The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has set up a project to investigate the feasibility of producing postcensal small area population estimates on a nationally consistent basis for England and Wales. Following on from earlier investigations to identify potential data sources and methods, ward and Super Output Area population estimates have been released as 'experimental statistics'. This article covers the methodology used to produce these estimates, feedback from user consultation with the initial estimates released at ward level, summary statistics on the population estimates for mid-2001 to mid-2003, and future developments for small area population estimates.