Question reference: S6W-07215
- Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 10 March 2022
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Current status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 24 March 2022
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware of reports of people facing long waiting times when contacting the Scotland's Census 2022 helpline, and, if so, what action it is taking to address this.
Answer
The Scotland’s Census 2022 contact centre experienced high volumes of calls in its first few days of operation and we are aware that some callers have experienced longer than average wait times at peak points during the day. National Records of Scotland apologise for any frustration this may have caused.
Callers to the Freephone helpline (0800 030 8308) are advised at the start of the call of current wait times and therefore have the opportunity to phone back at a less busy time. An automated option (option 1) is also provided for those wishing to order a paper form. This involves no wait time.
Additional resources have been placed into the contact centre to deal with periods of peak activity. Contact can also be made with the census team via web chat, e-mail or physical correspondence. Contact details can be found here: Contact us | Scotland's Census 2022 . Help and advice on a range of topics is also provided at www.census.gov.scot .
These changes continue to have had a positive impact, with general reductions in the average wait times in week 2 and beyond. There is ongoing active monitoring and management of the position to ensure that those that need help are able to speak to an agent.