Help shape the census – your voice matters
Date published:
The Northern Ireland Census User Needs Consultation closed on 18 March 2026. Thank you to everyone who shared their views.
About the consultation
On 28 October 2025, NISRA launched a public consultation to help shape the content of Census 2031. Individuals, organisations, and community groups were invited to share their views on what information the census should collect.
Why the consultation mattered
Census data is used to plan public services, allocate funding, monitor equality, and support research. The consultation gave people the opportunity to help ensure the census reflects the needs of Northern Ireland's changing population.
NISRA was particularly interested in how people used Census 2021 data, what topics are important for Census 2031, and views on using alternative data sources to support the census.
What happens next
All responses are being reviewed in line with our moderation policy and assessed against criteria in three areas: user requirements, operational requirements, and feasibility considerations. Full details of the evaluation criteria are set out in the consultation document.
The findings will inform NISRA's recommendations on which topics to include in the Census 2031 questionnaire. The final decision on what is collected will be a matter for the Northern Ireland Assembly.
NISRA will publish the responses alongside summary tables showing response frequencies for each question in due course.
Supporting documents
Consultation documents, including the full consultation document, questionnaire, and frequently asked questions, remain available on the NISRA website.
Contact us
If you have a question about the consultation, please contact us at census2031.consultations@nisra.gov.uk