If you didn't receive a census form...

[Flossie007]

If you haven't had a census form you can write to Glen Watson, Census Director, 2011 Census, Office for National Statistics, Government Buildings, Cardiff Road, NEWPORT, Gwent NP10 8XG and ask for one to be delivered to an address of your choice or to a place such as a library for you to collect. The number of people living on boats has never been properly counted so filling it in would help.

 

You can also ring the Census helpline on 0300 0201 101

 

Last week, a liveaboard boater complained that the census office said that forms could not be sent to "mailboxes" or non-residential addresses, and as a result the page below appeared on the census web site

 

http://help.census.gov.uk/england/help/help-and-information/Aboutthequestions/PropertiescoveredbytheCensus/Topics/Mobilehouseholds.html

[soggyfrog]

Thanks for posting this, it's really useful information!

[NB Alnwick]

I am sure there are those who would prefer not to cooperate with the 2011 Census but for the majority of law abiding boaters, the advice provided in the above link will enable us to be counted along with everyone else. Thank you Flossie007 for the link and information.

[Lesd]

We had a knock on our boat this morning, when I went out I was met by two tow path walking Census people. They were walking a section of GU between Hemel and Berkhamsted looking for residential boaters to hand forms too. Not sure how wide spread the practice has been this time but its happening here on the southern GU at least.

Les

[jenlyn]

I am sure there are those who would prefer not to cooperate with the 2011 Census but for the majority of law abiding boaters, the advice provided in the above link will enable us to be counted along with everyone else. Thank you Flossie007 for the link and information.

are you trying to state that those not wishing to fill in the census, are not law abiding?

[sociable_hermit]

are you trying to state that those not wishing to fill in the census, are not law abiding?

As I understand it, if you have not entered into a contract to fill in the form, not filling in the form is not illegal. Entering into a contract and then falsifying the information on the form, however, is illegal.

[Ange]

We've e-mailed the census office and phoned the 0300 number to ask for forms so we may be included in this year's census to no avail. Apparently it's zero tolerance this year for those that won't comply - what about those of us that want to but are ignored??

[Leonie]

We've e-mailed the census office and phoned the 0300 number to ask for forms so we may be included in this year's census to no avail. Apparently it's zero tolerance this year for those that won't comply - what about those of us that want to but are ignored??

 

Ange, I'm currently on hold for the third time with the Census helpline to try and secure a form so, yeah, I'd like to find Lockheed Martin £1,000 for depriving me of the opportunity to be counted and wasting my time trying to chase a form.

 

Good luck everyone.

[GUMPY]

We had a knock on our boat this morning, when I went out I was met by two tow path walking Census people. They were walking a section of GU between Hemel and Berkhamsted looking for residential boaters to hand forms too. Not sure how wide spread the practice has been this time but its happening here on the southern GU at least.

Les

 

They were not very efficient then were they. Missed me again.............

[Lesd]

They were not very efficient then were they. Missed me again.............

 

They stuck to the tow path, apparently they spoke to a couple of people lower down on your mooring who had said they'd didnt live aboard full time and had filled in census forms 'at home'...so they carried on walking.

[Machpoint005]

What about the reverse situation, ie a building which used to be a house, but has been purely an office (A2 use) for the last 20 years at least?

 

We had a census form delivered there, but the property is (a) empty on census day, and ( non-residential, so we have just ignored it. Watch this space!

 

 

(bleedin' automatic emoticons...)

Edited March 29, 2011 by Machpoint005

[nbfiresprite]

I am sure there are those who would prefer not to cooperate with the 2011 Census but for the majority of law abiding boaters, the advice provided in the above link will enable us to be counted along with everyone else. Thank you Flossie007 for the link and information.

 

Iam law abiging boat owner, I just used a legal loophole and had a Dutch weekend away to avoid 'Census day'.

I have no wish to be knee deep in junk mail, As I was after the last 'Census'.

 

Firesprite

[canaldrifter]

If you haven't had a census form you can write to Glen Watson, Census Director, 2011 Census, Office for National Statistics, Government Buildings, Cardiff Road, NEWPORT, Gwent NP10 8XG and ask for one to be delivered to an address of your choice or to a place such as a library for you to collect. The number of people living on boats has never been properly counted so filling it in would help.

 

You can also ring the Census helpline on 0300 0201 101

 

Last week, a liveaboard boater complained that the census office said that forms could not be sent to "mailboxes" or non-residential addresses, and as a result the page below appeared on the census web site

 

http://help.census.gov.uk/england/help/help-and-information/Aboutthequestions/PropertiescoveredbytheCensus/Topics/Mobilehouseholds.html

 

Now that is interesting, as the authorities don't recognise a movable boat as a 'household'.

 

So, legally, the only entry we could make is 'homeless, living rough'.

 

That's how they categorised me when I lost my residential mooring on the Basingstoke. As a result I was given a sheltered flat, for a couple of years.

 

Tone

[DaveP]

Iam law abiging boat owner, I just used a legal loophole and had a Dutch weekend away to avoid 'Census day'.

I have no wish to be knee deep in junk mail, As I was after the last 'Census'.

