Fill out your census form today or face £1,000 fine

The deadline is tomorrow

Failure to complete the 2021 census form before tomorrow's deadline could result in a £1,000 fine. Scotland's census has been moved to 2022 due to the pandemic but people in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland need to complete the form online before March 21. The website on which the form is filled out, census.gov.uk, explains that it is a crime to ignore the census form and could result in a £1,000 fine, plus court costs. If you can't afford the fine, the website explains that you can avoid the fine by... completing the census form. "If you do not fill in the census, a census officer will contact you and encourage you to complete it. They will help you access any support you need to fill in your form," the site states. "If you still don't return or submit a completed census, you will be committing a crime and you will be contacted by our Non-Compliance team. "If prosecuted, you may have to pay a fine of up to £1,000 plus court costs." The census is a nationwide survey that is carried out once a decade to give government bodies a picture of how each household in the UK is comprised. Answering the questions "will help organisations make decisions on planning and funding public services in your area, including transport, education and healthcare." The questions in the form address matters such as how many people live in your household, their ages, their occupations, any other residences you might spend time at, and your levels of education. It shouldn't take longer than 20 minutes to complete, which isn't much time to take out of your Saturday to avoid a £1,000 fine. So what are you waiting for? Get on it. Now.