Keeping census information safe

Keeping your personal information secure and confidential is a top priority for the Census. Your information is protected by law and any unauthorised disclosure is a criminal offence with penalties including possible imprisonment and fines. This is taken very seriously.

What happens to the information you collect?

Census data will be used to produce statistics, such as population estimates –or figures relating to one topic or another, such as the number of children living in one parent families. Census statistics are used by central and local government to help make decisions about future services and allocate funding.

How do you make sure the information is kept secure and confidential?

All the information collected is owned by the government and will not leave the UK. The data is processed within a secure building, and access to the data is strictly controlled. A sophisticated questionnaire tracking system will show where your questionnaire is at every step of the way.

Your personal information is protected under the Census Act (Northern Ireland) 1969; everyone working on the Census is checked and signs an undertaking of confidentiality. The security systems and safeguards that are in place have been rigorously tested. An independent review of the security arrangements has been conducted, and the report published.

Click on the link below to view the report:

• Census - independent security review 2011 (NISRA website)

Will you share my personal information with other government departments? Or marketing agencies?

Absolutely not. For more information you can view the legislation at the link below:

• Census Act (Northern Ireland) 1969 - legislation.gov.uk website

What about data protection?

The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) and the Census complies fully with all data protection legislation.