2011 census coverage assessment and adjustment strategy

Every effort is made to ensure everyone is counted in a census. However, no census is perfect and some people are missed. This underenumeration does not usually occur uniformly across all geographical areas or across other sub-groups of the population such as age and sex groups. Coverage levels in censuses across the world are declining leading to an increasing need to firstly slow the decline through improved enumeration, and secondly in improved methods and data for measuring coverage. In order to achieve the mission critical aims of the 2011 Census, a coverage assessment and adjustment strategy is required. This article outlines the proposed strategy for the 2011 UK Census. The strategy is to significantly improve upon the 2001 One Number Census, and use it as a platform to develop an improved coverage assessment and adjustment methodology. The article also outlines the key areas of innovation for the 2011 strategy and the options that will be considered in order to develop the final strategy. Stakeholder management is also an important part of the strategy to ensure that key users both buy into and understand the methodology. ONS will look to build on the consultation carried out prior to the 2001 Census and widen the user base with which it engages on this important topic.