The Census is extremely valuable to future genealogists, of course. But it's also an important tool to help government officials and--ultimately--marketing firms understand population trends; look at changes in city, suburb, and rural areas; plan infrastructure for current and projected needs; and project the kinds of goods and services this changing population and workforce will require.
Many voices object that Census questions are time-consuming and knocking on doors also invades privacy. Some say doing a Census is not a good use of public money. The same kind of objections arise when the US does its Census. During the last US Census, in 2010, the government answered objections by restricting the questionnaire to only 10 questions. Unfortunately, the US Census wasn't available to be completed online.
Family tree researchers (like myself) wish for more information, but Census forms that are too long and tedious discourage participation. Look for a shorter, more streamlined UK Census in 2021.
