The 2011 Census in the United Kingdom

In this introductory chapter, some context is established for the 2011 Census and for the chapters which follow in the remainder of the book by reviewing the way in which populations in different countries are counted and the demise of traditional census-taking that is evident across Europe. The future of the census in the United Kingdom has been debated widely over the current decade and the arguments for and against its continuation are summarised. Efficient census data dissemination to the academic user community is critical for high quality and timely research; the role of the UK Data Service-Census Support in this process is explained and the content and structure of the book are outlined.