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Shelter Housing Insightsfor Communities

A free resource for cost-effective, targeted housing development communications

This book accompanies the Shelter Housing Insights for Communities resource online.

AcknowledgementsShelter is grateful to David Lock Associates and the Town and Country Planning Association for their generous sponsorship of the Shelter Housing Insights for Communities resource. We are also grateful to CACI for their support in our use of ACORN InSite and to TRINITI Marketing for their guidance. We would also link to thank the Department for Communities and Local Government for making research into housing attitudes by NHPAU available. Shelter also thanks the local authority officers and councillors that have advised us on the delivery of this resource.

Copyright© CACI, 2011. All rights reserved © BMRB, 2011. All rights reserved © Shelter, 2011. All rights reserved

Written by Karen Stalbow, Liam Reynolds and Nigel Pearcy Designed by Anh Duong, edited by Katie Connolly

Cover photo by David Potter. Photos throughout by: Nick David, Max Hamilton, Philip Hunton, Sophie Laslett, David Potter, Nina Stromsoy, Kiem Tang, Pete Thompson and Chris Watt. RH3636.2

shelter.org.uk/housinginsights Shelter Housing Insights for Communities 3

ContentsIntroduction 4

About this book 5

Methodology 6

Who this book is for and how they can use it 7

How this book works 8

Working at a local and national level 10

Insights by key groups

Category 1: Wealthy Achievers 12

Wealthy Executives (1A) 14

Affluent Greys (1B) 16

Flourishing Families (1C) 18

Category 2: Urban Prosperity 20

Prosperous Professionals (2D) 22

Educated Urbanites (2E) 24

Aspiring Singles (2F) 26

Category 3: Comfortably Off 28

Starting Out (3G) 30

Secure Families (3H) 32

Settled Suburbia (3I) 34

Prudent Pensioners (3J) 36

Category 4: Moderate Means 38

Asian Communities (4K) 40

Post Industrial Families (4L) 42

Blue Collar Roots (4M) 44

Category 5: Hard Pressed 46

Struggling Families (5N) 48

Burdened Singles (5O) 50

High Rise Hardship (5P) 52

Inner City Adversity (5Q) 54

Sources 56

Shelter Housing Insights for Communities shelter.org.uk/housinginsights4

Introduction

Empowering local people to have influence on the development of their communities brings challenges for local authorities and developers, who will have to increase community engagement.

With unprecedented cuts to local government, there is a risk that staff skilled in engagement will be lost and less money will be available for consultation.

Developers consulting on schemes of 200 homes or more are likely to have to significantly increase resources during the pre-application stage.

Shelter is responding to these challenges with the Shelter Housing Insights for Communities resource. It will give local authorities and developers the means to deliver targeted and cost-effective community engagement.

Using previously unavailable national housing surveys together with ACORN InSite – which categorises the UK population according to their demographics – we have developed the Shelter Housing Insights for Communities resource to equip local authorities and their delivery partners with a unique insight into the housing aspirations and attitudes of local people.

Use Shelter Housing Insights for Communities and you will gain a clear understanding of the likelihood of local people to object to or support house building, and the reasons for this; giving you the opportunity to respond to people’s issues and concerns. With clear guidance on communication channels the different groups prefer, you can ensure that resonating messages reach out to communities through the most effective channels.

The Shelter Housing Insights for Communities resource is available online at shelter.org.uk/housinginsights

Kay Boycott Director of Communications, Policy and Campaigns Shelter


About this book

Shelter Housing Insights for Communities book is a must-have resource for anyone involved in community consultation on housing development. Like its online counterpart, it provides a unique insight into the housing attitudes and aspirations of local communities, and facilitates cost-effective, targeted engagement with them. What’s more, it’s the portable companion of the online tool; giving you the freedom to share community housing insights with colleagues.

How can this book be used?nn Do you want to know which groups in your area are most likely to support or object

to housing?

nn Are you looking to prioritise who you consult with in your area so that your communications are cost effective?

nn Do you want to know how to resonate with local communities so that they are more supportive of housing development?

nn Will having a downloadable Communications Plan template that is easy to complete help you develop a communications business case?

To create this book and the Shelter Housing Insights for Communities online tool, Shelter has worked with ACORN.

What is ACORN? ACORN is a geodemographic segmentation of the UK’s population. It segments small neighbourhoods, postcodes or consumer households into 5 categories, 17 groups and 56 types. By analysing significant social factors and population behaviour, it provides precise information and an in-depth understanding of the different types of the people in different parts of the UK.

How have Shelter and ACORN worked together?Shelter has overlaid survey responses to national housing questionnaires onto ACORN’s postcode level data, to reveal, for the first time, the housing aspirations and attitudes of each of ACORN’s 17 groups.

We used ACORN demographics across housing, transport, the environment and community engagement to give the user a better understanding of each group. We also used ACORN to provide each group’s preferred communication channels to help with targeting of key messages.

More informationVisit the Shelter Housing Insights for Communities online resource at shelter.org.uk/housinginsights and you can:

nn find out which ACORN groups are the biggest in your area

nn get all the data used to create it

nn find out how ACORN groups breakdown at ward level*

nn use ACORN’s postcode look up

nn book training to learn how on how to use the online resource.

*Please note that you will need to register with CACI to receive this data. You will receive a licence from CACI to sign and return, and they will send you a disc with all ward level data, as well as a copy of ACORN Knowledge, the datasets used to build the Shelter Housing Insights for Communities resource.


Methodology

Shelter Housing Insights for Communities draws on many sources to help you understand the views and motivations of local people and families. It is brought together using the ACORN classification system, used by most local authorities.

Information on housing aspirations, support for house building, responses to planning applications, and the main concerns people have about housing development are largely based on new analysis by Shelter, using ACORN. Other information contained in this resource, including statistics on housing tenure and preferred communication channels, is drawn from ACORN Knowledge, which itself incorporates a large number of government surveys, marketing data and other sources to produce a geo-demographic profile of the UK. A short guide on the use of ACORN in this project is also included here and you can contact them at the website below.

ACORN Knowledge can be accessed free of charge by registering for ACORN’s wardlevel data at caci.co.uk/acorn-classification

A range of surveys were imported into ACORN by Shelter and profiled. A complete list of sources is available at the back of this book.

Use of ACORN dataShelter Housing Insights for Communities also uses data collated by ACORN on topics that are potentially relevant to views on house building and the motivations behind them. Figures and commentary on aspects such as housing tenure, age, access to and use of public transport and marketing preferences, in conjunction with Shelter’s new analysis and your own local knowledge, can help you to decide on the best methods and content to use when communicating with local people about housing.

ACORN profiles UK households and segments them into:

nn 5 categories

nn 17 groups

nn 56 types.

Shelter Housing Insights for Communities is designed to be used at the group level – 17 segments. Classification systems like ACORN work by best-fitting households into segments. This is not an exact science, and some figures can seem anomalous, such as over 65s being present in a group tagged as aspiring singles. Any classification system will contain such anomalies, when more than 20 million households are categorised into just 17 groups, and users should bear this in mind when using the resources here and in ACORN.

ACORN primarily produces output as indexes – that is the relative likelihood of a group answering in a particular way, in comparison to the national average. We have taken care in this resource not to over-emphasise high indexes when the actual proportions of the population answering in such a way is small. We recommend similar care is taken when using ACORN and the results here.


Who this book is for and how they can use it

Developers and housing associations

You can gain an insight into the housing attitudes, issues and concerns about your proposed development held by local people. You can draw on the types of communication that can directly address these views, and use the channels of communication recommended as preferred by local people.

Local authority housing officers and planners

You will be able to prioritise the community members to consult with on housing growth and will gain a clear insight into the concerns local people may have about this issue – this means that communications can be targeted and streamlined, making them more cost-effective. In addition, the resource will recommend the communication channels that different groups in your communities prefer. It will also provide you with a communications plan template designed to make your communications planning easier.

Councillors and parish councillors

It will show you the breakdown of different demographic groups in your ward or parish and council area and their likely attitudes to housing development. This can help you to deal with residents’ objections to planning applications, or talk to your community about housing development to address some of their issues and concerns. You can also download a communications plan which will help you respond to residents’ objections or queries on housing development.



Category 1


Find out which groups are the biggest in your area, visit shelter.org.uk/housinginsights

The best communications channels to use %

Internet use 10+ hours per week 4.2%

Uses internet for browsing websites/finding information

52.0%

Mail 44.8%

Telephone 31.0%

Email 11.9%

Face to Face 4.1%

Look through free newspapers delivered to home

12.7%

Listen to local radio for local news 7.4%

Local weekly free papers 49.3%

Local weekly paid-for papers 36.1%

Engagement planningTone and stylenn Tone – clear and objective.

nn Use case studies of developments where their key issues have been successfully addressed.

nn Provide images to show the quality of proposed developments.

