The planning of the 2011 census has been questioned by Dundee Lord Provost John Letford after his secretary took time out to help a confused 86-year-old woman complete the complicated document.
Helen Allan was only the latest perplexed pensioner to make their way to the City Chambers for assistance in dealing with the legally-enforced exercise to count the nation’s population.
The 28-page questionnaire, seeking detailed information about people’s age, gender, health, employment, religious denomination, ethnic group and other details, has started to fall through letterboxes. The envelope carries the stern warning: “Your response is required by law”.
The amount of the booklet to be completed depends on the number of people in the household, but this is not obvious at first glance.
Its official appearance is very obvious, however, backed by the threat of a fine of up to £1000 for people who don’t fill it in and return it after the census date of March 27.
Mr Letford said a number of pensioners have contacted his office for help, many having turned to the city chambers after being unable to get help from the Citizens Advice Bureau because their office has been swamped by census queries.
“It is a daunting-looking document and people, especially older people, just can’t cope with it,” he said. “It will confuse and upset them and I can see many of these forms not being returned because they are too difficult to be filled in.
“The point of the census is to try to get important information about people to help the government plan services, but I think the way it is being done will defeat the purpose of the exercise.
“Why it has been compiled in such a complicated way, I have no idea. There should surely have been a simplified, slimmed-down version for older people.
“Mrs Allan is the latest of many people to contact us, and she has come here after trying to get help at the CAB where they are queued out the door with people seeking assistance with census forms.”
Mrs Allan arrived at the city chambers on Monday and was explaining her problem to the receptionist when she was overheard by the lord provost’s secretary Ashley Bruce, who was passing by.BicycleAshley approached Mr Letford and they asked Mrs Allan to return on Tuesday with her form for help to fill it out.
Mrs Allan, who lives on her own in the city centre, said, “I’ve filled out many census forms in my life but they were never as complicated as this one. They’re asking me things like whether I understand English, if I use another language at home and whether I have a bicycle, but why?
“My eyesight is failing and the print on the form is too small for me to easily make out. There’s a helpline to phone but I did this and you get an automated switchboard with buttons to press, and that is beyond me. I’ve always liked to keep my affairs in order that’s the way I was brought up and that’s how I lived my life and I know that filling out this form is important.
“You can get into trouble for not filling it out, and I don’t want that to happen. I need help so I went to the Citizens Advice Bureau for help but there was a massive queue with people holding their census forms.
“The only other place I could think to go was to see the lord provost. He and his secretary have been very kind and his secretary has taken the time to go through the census and help me to fill out the parts that apply to me,” said the great-grandmother. “I thank them very much.”
A spokesman for GROS which manages Scotland’s Census said, “The support we have in place is designed to make it as easy as possible for people to fill in their census questionnaire.
“Most of the questions are multiple choice and can be answered by simply ticking a box and we have a wide range of support available including the census takers who can help and advise people, a dedicated helpline and a website that meets accessibility standards.”
Also on offer are large-print and Braille versions, online help, translations into British Sign Language (BSL) online and on DVD and translations of the questions and guidance in 11 languages other than English.For more information and help, visit www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk