All Island households are being asked to help Government, local authorities and businesses plan services for the future by completing the Isle of Man Census on Sunday 24 April.

“There are two ways of providing the requested information” Census Project Manager Adam Smith explained, “either by filling in the paper version and sending it back in the pre-paid envelope or by completing the online version.

“Every home has been provided with a paper version of the form, which includes a unique online code that will allow householders access to the online form.

“The online form will guide households through the questions they should be answering, prevent questions from being missed and can be completed more quickly and accurately than the paper version.”

Mr Smith added: “As we prepare for Census Day on Sunday, we have received some helpful feedback from the public on the content of the forms. Two points, in particular, have been raised that should be clarified”.

“Many residents have questioned why they are not able to declare their nationality as Manx. As the explanatory notes say, this is a question about nationality status as recognised in international law, so the category ‘British’ includes persons who consider themselves to be Manx, English, Scottish, Welsh, Northern Irish, from the Channel Islands, or from a British Overseas Territory. As much as people may rightly value their Manx identity, it is not a recognised nationality in international law.

“The census form, however, does ask where an individual was born and the place of birth of parents and grandparents” he said.

“Also, there have been some questions over whether children are to be included in the census. In the paper form, there are two pages of questions allocated for each member of a household, whatever their age. Questions on the left hand pages should be answered for every member of the household. Questions on the right hand pages apply to employment and are to be completed only by those aged 16 and over. The online form, however, simplifies the process by not offering the employment questions for persons under 16.”

The Cabinet Office will be undertaking a consultation to take into account the public’s views on the content of census questions prior to the next full census in 2021.

Help will be available online and at the Census Office.

“We are trying to make the process as easy as possible for anyone who has questions or needs help with the form,” Mr Smith added.

The Census Office, located in the Government Welcome Centre in the Sea Terminal, will be available to assist the public by phone, email and in person. The Office will be open on Saturday 23 April, from 1 until 6pm. The office will not be open to the public on Sunday 24 April, but staff can be reached by phone at 685700 and email at census@gov.im.  

Residents who would like to complete their return online but are not confident using the internet can visit the Census Office, and be helped through the process, from 25 April onwards.

Households may also request assistance in their homes. A Census Officer will be able to visit and help them complete the form from 25 April until 6 May. Support will be available for those whose first language is not English.

Further information, including responses to Frequently Asked Questions, is also available on the Government website: https://www.gov.im/categories/home-and-neighbourhood/census-2016/ 

After 9 May reminder letters will be sent and the census team will visit all properties that have not yet completed and returned the census form.