) and cancer registrations for a 1% sample of the population of England and Wales Academic user support for the LS is provided by CeLSIUS. More details about the LS can be found in CHCC CAS Unit 1: A Quick Introduction to the Census.

N.B. CHCC overview unit 11 Individual vs. Aggregate explains the differences between Area-level and Individual-level data.

Interaction data