Advertising options They notice adverts while driving – on buildings and at the roadside, on buses and petrol pumps, as well as in supermarkets. They pay most attention to television adverts, but are more likely than others to notice magazine and newspaper adverts.

Tailored communication insights

Key issues and concerns Suggested messaging

1. New housing will affect the value of my home. ‘We are committed to maintaining the desirability of the area with all new housing – ensuring it is a sought-after place where professional families aspire to live.’

2. New housing will damage the environment. ‘Our policies will strive to manage housing growth in a way that maintains a high quality of life in the area, whilst nurturing and enhancing our local natural environment.’

‘You can help us to achieve this by attending one of our planning days.’

3. New housing will not be in keeping with the quality of housing in the area.

‘We want to work with the developer to make your home a blueprint for the design of new homes we’re planning.’

‘We want you to let the development’s expert design team know your ideas and expectations for new homes in the area.’

Housing aspirations Why

They have lived in the area a long time and last moved home to get a bigger and better home or to live in a better area; moving about 10 miles to achieve this. Moves were also focused on job prospects where the members of this group are still of working age.

They have aspired to improve themselves through where they live and the type of house they live in, and are certain about the type and size of house they want; staying if their current home has achieved their aspiration and they are concerned that new housing will affect the value of their home. Many of their children however do or will need their parents’ support to own their own home.

House building opposition and support Why

This group are most likely to be against any type of housing development, nationally and in their local area and across housing tenures; seeing no role for the council in building more social housing or affordable homes to buy.

This is a mixed group that has attained or are near to attaining their housing aspirations, and object to new housing that may lower the standard of their area. They also feel their area is ‘safe’ and want to keep it that way. They have strong environmental concerns that they use to object to new housing.

Planning opposition and support Why

They are most likely to be active in objecting to planning applications, but also more likely than others to actively support them.

They are highly likely to be involved in the local community, having lived in the area a long time. They believe new housing will reduce green space and put extra strain on infrastructure and services, such as transport and schools. They dislike new housing that is not in keeping with the area.

Breakdown of housing tenure

52% own their home with a mortgage or loan

39% own their homes outright

4% rent privately

2% rent from a housing association or council

0% have a shared ownership home

Breakdown of household size and type

59% are a family without children

41% are families with children

52% have no children at home

48% have between 1 and 3+ children at home

9% are single person households

76% are households with 2–4 people

14% are 5+ people households

Percentage of UK households

8.6%Wealthy Executives (1A)

Likelihood to oppose housing development: Very unlikely

Likelihood to actively oppose a planning application: Very likely

About this groupThis group are some of the most affluent people in the UK and are predominantly aged between 40 and 59, working in senior managerial and professional occupations, or running their own business, with a few working from home. Many have children, some of whom are teenagers still at home. There are also some empty nesters and retired wealthy couples. They tend to live in wealthy suburban, rural and semi-rural areas.

They have attained or are near to attaining their housing aspirations, with little worries about housing costs and are the most likely to object to house building.

Key demographicsHousing type Detached houses with four, five or more bedrooms.

Transport Two or more cars, with limited use of public transport/extremely poor public transport accessibility. Cars are predominantly used to travel to work.

Environmental views ‘Enthusiastic Greens’ seeing themselves as more environmentally friendly than others, and are the people who most desire a green lifestyle.

Newspaper readershipRead the Daily Mail, The Times, and The Telegraph. They are very likely to be interested in local news and read their local free paper.

How this book works

This book, like Shelter Housing Insights for Communities online, is a strategic resource for developing a housing development communications plan. We’ve created a communications plan template for you to use, which can be downloaded at shelter.org.uk/housinginsights

The diagrams below show exactly how to use the book to put your plan together.

Example group


Housing Development Communications Plan, Hart District Council (Example)

Who are the most important groups to engage with?

Group Size Ranking across opposition to housing development and likelihood to object to a planning application

Wealthy Executives (1A) 37% Red – highly likely

Flourishing Families (1C)

Secure Families (3H)

What are the key messages?

Group Insights / Issues and Concerns

Messages

Wealthy Executives (1A) New housing will affect the value of my home.

‘We are committed to maintaining the desirability of the area with all new housing – ensuring it is a sought-after place where professional families aspire to live.’



What are the best channels to use to communicate with them?

Group Channels

Wealthy Executives (1A) Internet, mail and telephone, free local newspapers



Possible engagement tactics to use

Group Tactics Good practice source

Wealthy Executives (1A) Design enquiry

Online questionnaire

Newsletters

Aylesham Master Plan Woodbery

Down Housing Development



Timing and costs

Housing Development Communications Plan template


Working at a local and national level

The Shelter Housing Insights for Communities resource enables you to prioritise your communications around housing development at the national, local and ward level.

It will provide you with details of the biggest ACORN groups at the local and ward level, while giving you the national picture at the same time. We present each group’s likelihood to oppose house building and actively oppose a planning application using the terms ‘high’, ‘medium’ and ‘low’. Other terms are sometimes used – such as Nimby, Mimby and Yimby. Shelter’s approach is to recognise that people are in different groups that can be targeted using tailored communications, to engage them in an informed and positive way.

Local overviewThis chart uses the five biggest groups in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead to demonstrate which sectors of the local population are likely to oppose house building and likely to actively oppose planning applications.

The circles associated with each group below reflects their size as a percentage of the local population.

Like

liho

od

to

op

po

se h

ou

se b

uild

ing

Likelihood to actively oppose planning applications

Low

Low

High

High

Wealthy Executives (1A)


Starting Out (3G)


Struggling Families (5N)Like

liho

od

to

op

po

se h

ou

se b

uild

ing


Low

Low

High

High



Starting Out (3G)


Struggling Families (5N)


National overviewThis chart provides a national overview of each group’s likelihood to oppose house building combined with their likelihood to actively oppose planning applications.

The circles associated with each group below reflects their size as a percentage of the population.


Affluent Greys (1B)


Prosperous Professionals (2D)

Educated Urbanites (2E)

Aspiring Singles (2F)

Starting Out (3G)


Settled Suburbia (3I)

Prudent Pensioners (3J)

Asian Communities (4K)

Post Industrial Families (4L)

Blue Collar Roots (4M)


High Rise Hardship (5P)

Inner City Adversity (5Q)

Like

liho

od

to

op

po

se h

ou

se b

uild

ing


Low

Low

High

High

Burdened Singles (5O)

Ward overviewA ward level overview is available through ACORN. It will show which groups are biggest at ward level, enabling you to use Shelter Housing Insights for Communities to determine their likelihood to oppose house building and to actively oppose planning applications. The ward level data is easily accessed on ACORN’s website and you will need to register with CACI to receive it. To register visit caci.co.uk/acorn-classification


Category 1: Wealthy Achievers

These are some of the most successful and affluent people in the UK. They live in wealthy, high status rural, semi-rural and suburban areas. Predominantly middle-aged or older people, many are empty nesters and wealthy retired people.

They live in large houses, which are usually detached with four or more bedrooms. Almost 90 percent are owner occupiers, with half of those owning their own home outright.

Category 1




Likelihood to oppose housing development

Likelihood to actively oppose a planning application

Overall level of opposition

8.6% High High l

Affluent Greys (1B)





7.9% High High l






8.8% High High l

Key

High lMedium lLow l


Category 1


They have lived in the area a long time and last moved home to get a bigger and better home or to live in a better area; moving about 10 miles to achieve this. Moves were also focused on job prospects where the members of this group are still of working age.

They have aspired to improve themselves through where they live and the type of house they live in, and are certain about the type and size of house they want; staying if their current home has achieved their aspiration and they are concerned that new housing will affect the value of their home. Many of their children however do or will need their parents’ support to own their own home.


This group are most likely to be against any type of housing development, nationally and in their local area and across housing tenures; seeing no role for the council in building more social housing or affordable homes to buy.

This is a mixed group that has attained or are near to attaining their housing aspirations, and object to new housing that may lower the standard of their area. They also feel their area is ‘safe’ and want to keep it that way. They have strong environmental concerns that they use to object to new housing.


They are most likely to be active in objecting to planning applications, but also more likely than others to actively support them.

They are highly likely to be involved in the local community, having lived in the area a long time. They believe new housing will reduce green space and put extra strain on infrastructure and services, such as transport and schools. They dislike new housing that is not in keeping with the area.




4% rent privately












Likelihood to oppose housing development: Very unlikely


About this groupThis group are some of the most affluent people in the UK and are predominantly aged between 40 and 59, working in senior managerial and professional occupations, or running their own business, with a few working from home. Many have children, some of whom are teenagers still at home. There are also some empty nesters and retired wealthy couples. They tend to live in wealthy suburban, rural and semi-rural areas.

They have attained or are near to attaining their housing aspirations, with little worries about housing costs and are the most likely to object to house building.

Key demographicsHousing type Detached houses with four, five or more bedrooms.

