Major formal recognition to all Nepali community leaders and the UKNFS from the National Statistician for the outstanding effort undertaken by the UK Nepali community working with the ONS for Census 2021:

The UKNFS commenced support work to our UK Nepali community regarding the Census, in 2018, working with our friends at the NRNA UK on a formal petition to the then Prime Minister (the Rt Hon Theresa May MP), with presentation of the petition to 10 Downing Street with the kind assistance of Aldershot MP (the Rt Hon Leo Docherty MP, now Veterans Minister) and in the company of the Leader of Rushmoor Council, Cllr David Clifford: https://uknfs.org/uk-nepali-community-census-entry-nrna-uk-led-uknfs-facilitated-petition-delegation-to-prime-minister-10-downing-street/

Also: https://uknfs.org/census-2021-uknfs-engagement-with-guidance-to-the-ons-and-assistance-to-and-for-our-uk-nepali-community-regarding-need-to-know-information-for-taking-part-in-the-census/ and https://uknfs.org/aldershot-witnesses-historic-meeting-of-uk-nepali-community-organisation-leads-with-senior-officer-of-the-uk-census/

Although the request for inclusion of a Nepali entry on the hard copy Census form was not granted, neither did our Nepali community and the UKNFS withdraw the request: in the event because of Covid 19 a major switch to the online Census form was made and in the 2019 – 2021 period the UKNFS was active in supporting Census 2021 – UK Nepali community engagement to maximise quality input to the Census itself. In order to achieve this we undertook a major review and analysis of the relevant questions on the Census, receiving input from across all sections of the community. We recently collated our analysis of the questions in a report that we have just a few days ago provided to the ONS and the National Statistician, Professor Sir Ian Diamond.

We have now received a very appreciated and important letter (above) reply from Sir Ian, in which the ONS has praised us for our work for the community and commitment to work closely with us at the crucial stage, coming soon, of data provision and how this can be used to enhance better support and integration for our UK Nepali community. The UKNFS is delighted by this response and the key findings on community engagement detailed in the letter, supported by the research and analysis UKNFS Census 2021 Report. We urge all Nepali community organisations to take part in the consultation referred to at the end of the letter.

The UKNFS looks forward greatly to taking this opportunity forward to serve the community in this extremely important area, and the fuller responses on particular Census 2021 questions analysis we provided in the report! We are disseminating the Report main section to government departments, local authorities and beyond — all that need greater insights to our community and all its different sections where services provision, challenges, and opportunities are concerned.