Cens-able: improving and empowering census data research opportunities in Scotland

The Cens-able project is a collaboration between the University of Edinburgh (through EPCC and SCADR), Research Data Scotland, Public Health Scotland and National Records of Scotland. It will explore various aspects of linking data from three datasets:

• The 2022 Scottish Census
• The Equalities Protected Characteristics dataset
• An Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) linked to the 2022 census dataset.

A synthetic version of the ASHE-census dataset will also be created.

Cens-able will explore various aspects of linking data to facilitate the creation of census-linked products. The three products we will work on are:

• Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) to census linkage (ASHE-census)
• A high-fidelity synthetic data set for ASHE-census
• The Equalities Protected Characteristics data.

In addition to the technical work of preparing and curating the linked datasets, interactive training events will be held to promote the census-linked products and disseminate knowledge to researchers on the system transformation happening in Scotland. There is also a public engagement element to the work, which will engage with relevant communities about safeguards for protected characteristics data and potential research use. 

Cens-able is a two-year funded project due to complete in autumn 2026. It is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council.

You can read more about Cens-able on the SCADR website: Cens-able : Improving and empowering census data research opportunities in Scotland.