Transport Two or more cars, with limited use of public transport/extremely poor public transport accessibility. Cars are predominantly used to travel to work.

Environmental views ‘Enthusiastic Greens’ seeing themselves as more environmentally friendly than others, and are the people who most desire a green lifestyle.

Newspaper readershipRead the Daily Mail, The Times, and The Telegraph. They are very likely to be interested in local news and read their local free paper.






52.0%

Mail 44.8%

Telephone 31.0%

Email 11.9%

Face to Face 4.1%


12.7%




Engagement planningTone and stylenn Tone – clear and objective.

nn Use case studies of developments where their key issues have been successfully addressed.

nn Provide images to show the quality of proposed developments.





2. New housing will damage the environment. ‘Our policies will strive to manage housing growth in a way that maintains a high quality of life in the area, whilst nurturing and enhancing our local natural environment.’

‘You can help us to achieve this by attending one of our planning days.’


‘We want to work with the developer to make your home a blueprint for the design of new homes we’re planning.’



8.6%


Category 1


They are aware that local people cannot afford to buy a home but are not overly concerned about the next generation’s ability to get on the housing ladder.

Their children are grown-up and likely to have their own homes, possibly further away than they would like. They aspire to ensure that local people can afford to buy a home in the area and want new housing to be for local people – possibly including their family.


This group object to large scale house building and don’t want more homes in their local area. However some do think that the council needs to build social housing, as an opportunity for local people who are potentially priced out, to be able to afford housing.

Living prosperously in small rural communities, this group do not want to see their areas overwhelmed by large numbers of new homes. They are keen, however, to ensure that local people have a home they can afford and see a role for social and affordable housing in meeting this need.


This group has an above average likelihood to be active in objecting to planning applications, but also have a likelihood to actively support them.

They are highly likely to be involved in their local community. They believe new housing will affect the value of their home, don’t want new people moving into the area and dislike new housing that is not in keeping with the area. Some, however see the benefits of affordable housing for local people, if in small-scale developments, and will actively support this.




7% rent privately











Affluent Greys (1B)Likelihood to oppose housing development: Likely


About this groupThis group are mainly prosperous empty nesters and retired couples aged from their forties upwards that live in detached homes in rural towns and villages. Others within this group live in the countryside where the economy is underpinned by agriculture. Those within this group of working age tend to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and are more likely to be self-employed or work from home.

They have an above average likelihood to object to planning applications, but many do see a need for more social and affordable housing, especially for young local people, and are likely to pro-actively give their support.

Key demographicsHousing type Detached and large semi-detached houses and bungalows with three to four bedrooms.

Transport The majority drive and have one to two cars, with poor access to local transport. Those that work predominantly drive.

Environmental views ‘Waste Not, Want Not’ who are not environmentally motivated, with more of a generational desire to avoid waste and a concern for the countryside.

Newspaper readershipRead the Daily Mail, the Daily Express and The Telegraph. They are very likely to be interested in local news and are likely to purchase their local newspaper.






43.2%

Mail 46.1%

Telephone 34.0%

Email 9.2%

Face to face 4.5%


15.6%

Local radio for local news 9.7%



Engagement planningTone and stylenn Tone – warm.

nn Keep content personal – reference the family, their children, grandchildren etc.

nn Include case studies of/quotes from other ‘affluent greys’ on their positive experience of development in their local area.




1. New housing will affect the value of my home and will not be in keeping with the area.

‘We are working with the developer to ensure that the design of small rural developments are sympathetic with the surrounding area.’

‘We’re confident that a quality development, in keeping with the area, will have a positive effect on local house prices – as people will aspire to live here.’

2. New housing should be accompanied by facilities and infrastructure.

‘We are working with the developer to look at ways the development can enhance local services and infrastructure so that it adds value to our community.’

‘That’s why it’s vital we get your views on the improvements to these local services and infrastructure that you want to see.’

3. Local people cannot afford to buy a home. ‘We are committed to ensuring that young local people can remain in the community. That’s why we’re aiming for affordable homes to buy and rent to be a key part of our new development.’

‘With your support for this development, we will ensure that local people in our community can afford to buy a home.’


7.9%


Category 1


They are concerned that the next generation will struggle more with their housing and know people who have experienced problems, such as having to continue to live with a partner after separating from them due to the high cost of housing.

They, or people they know, sometimes struggle with bills and they may be concerned about helping children or grandchildren into home ownership.


Support for house building in their local area is very low, particularly for social rented housing, but also for housing to buy.

They believe that housing will impact on local community services such as schools and GPs. They may also be concerned about the impact on roads and transport and that the design will fail to be in keeping with the area.


This group are opinionated and not afraid of expressing their objection to, and support for, appropriate planning applications.

They are likely to be active in the local community. On the whole, concerns over the impacts of new housing on the local area lead to opposition. Addressing these concerns could enable some to see the benefits of new housing for future generations, especially in relation to people they know who are struggling.




4% rent privately











About this groupThis group are mainly wealthy families with mortgages, but also include some empty nesters and better-off retired couples, and tend to be aged between 40 and 65 years old. They generally earn a high income, successfully juggling managerial and professional occupations and families. They live in established suburbs, new housing developments around commuter towns, villages and rural areas.

While they are not keen on new homes being built locally, many can see the impacts of high housing costs on some families, even if not on their own, a concern that shows why they sometimes respond positively to planning applications.

Key demographicsHousing type Detached and semi-detached houses and bungalows with three or more bedrooms.

Transport One or two cars, with the majority driving to work.

Environmental views A mix of ‘Enthusiastic Greens’ seeing themselves as more environmentally friendly than others, and the people most desirous of a green lifestyle and ‘Waste not Want not’ who are not environmentally motivated, with more of a generational desire to avoid waste and a concern for the countryside.

Newspaper readershipRead the Daily Mail and The Sun. They are very likely to be interested in local news and will read their local free paper regularly, while also purchasing other local newspapers.


Likelihood to oppose housing development: Not likely





8.8%Tailored communication insights


1. Local services and community facilities will suffer. ‘We are working with the developer to look at ways that the development can enhance local services and community facilities so it adds value to our community.’

‘That’s why it’s vital we get your views on the improvements to local services and facilities you want to see.’

2. There will be an impact on roads and transport. ‘It’s really important that our new development doesn’t cause congestion on our roads. That’s why we want to ensure – with your support – that the developer finds the solutions to keep our roads clear.’

3. The next generation may not be able to afford decent housing.

‘We are working to make this development one where young people and families can have access to a home they can afford. This will make the community more inclusive; enabling future generations to buy their own decent home, with less struggle.’




50.7%

Mail 45.3%

Telephone 32.3%

Email 10.5%

Face to face 4.4%


16.5%




Engagement planningTone and stylenn Tone – friendly.

nn Use clearly presented statistics to justify the need for more housing.

nn Include case studies of local families currently unable to access affordable housing in the area.

Advertising options They notice adverts while driving – on buildings and at the roadside, on buses and petrol pumps, as well as in supermarkets. They pay most attention to adverts on television, in cinemas, newspapers and magazines.


Category 2: Urban Prosperity

Category 2

These are well-educated and mostly prosperous people living in our major towns and cities. They include both older wealthy people living in the most exclusive parts of London and other cities, and highly educated younger professionals. This category also includes some well-educated but less affluent individuals, such as students and graduates in their first jobs.

They live in a mix of larger houses and converted flats, suburban houses and apartments and rented flats.







2.1% Fairly high Fairly high l






5.9% Fairly low Average l

Aspiring Singles (2F)





3.8% Fairly low Average l

Key

High lMedium lLow l


Category 2


Those yet to own their home have a high aspiration for home ownership, but feel that this may take some time.Homeowners in this group are only motivated to move for a bigger house or a new job. They feel the next generation will struggle to afford to buy a home and expect to help their children with housing costs.

They are relatively supportive of affordable housing, because they are concerned that their children and grandchildren may struggle to buy their first home – however they are likely to be financially able to help with housing costs, so affordable housing is not a major concern.


This group are supportive of plans for large-scale development, with general positivity towards social rented and affordable homes to buy, but do not want any homes built in their local area.

They do not want people from outside the area moving in, have concerns about the impact new developments will have on infrastructure and, as many of them have large mortgages, are concerned that their house price will be affected.


They are more likely to oppose a local planning application than they are to support one, but there is no evidence to suggest that they have ever actively done so.

They have lived in the area for a while and are likely to be active in the local community. They believe that any new housing should be in keeping with the area and could oppose planning applications they think are not well-designed.




12% rent privately











About this groupThese well-educated people tend to be the most prosperous living in our cities. They cover a wide age range, but have a greater likelihood to be in their thirties to early fifties. They are often employed at director/senior managerial level in professional occupations, with higher rates of senior public sector and self-employment. Others are already retired and some work from home. Mortgages tend to be larger, and some in this group are concerned that they may still have to pay their mortgage upon retirement. They tend to be fairly neutral on house building, and are less likely to support it than other urban groups. They are not positive towards social and affordable housing, and may be concerned about house prices and the look of their local area.

