Jersey census set for March 2021

Image caption, The 2021 census will analyse how the island's population has grown in the last 10 years

Jersey will take its next census in March 2021, the States Assembly has agreed.

The survey will collect data on the number of people living in the island, as well as their age, sex, ethnicity, education, and employment.

States members have agreed to include four additional questions on health, disability, sexuality and gender.

Statistics Jersey will anonymise and analyse the data, before publishing the results.

Islanders will be asked to submit their information on 21 March via forms sent to each household by the government.

While the health and disability questions will be mandatory, those relating to an individual's sexual orientation and gender identity will be optional.

The census is expected to cost the government 拢700,000, which will include the recruitment of 35 temporary staff to assist with the project.

Officials said it would help to plan for future services, including housing, education and transport.

They added data security would be the government's "foremost priority".

Jersey's last census, completed in 2011, calculated the island's population at 97,857.