PETITIONOpenPetition · petition.parliament.uk
Change the Census Act to mandate a census every 5 years
Censuses have been held every 10 years since 1801, with the Census Act (1920) allowing governments to hold a census every 5 years, but placing no obligation to ever hold a census. The Act should be amended to place an obligation on the UK and devolved governments to hold a full census every 5 years.
Last fetched 03 May 2026 · petition.parliament.uk
Signatures
34
signatures
Government response threshold (10,000) · 34/10,000
Debate threshold (100,000) · 34/100,000
Background
We think the current practice and law is outdated. Since 1801 technological advancements have allowed data to be collected and analysed quickly with relatively minimal human intervention.
At the same time as these advancements, the pace of change in the country's demographics have accelerated, with immigration currently at record levels.
We believe it is therefore vital that we use the technology at our disposal to ensure we have the most up to date data regarding the demographic make up of our country.