BEECH HOUSING ASSOCIATION: WHO ARE OUR TENANTS? A Tenant Profiling Report for BHA

BEECH HOUSING ASSOCIATION: WHO ARE OUR TENANTS? A Tenant Profiling Report for BHA

BEECH HOUSING ASSOCIATION: WHO ARE OUR TENANTS? A Tenant Profiling Report for BHA (as at 06/10/09) 1.1 Introduction In order to effectively target and promote our services to our customers it is essential that we have a good understanding of who our tenants are, both those who have been with us for many years and those who have only just let a property with us. This report provides a brief demographic profile of Beech tenants (both overall and for new lettings, evictions and for tenants in arrears) and presents demographic data for the key areas of Beech stock (beyond the tenant base) along with projections for areas such as population, deprivation and health. 1.2 Demographic profile of BHA tenants Figure 1 presents a demographic profile of Beech tenants (those with sole/primary or joint tenancies). All percentages are rounded to the nearest whole number and are calculated as a proportion of those tenants for whom we have accurate data for (with the exception of disability where this would inaccurately bias the results as data has been positively sought in this area (for those suspected to have a disability)). Data is also displayed in graphical format. This shows that: -Beech has a similar proportion of male and female tenants. -The average tenant is aged around 62.2 (compared to an average age of 50 for Adactus and 53 for CCH). -Almost all (92%) identify themselves as White with only a minority BME (6%). -Most have lived in their property 1-4 years and the average tenant has lived in their property around 6 years (compared to around 8 years for Adactus and 9 and a half years for CCH). -Over half are aged 65 or above (not surprising considering 3 in ten tenants live in sheltered property) and, as would be expected, the average age of tenants increases gradually with length of tenancy (i.e. 43.5 for those who ve been a tenant for less than a year vs. 83.5 for those who ve been a tenant more than 21 years). This is most prominent for Beech (vs. Adactus and CCH). -Most of those for indicate they have a disability indicate this affects their mobility (38%). The average tenancy balance is 219 in arrears, similar to AHA and CCH. Three in ten Beech tenants live in sheltered property. The majority of BHA tenants live in the local authorities of Sefton (3), Wigan (15%) and Lancaster (14%).

Figure 1: Demographic profile of BHA tenants (all) Primary and joint tenancies Base / MF split 1365 5 F 47% M (403 shelt / 962 GN) Ave length of tenancy (years) 6.26 years Longest tenancy: 28 years Tenancy lengths (% s) <1yr 1-2yr 3-4 yr 5-6yr 7-8yr 9-10yr 11-15 16-20 21+ 26% 1 5% 12% 8% Average age of tenant * 62.1 16-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65-74 75+ Ages of tenants (% s) * 4% 10% 11% 8% 1 1 34% Ethnicity % s # Non BME BME Refuse 92% 6% 2% Disability (% s) $ Yes No Types Mobility: Hearing: Learning: Speech: Visual: Mental Other: 11% 8 38% 12% 1% 1% 7% 32% No of arrears 500+ 176 (1) NB: Gender data based on 1334 tenants for whom we have title data for. Tenancy length based on full tenancy start data on QL. * Age analyses based on the 878 tenants with accurate date of birth data on QL. # Ethnicity data available for 1058 tenants. Non BME classed as White British, BME classed as all other categories. Data on family status inaccurate so not provided.

Figure 2: Tenancy length (BHA) <1yr 1-2yr 3-4yr 5-6yr 7-8yr 9-10yr 11-15yr 16-20yr 21+ 8% 12% 5% 26% 1 Figure 3: Ages (BHA tenants) 16-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65-74 75+ 4% 10% 34% 11.0% 8.0% 1 1

Figure 4: Ethnic origin (BHA tenants) Non BME BME Refuse 6% 2% 92% Figure 5: Disabilities- breakdown (BHA tenants) Mobility Hearing Learning Speech Visual Mental Other 32% 38% 7% 12% 1% 1%

1.3. Demographic profile for evictions Only 3 Beech tenants have been evicted from their property in the past two years therefore no analysis has been done in this area.

