Scottish households yet to complete the census warned they face prosecution if it isn't completed and sent by deadline

A warning has been issued to Scottish households that they face prosecution if they don't complete the census and send it in by May 1st.

That date is only a little more than two weeks away.

Households in Scotland who don’t fill in the census by then are being warned they may face prosecution, which could lead to a criminal record and a fine of up to £1,000.

There is a dedicated website about the census, where households can complete it online.

The website also has contact information, including a helpline and the opportunity to chat with an advisor online during limited hours.

Paul Lowe, the Chief Executive of National Records of Scotland, said: "Taking part in the census is a legal responsibility.

"The census provides vital information required to invest in and run the services we all rely on.

"I’d like to thank everyone who has filled in their census.

"For anyone who has yet to complete it, help and support is available on the website census.gov.scot or via our free helpline on 0800 030 8308.

"Anyone who hasn’t completed it could be facing a fine, so I would strongly urge everyone to make use of our support."

More than 90% of responses received so far have been submitted online through the website

Just more than 9% to date have been submitted on paper.

In 2011, only 20% of all census responses were submitted online.

Paul Lowe added: "We’re very pleased with the number of responses that have been submitted online.

"Our preparation work for the census told us that the majority of people would prefer to respond online and it is good to see that this is the case.

"However, paper copies are still available for anyone who is not able to submit online – please call us on 0800 030 8308.

"We are also aware that up to a further 100,000 online returns have been started but not submitted so if this applies to you, please complete your return, or get in touch with us if you need assistance."

Field teams have been making visits to households to offer guidance and provide advice on sources of support.

For those in greatest need of assistance, the option to complete their return on the phone is also being offered.

The census asks questions on a variety of topics, including the types of accommodation people stay in, household relationships, age, sex, health and employment status.

New questions for this year's census include use of British Sign Language (BSL), passports held, previous armed forces history and new voluntary questions on sexual orientation and trans status.

Census letters have been issued to more than 2.7 million households, representing 5.5 million people across Scotland.

A census of the population has been taken every decade in Scotland since 1801, with the exception of 1941, because of World War II and in 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.