Key demographicsHousing type Larger flats, terraced and semi-detached houses, with three or more bedrooms.

Transport More likely to drive than other urbanites, access to public transport poor for an urban area – most use trains to get to work.

Environmental views Predominantly ‘Enthusiastic Greens’, seeing themselves as more environmentally friendly than others, and the people most desirous of a green lifestyle, but those with less time are ‘Patchy Greens’, concerned about climate change but neutral in being environmentally pro-active.

Newspaper readershipRead the Daily Mail, The Telegraph, and The Times. More Guardian and The Independent readers than in most other groups. They are very likely to read their local free newspapers and will also purchase other local newspapers.


Likelihood to oppose housing development: Likely

Likelihood to actively oppose a planning application: Very unlikely







‘We want to work with the developer to make your home a blueprint for the design of new homes.’



3. New housing must be for local people. ‘We will strive for housing that is suitable for a wide range of local residents. We want your views on how new housing can best meet the needs of local people.’




53.5%

Mail 43.3%

Telephone 32.3%

Email 11.5%

Face to face 3.7%


16.8%




Engagement planningTone and stylenn Tone – engaging and discursive.

nn Include photography/images of new designs where possible.

nn Use facts and figures to illustrate key elements such as house prices, rather than general reassurance.

Advertising options They have noticed adverts on buildings and public transport around town. They pay most attention to adverts on television, but are more likely than others to recall adverts in newspapers, magazines and cinemas.


Category 2




28% rent privately











About this groupThese are young, highly qualified people most likely to be aged between 20 and 39 years old. Many of them rent flats in major cities and have not lived in the area long. They work in relatively secure professional and managerial roles, with high disposable incomes. They are more likely than other groups to be newly married, or had their first child. Many in this group aspire to home ownership but do not expect to achieve this aspiration soon, at least not in the area they desire. They are also more likely than others to have delayed having children because they are unable to afford to buy a home. While this group are clearly affected by the lack of affordable homes, and are more supportive than other high-income groups, they tend to take a neutral view on house building in their local area, judging each proposal on its own merits.

Key demographicsHousing type Flats or maisonettes, some small terraced houses.

Transport Extremely good access to, and high use of, public transport, with some walking to work.

Environmental views ‘Enthusiastic Greens’, seeing themselves as more environmentally friendly than others, and the people most desirous of a green lifestyle, with some ‘Patchy Greens’ who are concerned about climate change but neutral in being environmentally pro-active.

Newspaper readershipThere is a greater likelihood than other groups to read the Guardian, The Independent or The Times.


Likelihood to oppose housing development: Average



They aspire to be a homeowner with a mortgage, ideally in three years time, but realistically expect to still be renting, given house prices in their area. Due to their high aspiration for home ownership many believe that they will be a homeowner at some point in the future.

They are likely to be co-habiting or recently married and had their first child. They are also likely to have started a new job. For others in this group there is a likelihood of job loss and divorce or separation. They feel ripped off by their housing costs and many feel that only the children of well-off people will be able to own a home in the future.


This group are more likely than similar higher-income groups to support local house building, including affordable or social housing, but still need to be convinced of the merits of each scheme.

The cost of home ownership means they cannot live as near to family and work as they would like, and many worry that once they own a home, they will be paying a mortgage into their retirement.


They are fairly unlikely to oppose planning applications, but very unlikely to actively support them. They do not really participate in the community, as they lack time to lay down roots in area.

They are more likely to support new housing if it is accompanied by improvements to infrastructure such as public transport and local services such as schools and hospitals, being reassured services would not suffer. The way new housing is designed and looks is important to this group.






1. I will not be able to afford to buy a home for a long time.

‘For some people, homeownership can seem a long way off. Our new development will provide affordable homes to rent and buy, giving local people the opportunity to buy a home.’

‘With your support, we can deliver new housing that gives more local people a chance of home ownership soon.’

2. I want to live nearer my family and my work. ‘We are constantly looking for new development opportunities to enhance housing options and further build strong links with families in our local community.’

‘We also want your views on the transport links that could accompany the development to improve your travel to work.’

3. New housing should be accompanied by facilities and infrastructure.

‘We are working with the developer to look at ways the development can enhance local health and education services so that it adds value to our community.’

‘That’s why it’s vital we get your views on the improvements to these local services you want to see.’




53.5%

Mail 43.3%

Telephone 32.3%

Email 11.5%

Face to face 3.7%


16.8%




Engagement planningTone and stylenn Tone – clear and concise.

nn Include details of pricing of the proposed developments in messaging around affordability.

nn Use eye-catching graphics and imagery and keep text light.

Advertising options They have noticed adverts at public transport hubs, on taxis and on buildings in their local area. They pay most attention to adverts on television, but are more likely than others to recall adverts in newspapers, magazines and cinemas.


Category 2




24% rent privately











About this groupThis group tend to be young and live in urban or suburban locations, frequently around London. There are large numbers of both students and well-qualified young people who have recently finished their studies and started working. Most live in rented flats, although one in four will be a first-time buyer who has stretched their finances to borrow enough to afford the property. Their flats tend to be small and located in basements or above shops and there are some among them sharing larger properties such as terraced houses. This group are likely to be affected by the lack of affordable homes, but tend to be neutral on house building, judging each proposal on its own merits, and are warmer towards social and affordable housing than other similar groups.

Key demographicsHousing type Flats or maisonettes and terraced houses that either have one to two bedrooms or more than five bedrooms in shared households.

Transport Good access to, and use of, public transport, with some walking or cycling to work.

Environmental views ‘Patchy Greens’ who are concerned about climate change but neutral in being environmentally pro-active.

Newspaper readershipThe Sun is the most read paper, but also a high likelihood to read the Guardian or The Independent.

Aspiring Singles (2F)Likelihood to oppose housing development: Average



They aspire to be a homeowner with a mortgage, ideally in three years time, but more realistically expect to still be renting. Due to their high aspiration for home ownership they believe that they will be a homeowner at some point in the future (in 15 to 20 years time).

Those who own are likely to have a high mortgage and sometimes struggle with housing costs, which can cause stress in these households.

They are more than likely to have had a first or subsequent child and also have a high likelihood to have started work for the first time. There is an above average likelihood that they have just got married or moved in with someone.

There is also evidence that some in this group have put off having a child because they cannot afford to buy a home.


This group tend to take a neutral view on house building in their local area, neither supporting or objecting, but have an above average level of support for house building generally. The need for affordable/social housing is recognised by many in this group.

The cost of home ownership means they cannot live as near to family and work as they would like. They may not be satisfied with their current neighbourhood, but do not see themselves being able to afford to live in the area they want to live in.


Fairly likely to oppose planning applications, but very unlikely to actively support them. They do not often engage in the local community as they do not have the time and are not attached to the area, as they have not lived there long.

Could be more supportive if some of the homes will be affordable, recognising that local people cannot afford to buy a home in their area.






1. People like me cannot afford to buy a home in the area.

‘Our new development will provide affordable homes to rent and buy, giving local people and young families the opportunity to buy a home and settle in the community.’

‘With your support, we can deliver new housing that gives more people a chance of home ownership soon.’

2. I want to live near my family and my work. ‘We are constantly looking for new development opportunities to enhance housing options and further build strong links with families in our local community.’


3. I want to live in a better neighbourhood. ‘Our new development is designed to enhance the neighbourhood – and we want your views on what you think would most improve the area you live in – making it a place to work and bring up a family.’




49.3%

Mail 47.0%

Telephone 31.0%

Email 9.5%

Face to face 4.4%


15.6%




Engagement planningTone and stylenn Tone – accessible.

nn Use family based imagery.

nn Include plans/diagrams of local improvements.

Advertising options They have noticed adverts at public transport hubs and on taxis. They pay most attention to adverts on television, but more likely than others to recall adverts in magazines, cinemas and on the radio.


Category 3: Comfortably Off

Category 3

Most people in this category are comfortably off. They may not be wealthy, but they have few financial worries. They represent a range of life stages. Young singles and couples are dominant in some areas, while suburban or semi-rural locations tend to be home to many of the stable families and empty nesters within this category. Comfortably off pensioners form the other main group in this category and mainly live in retirement areas along the coast or in the countryside.

Most people own their own home, with owner-occupation exceeding 80 percent. Most houses are semi-detached or detached.


Starting Out (3G)





3.5% Average Average l






14.9% Fairly high Average l

Settled Suburbia (3I)





5.8% High Fairly high l






3.0% Fairly low Fairly high l

Key

High lMedium lLow l


Category 3


They aspire to be a homeowner, ideally in the near future. They are likely to need to move frequently in the future, as their families grow.

If they have moved recently, they did so because they wanted to live in a better area, to have a home that meets the needs of a new relationship or because they have an opportunity to buy a home or live independently for the first time.


