2011 census form peek

[nameless]

That's a big form.  What will happen if people miss out some of the questions?  Will they get a visit?

I didn't know new passport photos had to be without specs, etc.  I shan't bother to renew my passport then.

[netgrrl79]

Just had a look on the Directgov website (direct.gov.uk) and found the following:

The photographs you supply with your [passport] application must:
# be taken with your eyes open and clearly visible (no sunglasses or tinted glasses and no hair across your eyes)
# be free from reflection or glare on your glasses, and the frames must not cover your eyes - the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) recommends that, if possible, you remove your glasses
# be professionally printed (photographs printed at home are not acceptable)
# show your full head, without any head covering, unless you wear one for religious beliefs or medical reasons
# be taken with nothing covering your face - you should make sure nothing covers the outline of your eyes, nose or mouth

[LizzieW]

You don't have to pay to change an old driving licence to a photo one.  Just get a form from the post office, get a passport type photo, someone has to sign the form to say they have known you for some time and send it off.

One of my sons old driving licence was so awful that it was illegible and, in any case, he'd changed addresses about 10 times (he flits from flats to flats) since it was first issued.  We thought in those circumstances we would have to pay, so sent, not only an adoption certificate, but also proof of current address and a £20 cheque.  He received his new driving licence and the cheque was returned.

I know when my OH and I moved, we "innocently" sent off our driving licences for change of address and got a form back telling us to get photos.  We duly did that and just sent the whole lot back and got our new licences.

Just try it.

Lizzie

[LizzieW]

Talking about passport photos, they also have to have a white background.  My husband has white hair    You can imagine what his passport photo looks like.

Got our census form today, I've not looked at it yet.

[Siamese Girl]

So passport photos should be "# be professionally printed (photographs printed at home are not acceptable)
"
I could produce a much better quality photo taken at home than one taken in a photo booth, which, I assume is where most people would have a photo taken - so do the passport service actually prefer a slightly dodgy booth produced one to a good image?

Carole

[alveleyhistorian]

I was looking forward to writing in ' where born'....but you just tick a box to say english/welsh/ etc etc  .....a real nightmare for anyone doing their family history in 100yrs time !!

[carol8353]

I was looking forward to writing in ' where born'....but you just tick a box to say english/welsh/ etc etc  .....a real nightmare for anyone doing their family history in 100yrs time !!

No one will need to do their family history in 100 years time,all babies will be born with a microchip like dogs have,with all their medical,genealogy etc details embedded in it 

[netgrrl79]

Knowing what a palaver I'm having just to try to find all my elderly maternal grandmother's siblings in the birth indexes (her maiden name was Thomas, her mother's maiden name was Jones and her parents didn't marry until 1912) - heaven help anyone researching her sister's descendants (she married a Williams, and one of her daughters married an Owen)!

[giraffe]

What will happen if people miss out some of the questions?  Will they get a visit?

Someone who is currently working for the current Census may be able to answer that. In 2001 as Collectors we only had to visit if people had not returned their form for some reason, and offer help if they requested it. If they refused to complete the form they would have been visited by someone 'higher up'.
giraffe