 

Firesprite

 

I am also abroad at the moment. In my correspondence with the Census, they are claiming that if I return to the UK within the next 6 months I must fill in a form - a weekend away doesn't relieve the obligation. The conversation is ongoing (I don't have an operational 'phone here, apparently the only way to obtain a form if one hasn't been delivered is to telephone them, and I won't be back until after their lines close down).

 

Dave

[Bobbybass]

I am also abroad at the moment. In my correspondence with the Census, they are claiming that if I return to the UK within the next 6 months I must fill in a form - a weekend away doesn't relieve the obligation. The conversation is ongoing (I don't have an operational 'phone here, apparently the only way to obtain a form if one hasn't been delivered is to telephone them, and I won't be back until after their lines close down).

 

Dave

I am as well..have been since November..quite sunburned I am too.

There are about 25,000 Brits in the local town...also wintering...and nobody is bothered with the census. Multiply that by the whole of the Costas..you have a lot of people...and add that to several million 'illegals' who wont fill it in...the figures are pretty meaningless..

In 2001...(as I understand it...) 1.5 million people simply refused...and only 38 were prosecuted..

 

Bob

Edited March 30, 2011 by Bobbybass

[pearley]

I don't mind filling in the census form but I'm not going to put myself out to do it. If someone had walked the towpath where we were moored on Sunday (Barrowford Locks), knocked on the side and asked then we would have complied.

[Bobbybass]

I don't mind filling in the census form but I'm not going to put myself out to do it. If someone had walked the towpath where we were moored on Sunday (Barrowford Locks), knocked on the side and asked then we would have complied.

I know what you mean...I sat outside the local bar with a jug of Sangria today...and nobody turned up with my census form !!...

 

Bob

[soggyfrog]

Now that is interesting, as the authorities don't recognise a movable boat as a 'household'.

 

So, legally, the only entry we could make is 'homeless, living rough'.

 

That's how they categorised me when I lost my residential mooring on the Basingstoke. As a result I was given a sheltered flat, for a couple of years.

 

Tone

 

Tone, that comes back to the conversation last night... But what are the implications of declaring yourself homeless? When I was actually homeless they couldn't give a damn, so it stands to reason they'd be rushing to help when I didn't need it! As a young whippersnapper (!) I'm just trying to weigh up the pros and cons for the future.

[canaldrifter]

Tone, that comes back to the conversation last night... But what are the implications of declaring yourself homeless? When I was actually homeless they couldn't give a damn, so it stands to reason they'd be rushing to help when I didn't need it! As a young whippersnapper (!) I'm just trying to weigh up the pros and cons for the future.

 

Aah, yes.... but you need to be able to prove you were homeless in their 'spot' (Yorks vernacular kicking in) for six months before they have a responsibility to make sure you don't die of exposure.

 

Tone

 

Edited to add:

 

Being a state pensioner and registered disabled helps.

Edited March 30, 2011 by canaldrifter

[Ange]

We gave up on getting a form in the end. As it happens we were staying round someone else's house on census day so we've gone on their return as visitors with our normal address as "Narrowboat Iona, currently on the Lancaster Canal". Let's see what they make of that!!

[valrene9600]

I read earlier `38 prosecuted`. Now i assume they send forms to all residential locations. I wouldn`t assume they use voters lists as not everyone is on the list so must be addresed `the occupier`?

 

How say would they prosecute me.

C/Cruiser.

Not on voters list.

DVLA have my son`s address as do all other financial/business i deal with.(Son not included me on his)

 

My thinking is the 38 were all home owners and the same old story of sitting targets are easy to catch. Does anyone really think they are gonna bother chasing the likes of me or any other `no fixed abode person`. About the same chance as that of the VAT man chasing every boater for wrong declaration.

 

Are they gonna check perhaps through DVLA and notice i`m not on the form for that address then search through all the forms and not finding me put out a search party.

 

Anythings possible but in this case, and 38 gives an idea of likelyhood, i wont worry about it.

 

The most sencible thing would be that you phone in and they give you a number to use on-line, but they won`t do that, i tried. Yes i know about posting it but i collect mail(what little i get) when it suits me.

[Tiny]

I assume the form does not have to be filled in yet as our local press advertizes that those unsure about filling in the form can get help at the local library on April 5th.

[nbfiresprite]

Only 3 Berths out of 170 berths in my home marina has had a census form in the post. All 3 berths in question have either a non-powered houseboat moored on it, Or has in the past. Cross checking with the council tax address database, showed the 3 berths in question, as being listed. This points to this database is the one being used by lockheed as it would be the only full database which would hold all residential addresses.

 

That does explain why the open boat on the berth next to me, had a form and not me.

 

 

Firesprite

Edited April 1, 2011 by nbfiresprite

[Tiny]

Only 3 Berths out of 170 berths in my home marina has had a census form in the post. All 3 berths in question have either a non-powered houseboat moored on it, Or has in the past. Cross checking with the council tax address database, showed the 3 berths in question, as being listed. This points to this database is the one being used by lockheed as it would be the only full database which would hold all residential addresses.

 

Firesprite

 

I should move your mooring - now they know an address Lockheed might send the lastest thing out the Skunkworks to smartbomb your neighbour if they don't like his answers!

 

That does explain why the open boat on the berth next to me, had form and not me.

[Leonie]

I am finally in receipt of a form, sent to my office with my name on it. *I exist*.