The UK Census Update is here!

The Vision update on the 4th of November added the latest census data for Northern Ireland and Scotland to make up the complete UK census data pack. This data is available to our Postcode-based clients. For clients using the administrative geography, this will be available in early Q1 next year.

How do I update?

If you use the most up-to-date 2023 Postcode boundaries, your system was updated automatically. This will best match any available demographics across the three countries and automatically remove the old 2011 Census demographics that were required in Northern Ireland and Scotland.

If you don't currently use the latest Postcode boundaries, you can carry out this update at the click of a button and when the time is right. 

Our fantastic customer support team will be on hand to help our clients navigate the update process. Additionally, support documents, videos, and products will be available, as with the previous release for England and Wales. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.

Any demographic changes?

Yes, this update will bring some demographic changes. Unfortunately, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland do not carry out a standardised census, so there are differences across the three.

We've spent considerable time and effort creating a standardised dataset covering three census releases across four countries, and here is an example of one of the demographic changes.

This is in the marital and civil partnership status demographic group. England and Wales had:

1. Married: Opposite sex
2. Married: Same sex
3. In a registered civil partnership: Opposite sex
4. In  registered civil partnership: Same sex

To match across the three censuses, these individual demographics will now only be available as:

1. Married or in a registered civil partnership.

We will be in touch with any of our clients who are affected by these changes.

Any questions?

We understand, better than anyone, how complicated and difficult to manage these updates can be. If you're unsure, have any questions, or would just like to chat about it, please let us know and we'd love to help!