Highlights:
Tenure: Owner occupation has risen from 57 per cent of households in 1981 to 71 per cent in 2004. The housing association share of the social sector has risen from 17 per cent in 1994 to 37 per cent in 2004. The proportion of young households (where the main reference person is aged 16-24) who are buying with a mortgage has fallen from 34 per cent in 1991 to 18 per cent in 2004.
Economic activity: Ninety-two per cent of those buying on a mortgage were working compared to only 35 per cent of outright owners. Fifty-eight per cent of outright owners were retired, compared to only 3 per cent of mortgagors. In the private sector 68 per cent of household reference persons were working and 12 per cent retired. In the social rented sector only 31 per cent were in work.
Household type: In 2004, the most common type of household was couples with no dependent children (35 per cent of all households). One person households formed the second largest household type (29 per cent). Twenty-nine per cent of households contained dependent children, of which 22 per cent were couples and 7 per cent lone parents. Nearly half of all lone parents with dependent children were social renters.
Overcrowding: The percentage of overcrowded households across England as a whole is 2.4 per cent. Overcrowding was highest in London (6.1 per cent) and lowest in the South West (1.4 per cent). Overcrowding increases with household size, so for England as a whole 19 per cent of households with five or more members were overcrowded.In London, 31 per cent of households with five or more members were overcrowded.
Ethnicity: In 2004, 7 per cent of households in England were black or minority ethnic (BME), i.e. the household reference person was from a BME group. The percentage of BME households was higher amongst younger households. 13 per cent of households in the 16-24 age group were BME compared with just 2 per cent of households aged 75+.
Disability: The number of individuals in England with a medical condition or disability that required specially adapted accommodation was about 1.4 million. Eighty-eight per cent were aged 45 or over and about half lived in owner-occupied accommodation. Just over three-quarters (77 per cent) lived in accommodation that they rated as suitable. Suitability was highest for those who lived in sheltered accommodation (93 per cent) and those aged 75 or more (over 80 per cent). It was lowest among private renters (67 per cent) and those aged 15 or less (53 per cent).
Access to local amenities: For households without the use of either of a car or van, access to a local hospital was the most problematic in comparison to other services (27 per cent found this "fairly difficult" and 19 per cent "very difficult"). About one-fifth found access to a supermarket or doctor "fairly difficult" or "very difficult". Sixty-five per cent found access to a corner shop "very easy". Severe difficulties accessing these amenities tended to increase with age, most notably among those aged 75 and over. 19 per cent of those aged 75 plus found accessing a local hospital "very difficult", compared with only 7 per cent of those aged 16 to 44. Part 1 can be found at: The ODPM Website
