Census 2021 first release summary briefing
Download Census 2021 first release summary briefing as a PDF (PDF, 154 KB)
The decennial Census is the most complete source of information about the population available. In Spring 2021, more than 20 million households across England and Wales completed Census questionnaires (97% response rate). Locally, Gateshead also had a 97% response rate.
Since then, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) have worked to ensure the data is of the highest quality and to ensure the confidentiality of respondents. Over the coming months ONS will release the data in phases. Their intention is that all Census data is published within two years of it having taken place.
The first release of Census 2021 data was published on 28 June and provides population and household counts at local authority level.
The First Release, Population and Household Counts The Census 2021 recorded 196,100 people usually resident in Gateshead and 89,000 households (figures rounded to the nearest hundred). This is a decrease since the previous Census in 2011 when there were 200,200 usual residents and 89,200 households.
It also updates and replaces population and household estimates that ONS produce between each Census. Their last estimates prior to the 2021 Census were 202,000 usual residents and 90,400 households in 2020. It is expected that ONS will re-base their estimates and roll forward from the Census 2021 results for future years.
The change in population and household counts between 2011 and 2021 for LA7 local authorities and the North East are shown in table below.
| Usual resident population | Households | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 2021 | Change | 2011 | 2021 | Change | |
| Gateshead | 200,200 | 196,100 | -4,100 | 89,200 | 89,000 | -200 |
| Newcastle | 280,200 | 300,200 | +20,000 | 117,200 | 122,800 | +5,600 |
| North Tyneside | 200,800 | 209,000 | +8,200 | 91,300 | 96,200 | +4,900 |
| South Tyneside | 148,100 | 147,800 | -300 | 67,200 | 68,300 | +1,100 |
| Sunderland | 275,500 | 274,200 | -1,300 | 119,800 | 122,200 | +2,400 |
| Northumberland | 316,000 | 320,600 | +4,600 | 138,500 | 146,900 | +8,400 |
| Durham | 513,200 | 522,100 | +8,900 | 223,800 | 234,800 | +11,000 |
| North East total | 2,596,900 | 2,647,100 | +50,200 | 1,129,900 | 1,175,700 | +45,800 |
In terms of the sex of respondents, Census 2021 recorded 96,200 males and 100,000 females in Gateshead. This is a percentage split of 49.0% males to 51.0% females and compares with 48.9% and 51.1% respectively in 2011.
As shown in Chart 1 below, the first release of Census 2021 data also provides an age breakdown by 5 year age group. The population pyramid shows a comparison of the 2021 age breakdown with that of 2011. It illustrates that Gateshead has continued to have an aging population since the last Census in 2011, with larger numbers of people in older age bands, and smaller numbers in younger age bands. Census 2021 recorded 2,800 (10.8%) more people aged 65-79, and 1,800 (18.8%) more people aged 80+ than in 2011. At the same time there were 2,600 (5.8%) less people aged 0-19.
A breakdown by broad age group is shown in the table below.
| 0-19 | 20-44 | 45-64 | 65+ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | 42,600 | 61,000 | 52,700 | 39,800 |
| Percentage | 21.7% | 31.1% | 26.9% | 20.3% |
| Percentage change since 2011 | 5.8% | -8.4% | -0.8% | 12.9% |
Future releases
Throughout autumn and winter 2022, ONS will release topic summaries of the Census 2021 data. These will mainly be univariate or single variable datasets. They intend to release topic summaries every two to three weeks in the following order:
- demography and migration
- ethnic group, national identity, language, religion
- health, disability, and unpaid care
- housing
- labour market and travel to work
- sexual orientation and gender identity
- education
- UK armed forces veterans
ONS will also release area profiles which will allow data to be viewed at various geographical levels, starting with local authorities and wards. As topics are released, they will be added to the area profiles so that they gradually build over time.
From winter 2022 to early 2023, ONS will release multivariate data which allows users to combine variables and explore relationships between the data. Data will also be made available on the short-term resident population, for example, those not born in the UK who were only intending to stay for less than 12 months. From spring 2023 onwards, data will be released for other population bases, such as workplace and workday populations. ONS will produce other detailed statistics using Census data such as origin-destination data (also known as 'flow' data) that describes the movement of people from one location to another. For example, movement due to migration or commuting to a workplace.