Town hall claims 33,000 people NOT counted in census

AT least 33,000 people in Manchester were not counted in the latest census, the council has claimed

- JOSEPH TIMAN

According to the 2021 census, the city’s population stood at 551,944 when the national data gathering exercise last took place.

However, Manchester council’s own calculations come to 588,277. The town hall is now concerned that this ‘significant undercount’ could affect funding.

The government says population data is just one factor which influences how much money councils get. But the local authority is using its own forecasting to fill in the gaps identified in the census, which is carried out every 10 years.

The council suspects that the census missed apartment blocks, hidden houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) and some student accommodation. The town hall has also said that some households may have been missed because the 2021 census was ‘mostly digital’ - although paper copies were available.