Estimating residents and staff in communal establishments from the 2001 Census

Censuses of population in the UK provide the only comprehensive source of data on the population resident in communal establishments. Accurate information on the population resident in institutions and, in particular, counts of those living in medical and care establishments, is important for a range of social policy issues and for local service planning and resource allocation. This article identifies issues in distinguishing residents from staff when using the 2001 Census communal establishment data in England and Wales. Possible options to improve the reliability of institutional population estimates for analysis and reporting are evaluated against quality and credibility criteria and the impact of each adjustment option assessed. The article concludes with a recommendation on what users can do when using 2001 Census outputs at both the aggregate level (e.g. area-based figures) and the individual level (e.g. the sample of anonymised records).