The project which has made 2001 Census output free at the point of use closes on 31 March 2005 with the end of funding. However, the changes the project has brought about in access to the Census results and in the removal of restrictions on further use will continue. Supply of existing output will be very largely unaffected for the present, but, as currently, costs will be recovered for specially commissioned output, which also includes work on earlier Censuses.
There is more information on the project and the output included under its terms HERE. There is also an evaluation, made as one of some twenty reviews of major Census projects, HERE.
Access to output largely unchanged
The Census Access project covered the costs of producing the content of standard Census products and of supplying them so they have been free to end users, and in doing so has met the duty of the Registrar General under section 4.2 of the Census Act 1920 to recover costs.
The statistical and geographical content, already produced with funding from Census Access and available for further copying 'off the shelf', will continue to be available without charge, and small additional costs of material (CDs and DVDs), copying and handling will not be charged to customers for the present. But there will continue to be charges for large orders where material, copying and handling charges exceed £50. The need for a charge will be notified to customers in advance of any supply.
There will continue to be no charge for the use and downloading of output available on the National Statistics website or for the significant additional output which has recently become available on the Nomis website. Customers may also continue to obtain copies of output from third parties without a charge being payable to ONS.
Commissioned output - 2001 and earlier Censuses
Information on commissioning output, including the charges, is HERE. The production of output in electronic form and other research and investigation taking half a day or more is subject to charges. However, copies of commissioned output already produced from the 2001 Census [more details...] will be continued to be supplied without charge where material, copying and handling charges do not exceed £50 on request to Census Customer Services.
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