They are fairly unlikely to support government plans for more homes and are not in favour of the council building social housing. They tend to be more supportive of new housing to buy on the open market but there is a low likelihood that they would support the building of these homes locally.

They want any new housing to help them get onto the property ladder and feel that the next generation, perhaps their children, will need more affordable housing. They fear they will still be paying their mortgage at retirement age. Some are not satisfied with their home, and housing costs may prevent them from living as near to family and work as they would like.


They don’t have the time, or strength of feeling to actively oppose or support and have generally low involvement in the local community, though some do show themselves to be likely to participate in local community organisations. Additionally they may have recently moved into the area.

They need reassurance that local services (such as health and education) will not suffer as a result of new housing. They may also be concerned about the impact new housing may have on the environment and, for those that own, on house prices.




14% rent privately











Starting Out (3G)Likelihood to oppose housing development: Likely


About this groupThis group are younger adults starting out in their careers and many are in their twenties and early thirties. Their homes are likely to have either been bought on a first mortgage or are privately rented. The students and young professionals in the group are house or flat sharers. Some will have taken on extra debt to cope with housing costs, and a few may be a couple of months in arrears. Their aspiration for home ownership saw them, more than other groups, take out a mortgage in the years just preceding the recession and, as a result of falling house prices, some may be in negative equity.

This group tend to be neutral or unsupportive of house building, but aspirations to own their own homes are high among the renters, and parents may be concerned about the housing their children will be able to afford in the future.

Key demographics:Housing type Smaller terraced houses with two or three bedrooms, as well as converted and purpose-built flats.

Transport One car, average access to public transport, but low use except trains – as the mix of transport used to get to work.

Environmental views ‘Patchy Greens’ who are concerned about climate change but neutral in being environmentally pro-active.

Newspaper readershipMore likely than others to read the Guardian or The Independent, but Sun and Daily Mail readers predominate. They are likely to read their local free newspaper.






56.5%

Mail 45.8%

Telephone 33.2%

Email 9.8%

Face to face 4.7%


15.3%






1. New housing must be affordable for people like me, and be in a good area.

‘House prices in this area can make homeownership seem a long way off. Our new development will provide new affordable homes, giving people like you the chance to buy a home. Your active support for this development will help ensure we have the opportunity to make our area better for local people.’

2. I want to live near my family and my work. ‘We are constantly looking for new development opportunities to enhance housing options and further build strong links with families in our local community. We want your views on the best way to achieve this.’


3. Local health and education services and facilities will suffer.

‘We are working with the developer to look at ways that the development can enhance local health and education services so it will add value to our community.’

‘That’s why it’s vital we get your views on the improvements to local services you want to see.’

Engagement planningTone and stylenn Tone – aspirational.

nn Include aspirational imagery to bring messages to life, for example a young person receiving the keys to their first home.

nn Include quotes from doctors and teachers to relay health and education message.

Advertising options They have noticed adverts at bus stops and on the outside of buses, at the roadside, on buildings and at supermarkets. They are also more likely to notice adverts at train stations and shopping centres. They pay most attention to adverts on television, and are more likely than others to recall adverts in cinemas and on the internet.


3.5%


Category 3




5% rent privately











About this groupThis group are mainly home-owning families living comfortably with mortgages, with some empty nesters, and are aged between 35 and 60 years old. They generally earn above average incomes and are successfully juggling clerical and lower/middle management jobs (often in the public sector) and families. The older people in this group are just approaching retirement. The group includes a wide range of ethnicities with a higher proportion of people from Asian backgrounds than other groups.

Their recognition that young people will struggle to access the property ladder is an opportunity to engage them in positively supporting house building; something they currently do not do.

Key demographicsHousing type Semi-detached houses with three bedrooms.

Transport One, two or more cars. Driving and other private transport used for work, rather than public transport, access to which tends to be poor.

Environmental views ‘Patchy Greens’ who are concerned about climate change but neutral in being environmentally pro-active, with some ‘Waste Not, Want Nots’, who are not environmentally motivated, with more of a generational desire to avoid waste and a concern for the countryside.

Newspaper readershipMost commonly read papers are The Sun and the Daily Mail, with some reading the Daily Express or Mirror.

Secure Families (3H)Likelihood to oppose housing development: Not likely

Likelihood to actively oppose a planning application: Not likely


If not already a home owner, they have a high aspiration for home ownership. They have a general concern for the next generation’s ability to afford housing, and expect to have to help their children with housing costs.

This group is least likely to have experienced any recent major life events, with only retirement more likely than average.


They are generally neutral towards or unsupportive of house building in the local area. However they do hold slightly more positive views about market housing than they do for social or affordable housing to buy.

They worry that new housing will impact on local infrastructure and services, and that it may negatively affect the value of their home. However, they are aware that their children are likely to live at home longer than they want.


They are slightly more likely than others to actively object to planning applications, and a little less likely to actively support them.

They have lived in the area for a long time, but have an average likelihood to be active in the local community. The impact on infrastructure and local services and the potential for new housing to negatively affect the value of their home are likely to drive them to object.






1. New housing will affect the value of my home. ‘We are working to make this development one where the next generation of young people can have access to a new home they can afford.’

‘With your active support, we can deliver new housing that gives more local people a chance of home ownership in the future.’

2. New housing will impact on local infrastructure and services.

‘We are committed to maintaining the desirability of the area with all new housing – ensuring it is a sought-after place where families aspire to live.’


‘We are working with the developer to look at ways that the development can enhance local infrastructure and services so that it will add value to our community.’

‘That’s why it’s vital we get your views on the improvements to local infrastructure and services you want to see.’




49.5%

Mail 45.9%

Telephone 34.0%

Email 8.8%

Face to face 4.8%


17.0%




Engagement planningTone and stylenn Tone – respectful.

nn Relate affordability messages to their own experience, for example their children may find it difficult to get on the property ladder.

nn Use real images of the local area – show you know it as well as they do.

Advertising options They have noticed adverts in supermarkets, posters at shopping centres and on petrol pump nozzles. They pay most attention to adverts on television, in magazines and newspapers.


Category 3




4% rent privately












Their main aspirations are for themselves to have enough money to meet their housing costs and other essential bills, now and in the future.

They are already where they want to be on the property-owning ladder. Moving into retirement, they want to have the finances to meet their commitments and pay their bills.


They tend to be either neutral to or against large scale house building, but do show some support for new local homes to buy, as well as social housing.

They want to see more affordable housing for locals, but at the same time are concerned that new housing will impact on local services, infrastructure and community facilities.


They are slightly more likely than others to actively object to planning applications, and a little less likely to actively support them.

They have lived in the area a long time and are fairly likely to be actively involved in the local community. They are concerned that new housing will impact on the value of their home.

Settled Suburbia (3I)Likelihood to oppose housing development: Not likely


About this groupThis group are mainly older empty nesters and retired couples aged 50 to 85-plus years old, who generally feel secure about their future. They feel comfortable with their financial position, and recognise this may change in years to come, but as they are not high spenders, economic changes should be manageable. Their focus tends to be around retirement and ensuring stability. They are approaching the end of their mortgages having lived in their homes for many years, and have few housing worries. They tend to be neutral towards or unsupportive of local house building, but reassurances that address their concerns can increase their support. Some know people who have experienced the impacts of high housing costs, which could see them be sympathetic towards affordable housing, especially for local people.

Key demographics: Housing type Semi-detached houses and bungalows with two or three bedrooms.

Transport One or two cars, used to get to work. Poor access to, and low use of, public transport.

Environmental views Predominantly ‘Waste Not, Want Not’ who are not environmentally motivated, with more of a generational desire to avoid waste and a concern for the countryside, with some who are ‘Patchy Greens’, concerned about climate change but neutral in being environmentally pro-active.

Newspaper readershipRead The Sun, the Daily Mail, the Mirror and the Daily Express. They are very likely to be interested in local news and are very likely to read their local free newspaper, while also purchasing other local newspapers. They will also read free newspapers that are delivered to their home. They believe what’s in their local newspaper more than national news and are likely to have a similar view of local radio.






1. New housing will affect the value of my home. ‘We will work with the developer to ensure that the design of new housing is in keeping with the surrounding area.’

‘We know that desirable developments in keeping with the area will have a positive effect on local house prices – as people will aspire to live here.’

2. Local services and community facilities will suffer. ‘We are working with the developer to look at ways that the development can enhance local services and community facilities so it adds value to our community.’


3. New local developments should provide more affordable housing.

‘Housing that is within the financial means of more families will provide future security and certainty. Our new development will aim to give local people access to a home they can afford, now and in the future.’




37.9%

Mail 46.7%

Telephone 36.4%

Email 7.2%

Face to face 4.9%


19.1%




Engagement planningTone and stylenn Tone – consultative.

nn Provide an FAQ style format to address key issues and concerns.

nn Present information personally and from a named contact.

