1. All persons

Age: Information on age is to be collected in completed years in respect of each member of the household, including babies and visitors who slept in the DU(s) belonging to the household the previous night. This can be done by asking questions such as "How old is John?" followed by, "When was John born?" Record the age in completed years and not the date of birth. If a person gives you his age with a fraction of a year, such as 8 years, 6 months or 27 years and 3 months, ignore the fraction: that is, use the 8 years or 27 years only. If a child's age is given as, for example, 9 months, record "00", that is, under one year old.
In some cases, a respondent may give you his/her date of birth. In such a case you should compute the person's age with reference to the date of the interview. For example, if the individual reports that he was born on 20 March 1956 and the interview is conducted on 8 September 1998, then his age will be 42 years, 5 months. However, you will record his age in completed years as only 42 years. Similarly, if a baby was born on 12 September 1997 and the interview is on 10 September 1998, the age of the baby would be exactly 11 months, 28 days. You will record the baby's age in completed years as "00": that is, the baby has not yet completed one year. In the case where only the year of birth is given and it is difficult to establish an individual's month of birth, it will be difficult to record the age in completed years. In this case, compute the individual's age by simply subtracting the year of birth from the year of interview; that is, 1998. For example, suppose a person was born in 1971 then his/her age would be 27 years (that is, 1998 - 1971).
In yet other cases, there are some people who do not know exactly how old they are. You are, however, required to write the age of every person and must therefore try your best to get as accurate ages as possible. You have been given a Calendar of Events to help you assess individual's age. The calendar presents a fairly good record of events which people may associate with either their own births or the births of their children. For example, if a person is unable to tell you his/her age, you should look at the person and form an impression about his/her age, having done this you refer to the calendar of events and spot the earliest event which the person remembers. Find out how old the person was at that time. If a person mentions an event and your calendar tells you that this will make him of an age which is very unlikely according to his appearance, then you must ask further questions.
If the person does not know or remember any of the events given in the Calendar of Events then make the best possible assessment of the age by looking at him/her, or relating his/her age to that of other members of the household or other relatives whose ages are known.
Once you have a correct age or a good estimate for one person within the same household try to relate ages of other persons to that age. The older the people are, the more uncertain the assessment of age is likely to be, but you should put down the age which appears more probable from the evidence you are able to collect through questions and the appearance of the person, if he is present. Particular care must be taken in assessing and recording the ages of young children. In every instance you must have the best assessment possible and you must put down the age of every person recorded. Never leave space blank.

B5. Age: Write down the age in completed years of each member of the household in two digits in column B5. For example, if a girl was born on 6 June, 1992 and you interview a respondent on 12 September, 1998 then her age is 6 years, 3 months. However, you should record only "06" (in completed years) in column B5.