27th March is Census Day. Every household will receive a form a week or so before, and there is the option to post the form back, or to complete the form on line. Last year a survey of households was conducted and this year the forms will be posted out to all households. You will only see a Census Enumerator if you fail to complete the form on time or if the form has been lost in the post. On line looks like the easiest option.
The national census started in 1801 and the first viable national census was 1841. This event takes place every 10 years and it is used to generate statistics for the use of government in allocating funds and resources to local communities. The census started as a means of ensuring that the government could import enough food resources to prevent starvation in the UK and it has been extremely useful as a tool for allocating resources ever since.
The 100 year rule applies to all personal information that is gathered and this is an issue with family historians as they have to wait 100 years to be able to search the census archives. The latest released census information available is for 1911. This years census details will remain secret until the year 2111 and only the statistical counts will be available for use until then.