1.4 Demographic profile of tenants in arrears The following table presents a simple demographic profile of BHA tenants in arrears by 500 or more. These tenants generally: 1. Have a slightly shorter tenancy length than BHA tenants as a whole and are most likely to be early on in their tenancy (tenants who have lived in their property 1-4 years). 2. Are most likely to be aged between 35-44 or over 75. The most a single tenant owes is 5616. Figure 7 shows that there is a linear relationship between age and arrears for Beech but that this is not as strong as for Adactus and for CCH where the age distribution of tenants is more wide-ranging. Base Gender split 500+ 176 4 M 51% F Figure 6: Demographic profile of tenants in arrears: 500+ Ave Tenancy lengths Average Ages of tenants length of (% s) age of (% s) * tenancy tenant * (years) 5.7 years Longest tenancy: 18 years <1yr 1-2 3-4 5-6 7-8 9-10 11-15 16-20 21+ 7% 26% 24% 14% 7% 11% 8% - 59.6 years 16-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65-74 75+ 14% 18% 10% 8% 1 34% Ethnicity % s # Non BME BME 91% Disability (% s) $ Yes No Unknown NB: Gender data based on 172 tenants in arrears for whom we have title data for. Tenancy length based on full tenancy start data on QL. * Age analyses based on the 107 tenants in arrears with accurate date of birth data on QL. # Ethnicity data available for 139 tenants. Non BME classed as White British, BME classed as all other categories. $ Disability data available for 19 tenants. 6% 91%

Figure 7: The linear relationship between age and arrears at Beech 70 60 50 63 60 62 61 58 54 Average age 40 30 20 10 0 0-10 11-100 101-500 501-1000 1001-2000 2001+ Arrears value ( )

A random sample of Beech tenants owing 500 or morewas analysed further to determine whether there was any common characteristics these tenants shared with respect to: i)payment method (i.e. to explore whether tenants paying by a certain method were more likely to get in debt) ii)pattern of arrears (i.e. were tenants going in and out of arrears continually or had they simply built up arrears early on and carried these arrears throughout their tenancy for a number of years?). The focus was on the rent owed by the tenant (as opposed to housing benefit cyclical patterns). These tenants differed slightly from those in arrears for the rest of the group in terms of their characteristics: Unlike Adactus and Chorley tenants in arrears (where many had not had a period where they had not been in arrears), some of the Beech tenants had retained a relatively small balance before falling into arrears (appearing to reflect a change of circumstances). Where tenants had agreed/arranged to pay a specific amount each month to clear their debt, they appeared much more compliant with this (and much more likely to make regular payments) than tenants in other parts of the group. However, whilst regular payments were made, these often did not cover the full rent (and so retrospective debt was not cleared and arrears built up, albeit at a slower pace than previously). Prior to payment plans being put in place, payment was sporadic and whilst some of the tenants did pay regularly, this was often not sufficient to cover the full amount. At the time of analysis 32 Beech tenants owed more than 2000. There was a similar proportion of male and female tenants and these were slightly younger (average age 54.4) than Beech tenants as a whole.

Figure 8: Tenancy length (BHA tenants in arrears 500+) <1yr 1-2yr 3-4yr 5-6yr 7-8yr 9-10yr 11-15yr 16-20yr 21+ 0% 8% 7% 11% 7% 26% 14% 24% Figure 9: Ages (BHA tenants in arrears 500+) 16-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65-74 75+ 14% 34% 18% 1 10% 8%

Figure 10: Ethnic origin (BHA tenants in arrears 500+) Non BME BME 91%

1.5 Demographic data for new lettings (past 12 months) The following table presents demographic data for all lets made during the 12 months preceding the analysis (127 new primary and joint tenancies). Most of these new lets were in Sefton. New lets have been made to a similar number of male and female tenants and, as would be expected, tenants coming into Beech stock are significantly younger (43.5 years vs. 62.2 years). Almost two thirds have been aged under 44 and the average tenancy balance for new lets is 201 in arrears. The most a new tenant owes is 2450 (with only 3 owing more than 1k). New lets (6/10/08 06/10/09) 127 Figure 14: Demographic profile of new tenants (lettings made in the past 12 months) Base / MF split 63 M 64 F Average age of tenant * 43.5 years Ages of tenants (% s) * 16-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65-74 75+ 17% 27% 14% 12% 15% 6% Ethnicity % s # Non BME BME 91% Disability (% s) $ Yes No Unknown 3 58% No of arrears 500+ 13 (10%) NB: Gender data based on all new tenants for whom we have title data for. Tenancy length based on full tenancy start data on QL. * Age analyses based on the 124 tenants with accurate date of birth data on QL. # Ethnicity data available for 124 tenants. Non BME classed as White British, BME classed as all other categories. $ Disability data available for 54 tenants.

