The release of census data collected in Gloucestershire and elsewhere is being delayed by over a month because compiling it is so 'complex'.

Instead of publishing the results in May, the Office for National Statistics, says this won't now happen until 'early summer'.

For the first time, the ONS is drawing on the 'insight and expertise' of local authorities across England and Wales to ensure it produces the best statistics for every area.

The ONS says the positive response has resulted in more than 250 organisations being involved.

A spokesman said: "This is an exciting prospect but the complex processes to get the best possible estimates for the local authorities have taken slightly longer to complete than planned."

The original plan was to share the aggregate, anonymised provisional data, under controlled access, at the end of February 2022. This will not now take place until the start of April.

The spokesman said: "We want to take into account every piece of insight, where supported by evidence, from the over 250 organisations taking part. To allow this valuable work to take place, we now aim to publish the first results in early summer."

Response to the census 2021 exceeded expectations, with 97% of households taking part. Of these, some 89% completed the forms online. Provisional data on occupations has already been used by the Government to inform its Covid-19 response.

The ONS said: "Our quality assurance work, which is currently under way, is the most comprehensive ever, using the widest range of alternative and complementary data sources."