Column [P5] ageThis is one of the most important questions on the questionnaire. It is also one of the most difficult to answer correctly. You should take particular care with it. You should record the age of a person in completed years. For example, a person aged twenty- six years and four months should be recorded as "26". Similarly a person aged twenty-six years and 10 months should also be recorded as "26". A child aged under one year should be recorded as "00". For persons aged 98 years and over enter 98. Ask the person's age. Be sure to ascertain whether the stated age refers to last birthday or next birthday. Age last birthday should be recorded. If there is no other way you will have to estimate the person's age. Many people will not know their ages, when this happens ask first for the year in which the person was born then look up the age in the calendar provided. If the year of birth is not known you should find it out by using the Events Calendar. Ask how old was the person at the time of some known event. Check the answer by relating it to some other event the person can remember well. If you already know the age of some other person in the household you may find it helpful by asking if the person is older or younger and by how many years. If there is no other way you may have to estimate the person's age by looking at him. When you have made the best estimate you can, you should check if it is compatible with the person's position in the family. [For example, a child cannot be older than its mother]. Some people have fixed wrong ideas about their ages, others misstate their ages. Do not accept answers that are obviously wrong. Try and get accurate answers.