1.6. Demographic profile of key areas of Beech stock A focus on 2 key areas of stock SEFTON Sefton is one of five districts in Merseyside and, in 2001, the area had a population of 282, 956. The age profile for the Borough is older than for the country as a whole (over 25% of the population is over 60) with a higher concentration of older residents living in the North of the Borough (Birkdale and Southport). Indeed, Sefton has the largest population of over 85 s of any metropolitan in the country (which may have implications for the future direction of Beech housing). The vast majority (96.7%) of residents identify themselves as White although the BME community has grown significantly in recent years through a growing population of migrant workers and asylum seekers (particularly in the North of the Borough). Indeed, last year the council reported that the numbers of National Insurance numbers being given to people coming into Sefton had increased by 187% (well above the national average of 112%). Unemployment in Sefton is significantly higher than for the region and the UK as a whole. Within these figures, over a third are classed as long-term unemployed. Indeed, according to the Indices of Deprivation, Sefton falls within the worst 20% districts for all indicators (particularly for employment deprivation). However, levels of violent crime are relatively low. Sefton is significantly worse than the England average for measures of poor quality housing, binge drinking, alcohol related hospital stays, drug misuse treatment, early deaths due to cancer (especially lung cancer)/respiratory illness and healthy eating. In terms of the health of the residents, alcohol misuse is one of the most significant problems with an estimated 23.4% of adults in Sefton engaging in regular binge drinking (close to regional averages but higher than that for the UK as a whole). Hospital admissions for alcohol related conditions are also high. A recent annual alcohol health check by Sefton Council put the borough at the top end of the national table for alcohol abuse reporting that 22% of the population were hazardous drinkers and more than 400 people in the area were on benefits due to alcohol related problems. This could suggest that community initiatives aimed at raising awareness about moderate alcohol use could be of benefit to residents in the area. It is also estimated that only a fifth of people in Sefton eat 5 or more portions of fruit and vegetables a day, lower than the regional and national average. Around a quarter have a limiting long-term illness which limits their daily activities/the work they do and over 15,000 residents under 65 are in receipt of Disability Living Allowance. WIGAN Wigan currently has a population of 301, 415 (125, 096 households) predicted to rise to 309, 700 by the year 2012. The vast majority are White (98.7%).

One major issue for the area is obesity with the area ranking in the top 20% of districts nationally (28.5% of residents are estimated to be obese vs 20.1% nationally). Similarly, estimates of the proportion who smoke are high with the area ranking in the top 40% nationally and, reflecting these findings, the cancer mortality rate is very high (with the area ranking in the top 20% of districts nationally). This suggests that community initiatives aimed at encouraging smoking cessation and healthier eating amongst tenants could be worthwhile. Another issue for concern is unemployment which is at its highest for almost 10 years (3.5%), higher than both regional (3.2%) and national (2.8%) figures. Indeed, just under a tenth (8.48%) of those who are unemployed have been claiming job seekers allowance for at least 12 months (vs. 6.7 Greater Manchester). However, as over half of Beech tenants are over working age, this is unlikely to have implications for our current tenants (but may have implications for newer tenants particularly as new lettings have been significantly younger). 1.7 Summary The average Beech tenant is significantly older than for AHA and CCH (not surprising considering 3 in 10 tenants live in sheltered property). This is likely to increase as the region becomes older as a whole. Over half are 65 or above. Most have lived in their property around 1-4 years (again with a shorter average tenancy length than AHA / CCH). Only 3 tenants have been evicted in the past 2 years. Most tenants in arrears are aged between 35-44 or over 75. However, the relationship between age and arrears is not as strong as group wide where the age distribution is more wide-ranging. As would be expected new tenants are significantly younger (43.5 v.s 62.2 years). Many of Beech properties are in Sefton which has a high incidence of regular binge drinking / alcohol misuse. This could suggest that community initiatives raising awareness of this issue could be of benefit to our tenants living in the area. Similarly, just over a tenth of the stock is in Wigan which has a particularly high rate of obesity and smoking (which again could be a base for community initiatives). The demographic data for Beech tenants (and for the region as a whole) could be fed into the business plan for BHA and as a foundation for setting up community initiatives amongst tenants. Further profiling (if resourced) is recommended for other areas of service including: Profiling of CRM requests (by request type, area and demographic profile). Profiling of repairs (particularly with the centralisation of the repairs service) both in terms of the number of repairs ordered and the value /average cost of repair (to focus on which stock is most expensive to

maintain/is in a poorer condition/who and what type of tenant is reporting the most repairs? (analysis by dwelling type, demographic profile and management/lettings area). Further profiling of demographics and arrears by tenant group (i.e. sheltered/general needs split) and housing officer patch. Profiling of access to services/nearest GP surgery etc (to provide new and prospective tenants with who have just moved into/are moving into our homes).