Advertising options They have noticed adverts while driving and at supermarkets. They pay most attention to adverts on television, and are slightly more likely than others to recall adverts in magazines.


Category 3




13% rent privately











About this groupComfortably off, this group is most often found in seaside towns around the country. There are many pensioners over 75, as well as younger retired people. They have a strong attachment to their local area, having lived there for a long time.

This group see a role for the council in providing affordable homes for future generations. They believe that new housing must benefit local people.

Key demographics: Housing type Flats (converted or low-rise purpose-built), retirement homes and holiday homes, with one or two bedrooms.

Transport Most have a car, those that work drive, walk or work from home.

Environmental views ‘Waste Not, Want Not’ who are not environmentally motivated, with more of a generational desire to avoid waste and a concern for the countryside, with some who are ‘Patchy Greens’, concerned about climate change but neutral in being environmentally pro-active.

Newspaper readershipRead the Daily Mail and The Sun, but broadsheet readership is more common than other groups. They are likely to purchase their local newspaper.





They are settled, but some want housing to be affordable for future generations.

Many have grandchildren and some may have thought about using their own savings and investments to assist them in to home ownership. They see a role for the council in providing affordable housing.


While they tend to be neutral on house building, many do recognise the need for affordable housing for future generations.

They think that future generations will be unlikely to afford to buy a home and think that home ownership should not just be for the children of well-off families. They would be more likely to support new housing if it was well-designed, didn’t damage the environment and improved the local area.


They are unlikely to have actively opposed or supported a planning application despite being slightly more likely than others to be active in community or voluntary work.

They are highly likely to engage with the local community and may volunteer locally. They would be more likely to support a development if the homes were for local people, as they have lived in the area a long time. They want reassurance that community facilities won’t be affected, and want new housing to be well-designed.






1. Local health services and community facilities will suffer and the area will go downhill.

‘We are working with the developer to look at ways the development can enhance local services, including health services, so that it adds value to our community.’


2. New housing should be for local people. ‘We want your views on how the development can best meet the housing needs of local people, especially young local families that are struggling to afford to buy a home in the area.’


‘We are working to make this development one where the next generation of young people can have access to a new home they can afford.’

‘With your active support, we can deliver new housing that gives more local people a chance of home ownership in the future.’




44.3%

Mail 47.4%

Telephone 34.2%

Email 8.2%

Face to face 3.4%


17.4%




Engagement planningTone and stylenn Tone – reassuring.

nn Provide direct quotes and comments from a range of local sources.

nn Include case studies of local young families unable to access affordable housing.

Advertising options They have noticed adverts on the inside and outside of buses, and at bus stops. They pay most attention to adverts in magazines, newspapers and on television.


Category 4: Moderate Means

Category 4

This category contains much of what used to be the industrial heartlands of Britain. In the better-off areas, incomes are in line with the national average. However in other areas, where levels of educational qualifications are low, incomes fall below the national average. There are also some pockets of unemployment and long-term illness. This category includes some neighbourhoods with high concentrations of Asian families on low incomes.

Most housing is terraced, with two or three bedrooms and largely owner occupied. It includes many former council houses, bought by their tenants in the 1980s.







1.5% Average Fairly low l






4.6% Fairly high Fairly low l






7.7% Average Fairly low l

Key

High lMedium lLow l


Category 4




15% rent privately











About this groupA young group with moderate means, and more likely to live in larger family units with young children, this group have close experience of the problems the lack of affordable housing can cause. The majority are homeowners with a mortgage, but renting from housing associations and private landlords is common. With a mix of high unemployment, large families and low income routine manual jobs, a large proportion of this group find their financial situation difficult.

There are aspirations to own among the renters, and they are concerned about the housing their children will be able to afford. They are among the most likely to support house building of all groups.

Key demographicsHousing type Majority terraced with three or more bedrooms.

Transport One or no car, good access to, and high use of, public transport, some walking to work.

Environmental views ‘Family First’, and deemed to be slightly less likely than average to recycle paper, glass and tins and also ‘Unconcerned’, having little or no concern for the environment.

Newspaper readershipRead the Mirror and The Sun. They believe what’s in their local newspaper more than national news and are likely to have a similar view of local radio.


Likelihood to oppose housing development: Very likely

Likelihood to actively oppose a planning application: Average


If they have not got on the property ladder, they have a strong aspiration for home ownership, although this may be longer term. Those with mortgages are more likely than others to be in negative equity and may struggle if interest rates rise.

They are likely to be experiencing changes in the size of their families and their needs, and they aspire to housing that is larger and can accommodate their changing circumstances.


This group support government plans for more housing, wanting new social homes and homes to buy in their communities.

They feel new housing is needed now to help local people living in poor quality, overcrowded housing and struggling with their finances.


They are more likely than others to support planning applications and very unlikely to oppose them – but are unlikely to give active support, being fairly unlikely to be active in the local community.

They will be more likely to support plans which improve the local area, by bringing new facilities such as leisure centres. They may need reassurance over the strain on local services such as GPs and schools.






1. The council should provide more new housing to buy and housing that can be rented so I can improve my situation.

‘We are committed to providing new affordable homes to rent and buy that are suitable for a wide range of local residents. We want your views and active support on how we can best make this possible.’

2. Local people need new affordable housing, especially young people.

‘Young people increasingly need help to access their first home. With your support we can ensure that the new development gives young local people the opportunity to afford a home and stay in the local community.’

3. New developments should bring additional community facilities, and not put a strain on local health and education services.

‘New developments should bring improvements to our local area. We want your views on how the new development can improve the leisure facilities and the local health and education services in the area.’




38.4%

Mail 49.3%

Telephone 29.3%

Email 8.1%

Face to face 8.0%


17.4%




Engagement planningTone and stylenn Tone – positive.

nn Use messages in the context of benefits to families rather than individuals.

nn Include case study examples to illustrate this point.

Advertising options They have noticed adverts on and around public transport and at shopping centres and supermarkets. They pay most attention to adverts on television, and are more likely than others to recall adverts in magazines and on the internet.


Category 4




6% rent privately











About this groupThis group are a combination of skilled older families and young working families, who are likely to work in office, clerical or retail jobs, predominantly between 40 and 49 years old, with some in their thirties.

A high proportion took out a mortgage just before the recession, and with higher loan to value ratios and falling house prices, some are likely to be in negative equity. They are very concerned about high house prices, and think that only children of well-off families will be able to get a foot on the housing ladder.

Key demographics: Housing type Terraced with three bedrooms.

Transport One car, use public transport and walk to get to work.

Environmental views ‘Family First’, and deemed to be slightly less likely than average to recycle paper, glass and tins and also ‘Unconcerned’, having little or no concern for the environment.

Newspaper readershipRead The Sun, the Mirror and the Daily Mail. They are highly likely to read their local free newspaper.



Likelihood to actively oppose a planning application: Likely


If not already a homeowner, they aspire to owning a home in the long term (15 to 20 years time). They hope that their children can afford a home in a better area.

They are very concerned about high house prices, and think that local people cannot afford to buy a home. They feel that in some areas only the children of well-off families will be able to afford to buy a home. They are concerned about how their own children will afford decent housing in a good area.


This group are more likely to agree than disagree with government plans for new housing, they are fairly positive towards social and affordable housing and see the council having a role in providing these and homes to buy.

They may not be satisfied with their home or area and only want to move locally. They may have recently experienced job loss or redundancy.


They are fairly unlikely to oppose planning applications and fairly likely to support them, but this does not appear to be active support, as they are fairly unlikely to engage in the local community.

They are likely to have some concerns over new housing especially in relation to whether it will be affordable and for local people. They also have concerns about how local services will cope. If these are overcome, and they are convinced that new housing would improve the area and bring better community facilities with it, they may support local house building.






1. House prices are far too high for local people to afford. ‘Local house prices put home ownership out of the reach of many people. The new development we’re proposing is an opportunity for local families to access a new home that they can afford. Make your support for this development known.’

2. I am not satisfied with my home or local area but can’t afford to move to a better area.

‘The new development offers local families the opportunity of a brand new home. It will also help to make the local area one that all families aspire to live in. Let the community know how much you support this new development.’

3. New housing will bring improvements to the local area, including better community facilities.

‘We want your views on how the new development can improve community facilities and make the area a better place to live. Get your friends and neighbours involved.’




49.9%

Mail 46.0%

Telephone 32.7%

Email 8.9%

Face to face 5.9%


19.7%




Engagement planningTone and stylenn Tone – frank.

nn Include house price statistics to underline the need for development.

nn Style should focus on facts and images rather than dense text.

Advertising options They have noticed adverts at bus stops, on buses, at supermarkets and on roadsides and buildings. They pay most attention to adverts on television.


Category 4




10% rent privately











About this groupThis group consists mainly of families and retired people, as well as some young singles and lone parents. Employed either in a factory or other manual occupations, as well as a high number of shop workers, they have moderate to low incomes that put their high aspiration for home ownership (for those that don’t already own a home) into the long term.

