On 1 May 2019, the Census (Return Particulars and Removal of Penalties) Bill had its first reading in the House of Lords.
The Bill will amend the Census Act 1920 to remove the penalty for not responding to new census questions on sexual orientation and gender identity, and add sexual orientation and gender identity to the Schedule of that Act.
This means the 2021 Census in England and Wales, as set out in the proposals in December 2018 by the White Paper “Help Shape our Future: The 2021 Census of Population and Housing in England and Wales”, can include questions on sexual orientation and gender identity that can be answered on a voluntary basis.
See also: Gov.uk