Maximising the value of the 2021 Northern Ireland Census

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With a 97% enumeration rate, the 2021 Northern Ireland Census was highly successful. The 2021 Census is built on a new and more efficient output geography of Data Zones (DZ) and Super Data Zones (SDZs). The new Zones/areas better represent the 2021 population than the previous output geographies. Yet this improvement in representation highlights an important weakness: the new geography is not backward-compatible with (a) previous censuses and (b) administrative data presented for older geographies (eg 2014 electoral wards). We address this weakness and add value to the 2021 Census for all users by linking it to other output geographies for temporal analysis. Our objectives are to create:Create 2021 Census outputs for older administrative or statistical geographies such as electoral wards, and Super Output Areas used for dissemination of outputs from the 2011 Census.Extend the temporal range of census small-area statistics back to 2001, 1991, 1981 and 1971 for selected geographies.Provide a spatial framework that will link 2021 Census output geographies to alternative output geographies, which will assist comparisons with administrative data sources and indices of multiple deprivation.The objectives are to create:A research-ready consistent dataset relating to censuses from 1971 to 2021.An outward-facing web resource that will allow non-expert users to assess how small user-defined areas have changed through time.Clear documentation of how the data have been created, processed and coded, where necessary, to make cross-census comparisons, recording changes in numbers, definitions and scope of questions between censuses.There is a documented demand for these products from both (a) the research community and from (b) wider communities of non-expert users. These aims and data outputs meet the call's rubric by creating "tools and research-ready datasets that enable research with census data" and dealing with "census data linked to other sources of data (including government administrative data)" and "census data that has been linked longitudinally." with software tools to make better use of 2021 Census data.Our project will achieve its aims and objectives by taking advantage of:Previous NISRA and ESRC investments in the unique 100m and 1km NI Grid-Square Product (GSP) (1971-2021). These data will be fully documented and prepared for (i) use in single census years; and (ii) for temporal comparisons over two or more censuses. Look-up tables will be created to relate the 100m grid to selected statistical geographies via best-fit approximation. Additionally, the creation of user-defined neighbourhoods will be explored. The NISRA data portal. Selected domains from these extensive data (eg school attendance, benefit counts) represented at electoral ward level will be related to 2021 Census (and other years) data via the look-up tables.Co-design, community outreach, and experience in web resource creation in QUB (https://www.qub.ac.uk/sites/qcap/about-us/QCAPApproach/). This will be used to understand what thematic areas are of value and also how to make the web resource easy to use.This project will run between March 2024 and March 2026. Minimal continued support will be necessary to maintain and update the web resource.