ONS coding system facts for kids
The ONS coding system is a special way to label different areas in the United Kingdom. It helps the Office for National Statistics (ONS) keep track of information, especially during a census. Think of it like a unique address for every part of England, Wales, and some parts of Northern Ireland.
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What is the ONS Coding System?
The ONS coding system helps organize facts and figures about people and places. It gives a unique code to each area, from big counties to small streets. This makes it easy to collect and understand information for the whole country.
Why Do We Need These Codes?
These codes are super important for things like the census. A census is when the government counts everyone and gathers facts about them. This helps them plan for schools, hospitals, and other services. The ONS codes make sure every person and every place is counted correctly.
How Do the Codes Work?
The system starts with a code for a large area, like a county. Then, it adds more letters and numbers to break that area down into smaller and smaller parts. Each new part gets a code that builds on the one before it. This continues until they reach the smallest areas used for counting people.
- Each small area must have at least 40 homes (households).
- They try not to make areas smaller than 100 homes if possible.
An Example of the Codes
Let's look at how a code breaks down a place, using an example from Cambridgeshire:
- 12 means the county of Cambridgeshire.
- 12UB means the Cambridge district within Cambridgeshire.
- 12UBGA means the Petersfield Ward, which is a smaller area inside Cambridge district.
- 12UBGA0001 means a very specific small area, like Gwydir Street (north of Hooper Street).
You can see how the code gets longer as the area gets smaller and more specific.
Where Are These Codes Used?
The ONS coding system is mainly used across England and Wales. It is also used for some parts of Northern Ireland. This helps the ONS collect and compare information across these different regions.
