Scots told they risk prosecution and hefty fine if census deadline is missed
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HOUSEHOLDS who fail to fill in the census by May 1 have been warned that they risk prosecution which could lead to a criminal record and a fine of up to £1000.
Paul Lowe, National Records of Scotland Chief Executive, has urged people to complete the census with only a few weeks left to submit responses.
Mr Lowe said: "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 per cent of responses received so far have been submitted online via census.gov.scot, with just over 9 per cent to date submitted on paper. In 2011, only 20 per cent of all census responses were submitted online."
He added: "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.
"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 visiting households to offer guidance and to advise on sources of support. For those in greatest need of assistance, the option to complete their return over the phone is also being offered.
More information can be found here.