EVERY householder in Huddersfield will be asked to fill out a census form in March.
The once-a-decade survey of every home in the land provides valuable information for everyone from policymakers to family historians.
Dr Andrew Mycock, of the University of Huddersfield, believes the 2011 census will show that Britain has changed radically in the past 10 years.
“If you think back to what society was like in 2001, there have been some pretty big changes,” he said.
“When the last census took place in 2001, no-one could have predicted the huge surge of Eastern European immigration in 2004 and 2005.
“I think this year’s census will show that Britain has become much more diverse because of the level of immigration.”
Dr Mycock added that the information in this year’s census would be useful for politicians when they make spending decisions.
He said: “For example, the census will show that we’re becoming an older society, which is important when planning pension provision.”
Dr Mycock, who co-founded the university’s Academy for the Study of Britishness, added that this year’s census would also show a rise in atheism.
“In 2001, a lot of people put down that they were Christian, even though they were not practising,” he said.
“But I think this time a lot of those people will put down that they are atheists. A generation has come through which has less sense of being Christian.”
Dr Mycock believes the economic information will also be intriguing.
He said: “It will be interesting to see how many people will call themselves working-class. Social class is seen by some people as being less relevant than it once was.”
And Dr Mycock thinks this year’s census could be the last of its kind.
“The Government is far more intrusive between censuses than it was in the 1950s or 1960s,” he said.
“Small-scale studies like the Citizenship Survey are carried out every year.
“This might be the last time that the census is done in such depth. In future it may be carried out with less depth, but more regularly.”
Census forms will be sent to every house in the country in March. Unlike in 2001, all forms will be posted rather than delivered by hand
This year people can either fill in the paper questionnaire or do the survey online
The form will take around 15 minutes to complete and will include questions about work, health, national identity, citizenship, ethnic background, education, second homes, language, religion and marital status
For more information visit www.census.gov.uk
KIRKLEES
Population: 388,567
Under-16s: 21.6%
Sixty-five or older: 14.7%
ETHNIC GROUP
White: 85.6%
Asian: 11.3%
Black: 1.3%
Other: 1.8%
RELIGION
Christian: 67.2%
No religion: 14%
Muslim: 10.1%
Other: 8.7%
WORK
Employed: 60.4%
Unemployed: 3.4%
Student: 7.7%
Retired: 13.1%
Other (including carers and disabled): 15.4%
HOMES
Owner-occupier: 70.7%
Housing association or council housing: 17.2%
Private rented: 12.1%
OTHER
Households without a car: 29.6%
Households with central heating: 76.6%
Single person households: 30.3%
HUDDERSFIELD
Population: 121,620
Under-16s: 20.6%
Sixty-five or older: 16.1%
ETHNIC GROUP
White: 81%
Asian: 12.3%
Black: 3.5%
Other: 3.2%
RELIGION
Christian: 64%
No religion: 15.4%
Muslim: 10%
Other: 10.6%
WORK
Employed: 56%
Unemployed: 4.1%
Student: 10%
Retired: 13.6%
Other (including carers and disabled): 16.3%
HOMES
Owner-occupier: 65.5%
Housing association or council housing: 19.4%
Private rented: 15.1%
OTHER
Households without a car: 36.3%
Households with central heating: 72.7%
Single person households: 35%
COLNE VALLEY
Population: 22,160
Under-16s: 20.4%
Sixty-five or older: 13.9%
ETHNIC GROUP
White: 97.5%
Asian: 1%
Black: 0.5%
Other: 1%
RELIGION
Christian: 69.7%
No religion: 20.5%
Muslim: 0.7%
Other: 9.1%
WORK
Employed: 67.9%
Unemployed: 3%
Student: 5.7%
Retired: 12.3%
Other (including carers and disabled): 11.1%
HOMES
Owner-occupier: 78.5%
Housing association or council housing: 8.8%
Private rented: 12.7%
OTHER
Households without a car: 25.5%
Households with central heating: 75.7%
Single person households: 28.9%
DENBY DALE
Population: 14,986
Under-16s: 19.2%
Sixty-five or older: 15.3%
ETHNIC GROUP
White: 98.8%
Asian: 0.5%
Black: 0.2%
Other: 0.5%
RELIGION
Christian: 78.6%
No religion: 14.3%
Muslim: 0.3%
Other: 6.8%
WORK
Employed: 67.2%
Unemployed: 1.6%
Student: 5.1%
Retired: 14.5%
Other (including carers and disabled): 11.6%
HOMES
Owner-occupier: 81.9%
Housing association or council housing: 8.1%
Private rented: 10%
OTHER
Households without a car: 16.9%
Households with central heating: 87%
Single person households: 24.2%
HOLMFIRTH
Population: 25,047
Under-16s: 20.4%
Sixty-five or older: 14%
ETHNIC GROUP
White: 98%
Asian: 0.8%
Black: 0.3%
Other: 0.9%
RELIGION
Christian: 73.3%
No religion: 18.3%
Muslim: 0.6%
Other: 7.8%
WORK
Employed: 68%
Unemployed: 2%
Student: 5.7%
Retired: 13.3%
Other (including carers and disabled): 11%
HOMES
Owner-occupier: 82.3%
Housing association or council housing: 8.7%
Private rented: 9%
OTHER
Households without a car: 18.4%
Households with central heating: 85.5%
Single person households: 26.1%
KIRKBURTON
Population: 23,978
Under-16s: 19%
Sixty-five or older: 13.7%
ETHNIC GROUP
White: 97.2%
Asian: 1.3%
Black: 0.4%
Other: 1.1%
RELIGION
Christian: 77.7%
No religion: 14.4%
Muslim: 0.9%
Other: 7%
WORK
Employed: 63.2%
Unemployed: 1.8%
Student: 12%
Retired: 13%
Other (including carers and disabled): 10%
HOMES
Owner-occupier: 83.4%
Housing association or council housing: 8.2%
Private rented: 8.4%
OTHER
Households without a car: 16.5%
Households with central heating: 86.5%
Single person households: 25.2%
MIRFIELD
Population: 18,635
Under-16s: 18.9%
Sixty-five or older: 17.2%
ETHNIC GROUP
White: 97.7%
Asian: 0.9%
Black: 0.1%
Other: 1.3%
RELIGION
Christian: 79.5%
No religion: 12.8%
Muslim: 0.6%
Other: 7.1%
WORK
Employed: 65.2%
Unemployed: 2%
Student: 4.8%
Retired: 16.2%
Other (including carers and disabled): 11.8%
HOMES
Owner-occupier: 79.4%
Housing association or council housing: 11.9%
Private rented: 8.7%
OTHER
Households without a car: 21.4%
Households with central heating: 84.3%
Single person households: 26%
MELTHAM
Population: 8,079
Under-16s: 21.5%
Sixty-five or older: 15.9%
ETHNIC GROUP
White: 98.2%
Asian: 0.6%
Black: 0.2%
Other: 1%
RELIGION
Christian: 75.2%
No religion: 17%
Muslim: 0.5%
Other: 7.3%
WORK
Employed: 66.2%
Unemployed: 2.9%
Student: 6.1%
Retired: 13.8%
Other (including carers and disabled): 11%
HOMES
Owner-occupier: 78.1%
Housing association or council housing: 12.9%
Private rented: 9%
OTHERS
Households without a car: 23.1%
Households with central heating: 84.7%
Single person households: 25.8%