Scotland's Census 2022

Scotland’s Census is the official count of every person and household in the country. It is the only questionnaire of its type in Scotland and is a unique source of detailed information about the population and its needs.

Completing the census is important because the answers provide the Scottish Government, local authorities, the NHS and many other service providers with the data they need to make important decisions that affect people’s lives and their communities.

These decisions include how money will be spent on important services, for example:

• the schools, colleges and universities in our communities
• the roads we drive on every day
• the hospitals, care services and GP surgeries that we rely on.
National Records of Scotland is responsible for planning and delivering the census.

Every household in Scotland has a legal responsibility to complete a census questionnaire. This is vital to ensure that the census provides detailed and accurate information about the entire nation and population.

We have engaged extensively with stakeholders over many years to develop the questions in the census. These include information on:
• age
• sex
• where people live
• employment, education and qualifications
• ethnicity.