Census day 2022 is fast approaching on the 20th of March! The National Records of Scotland are running the Scottish Census, and by now many of us will have received our letters asking to complete it.
“Do you look after, or give any help or support to family members, friends, neighbours or others because of either: long-term physical/mental ill-health/disability; or problems related to old age?”
Question 12 is particularly important to us at Carers of West Lothian, and to everyone in Scotland who performs any level of unpaid care. By ticking yes to question 12 and indicating how many hours of care you provide a week, we can help the Scottish government and local councils gain a vital understanding of how many people in the country are unpaid carers, and what their situations are. Answers remain confidential and your personal details are protected by law.
2022 also marks the very first census delivered online. From the 28th of February onwards, letters will be delivered with your unique access code. By visiting the census website at https://survey.census.gov.scot/welcome you can pop in your access code to begin filling in the questionnaire.
If you face any difficulties with filling everything in, the National Records of Scotland have created a number of ways to get help. Visiting https://www.census.gov.scot/help/contact-us will allow you to live chat with advisors or email for help. You can also phone 0800 030 8308 to speak directly to somebody. By getting in touch with the census team, paper copies of the census are also available, along with easy read and foreign language online alternatives.
While you’re in the questionnaire mood, we would also encourage unpaid carers within West Lothian to complete the West Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership carers survey. They want to gain an understanding of what unpaid care is being undertaken in our communities, and how they can shape future infrastructure to help carers best. The survey is open until the end of March here: https://app.surveyhero.com/s/4cfhpfg