More than 15% are having difficulties with their housing costs. They are likely to support the council providing new homes to buy, as one in four homeowners in this group are first time buyers. They recognise the need for more affordable housing, without necessarily supporting it in their own locality.

Key demographicsHousing type Terraced, with two or three bedrooms.

Transport One car, use public transport, buses rather than trains or tubes and walk to work.

Environmental views ‘Family First’ – who are slightly less likely than average to recycle paper, glass and tins, some who are ‘Unconcerned’, and have little or no concern for the environment.

Newspaper readershipRead The Sun, the Daily Mail and the Mirror. They are likely to read their local free newspaper and will also purchase other local papers.





If not already a homeowner, they in reality see themselves getting on the housing ladder in 15 to 20 years time, but would ideally like to do so in three years time.

They have high aspirations for home ownership and may have recently married or moved in with someone. There is also a likelihood that they have experienced divorce or relationship breakdown or have lost a job – issues that may require alternative housing arrangements.


This group tend to be neutral on new housing, but do recognise the need for more affordable housing, but do not necessarily want it in their local area.

They are concerned about how their children and grandchildren will be able to afford decent housing, in a better area. They think that local people cannot afford to buy a home, and feel restricted by high house prices.


This group are fairly unlikely to oppose planning applications and are more likely than others to support them, but this may not be active as they are fairly unlikely to engage in the local community.

They may be dissatisfied with the area they live in, and some feel unsafe, and many are struggling with housing costs and other bills.






1. House prices are far too high for me to buy in my local area.

‘Local house prices put home ownership out of the reach of many couples and families. That’s why your council is committed to providing new affordable homes to rent and buy. We can only make this possible with your support.’

2. High house prices are preventing other local people from buying a home.

‘The affordable homes in this new development will let friends, family and neighbours buy homes close together, keeping our community strong.’

‘We want your views on how new housing can best meet the needs of local people.’

3. The local area needs some improvement. ‘We want your views on how the new development can improve the area, perhaps bringing new infrastructure and community facilities. Get your friends and neighbours actively involved.’




44.5%

Mail 47.3%

Telephone 34.5%

Email 7.0%

Face to face 6.0%


15.5%




Engagement planningTone and stylenn Tone – empowering.

nn Include aspirational imagery to bring messages to life, eg someone receiving the keys to their first home.

nn Provide images/diagrams to represent improvements to the local area.

Advertising options They have noticed adverts at bus stops, on buses, at supermarkets and on roadsides and buildings. They pay most attention to adverts on television.


Category 5: Hard Pressed

Category 5

The category contains the poorest areas in the UK. There are a large number of single-adult households, including many single pensioners and lone parents. In some neighbourhoods there are high numbers of black and Asian residents. Unemployment is well above the national average. Household incomes are low and there are high levels of long-term illness in some areas.

Housing is a mix of low-rise estates, with terraced and semi-detached houses and purpose-built flats, including high-rise blocks. Properties tend to be small and there is a lot of overcrowding. More than 50 percent of housing is rented from the council or a housing association.







13.0% Low Low l






4.2% Low Low l






1.6% Low Low l






2.0% Fairly low Fairly low l

Key

High lMedium lLow l


Category 5




5% rent privately











About this groupThis group are mainly low-income families living in traditional estates of terraced and semi-detached homes. Some estates contain high numbers of single parents, while others contain older families, some in poor health. They work in manual and routine occupations, and there are high unemployment levels, often with recent redundancy. They are often struggling to get by financially, with a significant proportion of their income coming from a range of social benefits.

Some have bought their houses, but they have a high borrowing rate to home value, and many may be in negative equity. This experience may contribute to their positive attitude towards affordable and social housing, however it is more likely that this is the view of those in this group already living in an affordable home, as there is an indication that they want one for their children.

Key demographicsHousing type Terraced and semi-detached houses with two or three bedrooms.

Transport One (or no) car. Fairly good access to public transport, but buses used more than trains when travelling to work.

Environmental views ‘Passive Spectators’ who will agree that there are environmental issues to be faced, but will not have strong opinions on the matter.

Newspaper readershipRead The Sun and the Mirror. They believe what’s in their local newspaper more than national news.





They aspire to manage their own housing costs to avoid the stressful family arguments these can cause. Some aspire to home ownership in the long term, but many feel this will never be possible.

They feel new homes provide the opportunity for the next generation to access a home they can afford. The high cost of housing may mean they are unable to live near their family and they may feel unhappy and unsafe in their home and the local area.


This group are very likely to support house building and are positive about social and affordable housing, supporting their delivery in the local area.

This group recognise that a new major housing development will provide more housing for local people, as well as an opportunity to improve local infrastructure and services. However, they are concerned about new people moving into the area at the expense of local people. Some have experienced a relationship breakdown or lost a job – both of which may make the need for affordable housing greater.


This group are highly unlikely to oppose a local planning application. They are more likely than others to support plans, but may not feel they have the time or voice to be active – they are also unlikely to be active in the local community.

They think new homes could bring improvements to the local area and may bring opportunities to improve the housing of families like theirs.






1. New developments will provide affordable housing for me and my children.

‘Affordable housing can provide a secure and stable home for families and couples like you. We want to build more homes like these and are aiming to do that in our new development. We need your support to ensure these homes get built.’

2. Services and facilities will be improved for local people to benefit.

‘We want your views on how the new development can best improve the area, bringing new services and community facilities that local families can benefit from.’

3. New housing should be aimed at local people. ‘We strive for housing that is suitable for a wide range of local residents. We want your views on how new housing can best meet the needs of local families.’




38.6%

Mail 47.2%

Telephone 35.1%

Email 6.4%

Face to face 6.4%


17.3%




Engagement planningTone and stylenn Tone – motivational.

nn Include quotes from a range of different sources to show the opportunities the development could provide.

nn Focus on family benefits eg improved facilities will enable the family to spend more free time together locally at parks/libraries.

Advertising options They have noticed adverts at bus stops, on buses, on large buildings and at supermarkets or shopping centres. They pay most attention to adverts on television and in newspapers.


Category 5


Home ownership is an aspiration for those not already owning their home, but not considered possible in the short term. For the foreseeable future they expect to continue renting but are likely to be unhappy with their home and area.

They see house building as a possible route to home ownership in the future or as a way of improving their short-term housing situation.

They may feel unsafe in their current home or area.


This group supports government plans for house building, wanting to see the council provide more social housing in their local area. While they also support more houses to buy locally, they don’t see this as something that the council should provide.

They feel they will never be able to afford to buy in their area and will be forced to continue to rent – they often struggle to pay bills and housing costs and are not satisfied with their current home or area. They are likely to feel strongly that new housing should be for local people.


They are very unlikely to oppose planning applications but only an average likelihood that they’ll support them and fairly unlikely that they’ll do this actively – especially as they are fairly unlikely to engage in the local community.

They see new housing as an opportunity to improve community services, facilities and infrastructure but are unlikely to engage locally unless they can see direct benefit to them and their housing situation.




6% rent privately











About this groupThis urban group are characterised by high numbers of single adults across a wide age range. Those who work are employed in routine manual and retail occupations, but with high numbers of pensioners and single parents, the overall level of household income is very low. They are likely to have divorced or separated, perhaps lost a job, and there is a clear sense that this group struggle with their housing costs and bills.

They are supportive of house building, but consider themselves unlikely to be able to afford to buy a home in their area. Their aspiration to home ownership, though long term, could motivate them to support housing development, if inspired to do so in a way that works for them.

Key demographicsHousing type Purpose-built flats or small terraced houses.

Transport Buses and walking are common for getting to work – car ownership is low in this group.

Environmental views A mix of ‘Passive Spectators’ who will agree that there are environmental issues to be faced, but will not have strong opinions on the matter and ‘Not our Problem’, for whom the effects of climate change are perceived as being too far in the future to have any direct personal impact.

Newspaper readershipRead The Sun and the Mirror. They believe what’s in their local newspaper more than national news and are likely to have a similar view of local radio.









‘Your council is committed to providing new affordable homes to rent and buy because we want more local homes to be in the reach of those who have struggled to buy their own home. We can only make this possible with your support.’

2. New housing should be for local people. ‘We are constantly looking for new development opportunities to enhance housing options and further build strong links with the local community.’

‘We want your views on how the development can best meet the housing needs of local people. Get your friends and neighbours involved.’

3. The local area needs significant improvement. ‘Tell us how the new development can improve the area, perhaps bringing new services and community facilities that local people can benefit from. We want to make this area one that local people are proud to live in.’




33.7%

Mail 48.6%

Telephone 34.5%

Email 5.6%

Face to face 6.7%


16.5%




Engagement planningTone and stylenn Tone – upbeat.

nn Talk directly – use ‘you’ and ‘your home/area’.

nn Include quotes and comments from local ‘people like them’.

