The General Report is the official, and comprehensive account of the census in England and Wales. Information from the decennial census underpins public policy and service provision, in both the public and private sector. The results from the census will form the basis for key decisions throughout the decade.

The report reviews the entire census operation from the early consultation and planning stages, through the field activities and data processing, including the data capture and coding of questionnaires and the full adjustment of the census counts, to the production and dissemination of outputs and evaluation.

It provides a wealth of detail about how the census was carried out and what lessons have been learned to take forward in plans for the next census. It is aimed at both the experienced and occasional user of census data, but it is hoped the wider public may also find it useful and informative.