The Office for National Statistics (ONS) runs the Census in England and Wales and is independent from the government. In terms of data protection and safety, there is a strict security regime that follows government standards. This includes physical and IT security measures to protect data, covering people, processes and technology. All systems, staff and suppliers must protect confidentiality by law, and it is a crime for anyone to share personal information. The ONS only publishes anonymous statistics from the Census and does not publish anyone’s name. They only ask for people to help ensure the statistics are accurate, for example, to help the ONS make sure that each person is only counted once. Census records will be kept secure for 100 years and, only then, can future generations view them, for example, those interested in family history.