Advertising options They have noticed adverts at bus stops and on buses, as well as on large screens in shopping centres. They pay most attention to adverts on television and in newspapers.


4.2%


Category 5




8% rent privately











About this groupThis group live in relatively deprived neighbourhoods, containing some of the UK’s highest levels of unemployment and long-term illness. The majority are older people, especially over 65s, and as such there are fewer children in this group overall. Those younger and in work are likely to be employed in manual and factory jobs or work in shops. But with high levels of unemployment among this group, benefits for just under half the group provide a significant contribution to their incomes.

While the majority rent their accommodation, the younger people within this group have a long-term aspiration to buy a home and are supportive of housing developments containing social housing and affordable homes to buy.

Key demographicsHousing type Purpose-built flats with one or two bedrooms.

Transport Walk, use buses.

Environmental views A mix of ‘Passive Spectators’ who will agree that there are environmental issues to be faced, but will not have strong opinions on the matter, and ‘Not our Problem’, for whom the effects of climate change are perceived as being too far in the future to have any direct personal impact.

Newspaper readershipRead The Sun and the Mirror. They are very likely to be interested in local news and believe what’s in their local newspaper more than national news.





Home ownership is an aspiration for those not already owning their home, but not considered possible for at least 15 to 20 years. Realistically they expect to continue renting for the immediate future.

They see house building as a possible route to home ownership in the future. In the shorter term, new affordable housing could help them to improve their own housing situation.


This group support government plans for house building, wanting to see the council provide more social housing and homes to buy in their local area.

They feel they will never be able to afford to buy in their area and will be forced to continue to rent – they often struggle to pay bills and housing costs and are not satisfied with their current home or area with many feeling unsafe. They want to live near family, and are keen that new housing is for local people.


They are very unlikely to oppose planning applications but only an average likelihood that they’ll support them. It is fairly unlikely that they’ll do this actively, especially as they are fairly unlikely to engage with the local community.

They see new housing as an opportunity to improve community services, facilities and infrastructure but are unlikely to engage locally.







‘Local house prices put home ownership out of the reach of many families and local people. That’s why your council is committed to providing new affordable homes to rent and buy. We can only make this possible with your support.’

2. New housing should be for local people. ‘We are constantly looking for new development opportunities to enhance housing options and further build strong links in our local community.’

‘We want your views on how the development can best meet the housing needs of local people. Get your friends and neighbours involved.’

3. The local area needs significant improvement. ‘The new development is an opportunity to improve the area, bringing new services and community facilities that local people can benefit from. This is our chance to create an area we can all be proud of and we want your views on how we can best do this.’




30.5%

Mail 49.5%

Telephone 32.9%

Email 6.6%

Face to face 5.4%


13.7%




Engagement planningTone and stylenn Tone – open.

nn Provide graphics to show improvements.

nn Include a range of positive images of people representative of the local area.

Advertising options They have noticed adverts at bus stops, on buses, in pubs and clubs and on large screens in shopping centres. They pay most attention to adverts on television.


Category 5




13% rent privately











About this groupThis group tend to live in densely populated urban areas with a young, multi-ethnic population, primarily in and around London and are between 20 and 40 years old. Unemployment levels are almost double the national average and those that work are employed in routine, manual occupations. There is also a significant student population. A few will have purchased their home and some may have bought in more recent recessionary times and could be in negative equity. Recently, some office and public sector workers may have moved into their area.

While the majority rent their accommodation, they have a long-term aspiration to buy a home of their own and support housing developments containing social housing and affordable homes to buy.

Key demographicsHousing type Small purpose-built flats with one or two bedrooms.

Transport Walking, buses, with the majority not having a car.

Environmental views A mix of ‘Passive Spectators’ who will agree that there are environmental issues to be faced, but will not have strong opinions on the matter and ‘Not our Problem’, for whom the effects of climate change are perceived as being too far in the future to have any direct personal impact.

Newspaper readershipRead The Sun and the Mirror.





Home ownership is an aspiration for those not already owning their home, but not considered possible for at least 15 to 20 years. Realistically they expect to continue renting for the immediate future.

There is a likelihood that their circumstances will have recently changed with them being newly married or divorced, started or lost a job, or had a child.


This group are among the most likely to support house building and want the council to provide more social housing and homes to buy in their local area.

They feel they will never be able to afford to buy in their area and will be forced to continue to rent. They believe that only the children of well-off families will be able to afford to buy a home. They often experience stress over housing costs and are not satisfied with their current home or area. They are keen that new housing is for local people.


They are very unlikely to oppose planning applications but only an average likelihood that they’ll support them, but could be motivated to do so actively as they are fairly likely to engage in their community.

They see new housing as an opportunity to improve community services and facilities and this may increase their likelihood to support planning applications, if motivated to do so. If their concerns about local services ability to cope are overcome, their sense of community may be a route into active support for affordable house building.






1. Local services will suffer and not be able to cope. ‘We are working with the developer to look at ways that the development can enhance local services so it will add value to our community.’

‘That’s why it’s vital we get your views on the improvements to local services you want to see.’

2. The local area needs significant improvement. ‘Young families and local residents need a good and stable area to live and grow up in. The new development is an opportunity for us to create an area that local people are proud to live in. Tell us how we can improve your area, perhaps what new community services and facilities you would like to see.’

3. I will never be able to afford to buy a home in this area. ‘Local house prices have made it difficult for young families and single people to buy their own home. We are committed to providing new affordable homes to rent and buy so that more local people have the chance to own their own home. We can only make this possible with your active support.’




40.6%

Mail 46.2%

Telephone 29.9%

Email 10.2%

Face to face 6.6%


15.6%




Engagement planningTone and style nn Tone – straightforward.

nn Use pictures alongside comments from other similar areas to show how local people have benefited from development.

nn Provide a Q&A to clearly address issues and concerns.

Advertising options They have noticed adverts at bus stops, on buses, on roadsides and buildings, and on large screens in shopping centres. They pay most attention to adverts on television.


Sources

nn Public attitudes to housing affordability, 2010, commissioned by National Housing Planning and Advice Unit (NHPAU), fieldwork by YouGov. (sample: 2090)

nn Public attitudes to housing affordability, 2009, commissioned by NHPAU, fieldwork by YouGov. (sample: 2023)

nn Omnibus survey question: ‘Which three, if any, of the following would make you more supportive of more homes being built in your local area?’, 2011, commissioned by Shelter, fieldwork by YouGov. (sample: 2067)

nn Lifestages and housing affordability, 2009, commissioned by Shelter, fieldwork by YouGov. (sample: 5438)

nn Breaking Point, 2008, commissioned by Shelter, fieldwork by YouGov. (sample: 5609)

nn Survey of English Housing, 2001-21, commissioned by Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), managed by Office for National Statistics. (sample: 29,708)

The rankings and colour codes for likelihood to disagree with house building (1) and actively oppose planning applications (2) were calculated by:

(1) Combining ACORN classification data with a range of responses from four surveys on national and local house building, private and social. The ACORN groups were ranked according to their index for these five combined questions, and split into five groups accordingly, from high to low.

(2) Responses from the NHPAU survey (2010) on active opposition to planning applications were combined with ACORN Knowledge survey data on the likelihood of involvement in local community or voluntary activity. It was necessary to combine these questions due to the very low proportion of the population that actively opposes (or supports) planning applications – the NHPAU survey alone did not give a sample size large enough to draw conclusions at group level.

These results were ranked and coded in a similar way to general disagreement with house building.

Finally, a colour code was assigned to each group to reflect the combined results of these two analyses – likelihood to disagree with house building in general, and to actively oppose it. Simple ‘traffic light’ colour coding was used with the groups with the highest levels of disagreement and active opposition in red, those with the least in green, and those in between amber.

The findings in Shelter Housing Insights for Communities are often drawn from combinations of similar questions across the surveys listed. It is important to note that the findings are interpretations of survey results and combinations of results and should therefore be treated as a guide to the views and motivations of the groups concerned, rather than a set of statistical results. Some examples of individual results are contained in the Shelter Housing Knowledge download at shelter.org/housinginsights

Copies of all questionnaires and datasets commissioned by Shelter are available on request by contacting [email protected]. Data can be provided in SPSS or Excel format, but if you intend to publish anything using the data, permission must be granted from Shelter and YouGov.

The Survey of English Housing dataset is available through the Essex University Data Archive and accessible with a password.

NHPAU are no longer operational and we do not have permission to release the full results or data set from the NHPAU surveys, but the 2010 Public Attitudes to Housing report can be downloaded from communities.gov.uk

1 This is the most recent publicly available S.E.H dataset with ACORN fields.

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More than one million people a year come to us for advice and support via our website, helplines and national network of services. We help people to find and keep a home in a place where they can thrive, and tackle the root causes of bad housing by campaigning for new laws, policies, and solutions.

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