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FAQs

Q1: When is the 2022Census of Gibraltar?

A: The 2022 Census of Gibraltar will take place on Monday 14 November.

Q2: Is the Census compulsory?

A: In accordance with the Census Act 1951 taking part in the Census is compulsory. Persons who refuse to give information or wilfully give false information could be liable, on conviction, to a fine. Some questions are labelled as being voluntary. It is not an offence if you do not answer these.

Q3: When to complete the Census questionnaire?

A: All households should complete the Census questionnaire on Census Day: Monday 14 November 2022 or as soon as possible after.

Q4: Who should complete the Census questionnaire?

The Householder is responsible for ensuring that the Census questionnaire is completed and returned.

Q5: Who is the Householder?

A: The householder is the person who lives, or is present, at an address, who:

  • owns/rents (or jointly owns/rents) the accommodation, and/or
  • is responsible (or jointly responsible) for paying the household bills and expenses.

Q6: What is a household?

A: A household is:

  • one person living alone, or
  • a group of people (not necessarily related) living at the same address who share cooking facilities and share a living room, sitting room or dining area.

Where possible, all members of the same household should be included in the same Census questionnaire.

If there is more than one Household at an addressan additional questionnaire should be completed.

Q7: Who should be included on the Census Questionnaire?

A: 

  • All persons who usually live in the Household who, on Census Night are in Gibraltar and have stayed, or intend to stay, in Gibraltar for 12 months or more. Including any person who is temporarily absent for less than 12 months due to, for example, studying abroad, away on holiday or business, or who is temporarily ill in hospital.
  • All persons who usually live outside Gibraltar, who have stayed, or intend to stay, in Gibraltar for 3 months or more, should also be included in the Census questionnaire at their usual Gibraltar address.
  • Visitors should ONLY be included in Household questions H4 and H5 and excluded from Individual questions in Part B of the Census questionnaire.

Q8: What about anyone who is away from home on Census day?

A: You need to include anyone who usually lives in the household but is temporarily away from home on Census day, for less than 12 months. Examples include students studying abroad, people away from Gibraltar on business or holiday, or people temporarily ill in hospital, etc.

Q9: Who is a visitor?

A: A visitor is any person whousually lives outside of Gibraltar and is staying in Gibraltar on Census Night for less than 3 months, on holiday, a business trip, visiting relatives or friends, for example. Visitors should be counted only in Household questions H4 and H5 and not complete the individual questions in Part B of the Census questionnaire.

Q10: How will I be counted if I live in a nursing home, hospital, hotel or other managed residential accommodation?

A: Special arrangements will be made for the enumeration of these institutions.

Q11: How are the services treated for Census purposes?

A: The following criteria, which have traditionally been applied, will continue to be applied:

  • UK-British military personnel are excluded completely from the Census count.
  • The families of UK-British military personnel (as well as UK-based civilians and their families) will be included as persons present on Census day, but do not form part of the usually resident count.
  • Members of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment and their families are included as usually resident.

Q12: Who would be included as "Gibraltarian" under the nationality question?

A: As in the Census 2012, the Gibraltarian population is arrived at by classifying persons in accordance with their entitlement to Gibraltarian status, whether registered as such or not. Therefore, a person who is entitled to be registered as a Gibraltarian, should be included as British Gibraltarian and NOT as UK British.

Persons entitled to be registered as a Gibraltarian under Sections 5 and 9 of the Gibraltarian Status Act 1962, including but not limited to, any British National who:

  • Is born in Gibraltar and is the child of a person who is registered in the Register of Gibraltarians; or
  • Is the spouse, widow or widower of a person entitled to be registered in the said Register; or
  • Is the descendent of a person entitled to be registered in the said Register; or
  • Is a British Overseas Territories Citizen resident in Gibraltar for a continuous period of 10 years and Gibraltar is their permanent home.

Details of the Gibraltarian Status Act can be found here: https://www.gibraltarlaws.gov.gi/legislations/gibraltarian-status-act-181

Q13: Why is it necessary to ask for the name of respondents?

A: Requiring respondents to include their names is not only useful for the completeness of the exercise, for example, to ensure persons are only counted once, but also for historical and research reasons.Names and addresses are retained purely for Census purposes and are removed from the data used for tabulation - they are not accessible to anyone requesting Census data.

Q14: Who will have access to Census information?

A: TheGovernment Statistics Office is responsible for the information collected from the Census questionnaires, and keeps the information secure and confidential at all times. The information collected is protected by strict legal confidentiality provisions of the Census Act 1951 and the Data Protection Act 2004. It is a criminal offence to disclose personal Census data. 

Statistics are anonymised andaggregated before publication and are published in a manner that protects the identification of any particular person, as required by the law.

Further information can be found atPrivacy Notice

Q15: How many Censuses have been taken?

A: This Census will be the 24th Census of Gibraltar.

Q16: How do I complete the Census questionnaire?

A: Every household will receive a letter from the Census Office before Census Day, including a website link and unique Household Access Code to access the questionnaire online.

Using either a smartphone, tablet or computer:

  1. Go togibraltar.gov.gior scan the QR code provided on the letter.
  2. Select ‘Start a new Census’and enter the unique Household’s Access Code, shown on the letter.
  3. Answer the questions and click submit when complete.

Q17: Why an Online Census questionnaire?

A: For the first time, the Gibraltar Census 2022 will be conducted primarily online.

There are many benefits to moving away from a paper based Census into a primarily online Census, not only for the householder but also for the Statistics Office. For example, it can take less time to complete and submission is instantaneous once the person has clicked submit. Most importantly, it will allow faster data processing which means once the exercise is completed, the statistics will be available faster and remain relevant for longer.

Q18: Do I have to complete in one sitting?

A: NO, once you click ‘Start a new Census’ you will be asked to enter your unique Household’s Access Code and an email address. This will allow you to save the answers to questions already provided and continue at a later date.

Q19: My Household Access Code is not working?

A: In the event where your unique Household Access code provided on your letter does not work please ensure you are entering the Household Access Code correctly; the code is case sensitive. Otherwise, please contact the Census Office on Freephone 20052541 or census@gibraltar.gov.gi.

Q20: What if I lose my Household Access Code?

A: The unique Household Access Code provided in your letter is for everyone living in your household and thus you should keep this safe. If you have lost your Household Access Code contact the Census Office as soon as possible, on Freephone 20052541 or census@gibraltar.gov.gi.

Q21: I have not received a Household Access Code?

A: The Household Access Code can be found on the top right hand side of the household letter that you should have received before Census Day; 14 November 2022. If you have not received this letter please contact the Census Office, on Freephone 20052541 or census@gibraltar.gov.gi

Q22: What if I cannot complete the Census questionnaire online?

A: The Census Office is committed to ensuring the Census questionnaire is accessible to all, therefore, even though all Households are encouraged to complete the Online Census questionnaire, should you be unable to, and have not received a paper questionnaire, please contact the Census Office on Freephone 20052541 and one will be provided.

Q23: Why have I received a paper questionnaire?

A: Our aim is to achieve a high online response rate, however, to ensure the Census questionnaire is accessible to everyone, a paper questionnaire will be made available to certain cohorts of the population, who we feel may benefit from receiving a paper form. Everyone, however, can complete the Census questionnaire online if preferred, by going to census.gibraltar.gov.gior scanningthe QR code and entering the unique Household Access Code,  available on the front page of the paper questionnaire.

Should you have received a paper questionnaire with your household invitation letter, please feel free to complete and return using the prepaid envelope provided or send to FREEPOST, Census 2022, Gibraltar.