Survey Says
URBAN LIFE WAVE 06 2009 HIGHLIGHTS
Here are the results from the sixth and final main Urban Life survey of 2009. The winner of the £1,000 prize for this survey was from Essex. The year-end winner of the big £5,000 cheque for completing at least 4 main surveys was from Surrey. They’re planning to put the funds to good use on their fast approaching wedding. Congratulations and best wishes for the big day!
A big thank-you to all Urban Life members for your participation and enthusiasm in 2009. Your views and opinions were gratefully received and always welcome.
Politicians need to focus on the economy
The economy is the most important issue that Urban Life members think politicians should be focusing on to win their vote in this year’s General Election. Crime and anti-social behaviour are your second and third top-priority issues. Heath and immigration are not issues in your top 3, but both grew in importance from when we last asked the question in 2008.
2009: how will it be remembered?
Most of you think 2009 will be remembered as the year of the recession/credit crunch. Michael Jackson’s sudden death in June and the on-going threat and media coverage of swine flu are your second and third predictions for how 2009 will be remembered. MPs expenses scandal and Barrack Obama’s inauguration were also high mentions.
Nurses and care workers should receive higher wages
Two-thirds of Urban Life members think nurses should receive higher wages and were deemed the most deserving profession of a pay increase. Care workers, for the elderly, disabled etc, is your second profession most-deserving of higher wages. As one Urban Life member put it, “nurses and care workers give so much and get so little financial reward back. They should be recognised.” Fire fighters and teachers at both primary and secondary schools make up the rest of your top five.
Money makes the world go round
Urban Life members appear to have intentions to save in 2010; 7 in 10 say they are actively planning to save money in the next 3 months.
7 in 10 Urban Life members rate themselves as financially secure with little or no debt. Of Urban Lifers with any non-mortgage debt, most (65%) are comfortable with the amount of debt they have. 35% say they are uncomfortable with their current level of debt, which increases in line with higher levels of personal debt.
Property moves
Over half of Urban Lifers are a homeowner, with 2 in 5 living in a rented property. Most (54%) currently live in a house, with 35% living in a flat.
More Urban Life members are planning to be living in a different property in three years time than those who intend to stay put (47% versus 34%), which is positive news for the housing market.
Cinema
44% of Urban Lifers have been to the cinema in the last month. Most of you decided to go to the cinema a few days beforehand and half of you last went to the cinema with your partner.
Saturday is the most popular cinema-going day for Urban Lifers, followed by Wednesday. Orange Wednesday is evidently driving this mid-week flocking to the cinema, as Wednesday is the most popular cinema-going day for Orange mobile phone customers.
Personal highlights of 2009
We asked Urban Life members about their personal highlights of last year.
Births, engagements, weddings, charity runs, festivals, promotions at work, career changes, getting on the property ladder, holidays of a lifetime, seeing Take That in concert... Urban Life members certainly were busy in 2009. Here is a small selection of your personal highlights of last year...
“Ashes win and buying my first home!” Male 25-34, London
“Being invited to Buckingham Palace.” Male 18-24, Cardiff
“Completing the Great North Run and helping to raise £55,000 in memory of one of my daughter's friends.” Male 35-44, Leeds
“Doing a 15,000ft tandem skydive for Leukaemia Care. For someone who is scared of planes and heights I'm pretty proud of myself!” Female 25-34, Sheffield
“Flying a helicopter - a present for my 40th birthday!” Male 35-44, Derby
“Going back to Thai boxing after a 5 year break.” Female 35-44, Manchester
“Going to a friend's wedding in Brisbane.” Male 35-44, London
“Got married, son celebrated his second birthday, but most importantly, Modern Warfare 2, magnificent.” Male 18-24, Birmingham
“Having a baby girl in August, and getting back into mountain biking afterwards!” Female 25-34, Leeds
“My sabbatical in India - leaving my secure job to work with 4 charities in Jaipur.” Female 35-44, London
“Qualifying as a scuba diver.” Female 18-24, London
“Running the Paris marathon in April, and finishing my PhD in September.” Female 35-44, London
“Seeing the Northern Lights, while sitting in my tent at the beach, on the north coast of Scotland.” Female 35-44, Edinburgh
“Speaking at the House of Commons.” Male 35-44, Leicester
“Starting a new course at university and moving to a new city.” Female 25-34, Edinburgh
“Visiting Las Vegas & LA in July and then Florida in October. Oh, and finding the love of my life.” Male 18-24, London
“Wycombe Wanderers winning promotion.” Male 35-44, London
78% of Urban Life members knew that Halifax gives its current account customers a £5 ‘thank-you’ every month.
72% knew the highest grossing film of 2009 shown in UK cinemas was the latest instalment in the hugely successful Harry Potter series Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.
Celebrity chefs are ever-present on our daytime and evening TV screens, and 68% of Urban Lifer’s knew that Gary Rhodes was the odd one out. Heston Blumenthal, Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsey all have their own Channel 4 TV programme.