1. Public attitudes towards housing benefit and planning reform Results from Ipsos MORI Omnibus Survey May 2011

2. Attitudes towards housing benefit

3.  More than two-fifths, 44%, think that spending on housing benefit should stay the same  More than a quarter, 27%, think less should be spent on housing benefit, while one in five, 20%, think more should be spent  More than three in ten owners, 31%, think less should be spent on housing benefit, whereas nearly half, 47%, of all Local Authority rented tenants think more should be spent on housing benefit  Nearly a third, 31%, of Londoners think more should be spent on housing benefit, whereas 34% of those living in the South think less should be spent More than a quarter think the Government should spend less on housing benefit, but more think spending should stay the same

4. More than two in five think spending on housing benefit should stay the same Spend a lot more Spend a little more Spending should stay the same Spend a little less Spend a lot less Net spend more -6 In principle, do you think the Government should spend more or less on housing benefit overall in the next few years, or should spending stay the same? Base: 1,002 British adults 16+ interviewed 6-12 May 2011 Source: Inside Housing/ Ipsos MORI Public Attitudes to Housing Poll Spend less = 27% Spend more = 21% Don’t know

5. Total Owned with a mortgage % spend more % spend less Owners are more likely to favour spending less on housing benefit, renters are more likely to favour spending more Owned outright Net spend more (±) HA rented LA rented Private rented Owner occupiers Renters -6 -14 -19 +29 +13 -17 +20 +19 Base: 1,002 British adults 16+ interviewed 6-12 May 2011 Source: Inside Housing/ Ipsos MORI Public Attitudes to Housing Poll

6. Total £6,500 - £11,499 % spend more % spend less Those on higher incomes are more likely to favour spending less on housing benefit than those on low income Up to £6,499 Net spend more (±) £17,500 - £24,999 £11,500 - £17,499 £25,000 + -6 +16 +10 * -22 -15 Base: 1,002 British adults 16+ interviewed 6-12 May 2011 Source: Inside Housing/ Ipsos MORI Public Attitudes to Housing Poll

7. Total North % spend more % spend less Londoners are most likely to think more should be spent on housing benefit, those in the South are more likely to favour spending less London Net spend more (±) South Midlands -6 +12 -18 -9 Base: 1,002 British adults 16+ interviewed 6-12 May 2011 Source: Inside Housing/ Ipsos MORI Public Attitudes to Housing Poll

8.  Three in five are opposed to spending less on housing benefit if it means an increase in homelessness  Nearly half the public, 46%, would support spending less on housing benefit if it meant more could be spent on other things  More than two in five, 44%, support spending less on housing benefit to help pay off the national debt  Opinion is evenly divided on spending less on housing benefit if it means tenants on housing benefit will have to move to a different area A majority are opposed to spending less on housing benefit if it means an increase in homelessness, but greater support for reduced spending to help the national economy

9. % support % oppose Opposition outweighs support for reduced spending on housing benefit if it means an increase in homelessness +20 Base: 1,002 British adults 16+ interviewed 6-12 May 2011 Source: Inside Housing/ Ipsos MORI Public Attitudes to Housing Poll Net support (±) Over the next few years do you support or oppose the Government spending less on housing benefit overall if……? It meant the money saved could be spent on other things It helped to pay off the national debt It meant that tenants had to move to a different area to find cheaper accommodation because housing benefit is lower than the rents they pay It meant an increase in homelessness +12 +2 -42

10.  Nearly half, 46%, support spending less on housing benefit if it means the money saved could be spent on other things  Owners are more likely to support spending less on housing benefit if it means more can be spent on other things (49%)  The strongest level of opposition is seen among Local Authority renters – 36% are opposed – although the same proportion express support  Those in the highest social grades (AB) are, on balance, least likely to support spending less on housing benefit to spend more on other things  Support is weakest among Londoners (37%), but levels of opposition are uniform across Britain More support than oppose spending less on housing benefit to spend more on other things

11. Nearly half support spending less on housing benefit if it meant more could be spent on other things Strongly support Tend to support Neither support or oppose Tend to oppose Strongly oppose Net support +20 Oppose = 26% Support = 46% Don’t know Over the next few years do you support or oppose the Government spending less on housing benefit overall if……it meant the money saved could be spent on other things? Base: 1,002 British adults 16+ interviewed 6-12 May 2011 Source: Inside Housing/ Ipsos MORI Public Attitudes to Housing Poll

12. Total Owned with a mortgage % support % oppose Nearly half of all owners support spending less on housing benefit if it meant more could be spent on other things Owned outright HA rented LA rented Private rented Owner occupiers Renters +20 +23 +28 * +6 +26 +5 +11 Over the next few years do you support or oppose the Government spending less on housing benefit overall if……it meant the money saved could be spent on other things? Base: 1,002 British adults 16+ interviewed 6-12 May 2011 Source: Inside Housing/ Ipsos MORI Public Attitudes to Housing Poll Net support (±)

13. Total % support % oppose A third of those in the highest social grades are opposed to spending less on housing benefit if it means more could be spent on other things AB DE C2 +20 +11 +27 +18 +26 Over the next few years do you support or oppose the Government spending less on housing benefit overall if……it meant the money saved could be spent on other things? Base: 1,002 British adults 16+ interviewed 6-12 May 2011 Source: Inside Housing/ Ipsos MORI Public Attitudes to Housing Poll Net support (±) C1

14. Total % support % oppose Support for spending less on housing benefit to spend more on other things is weakest in London +20 +25 +20 +12 +19 Over the next few years do you support or oppose the Government spending less on housing benefit overall if……it meant the money saved could be spent on other things? Base: 1,002 British adults 16+ interviewed 6-12 May 2011 Source: Inside Housing/ Ipsos MORI Public Attitudes to Housing Poll Net support (±) North London South Midlands

15.  More than two in five, 44%, support spending less on housing benefit to help pay off the national debt whereas a third, 32%, are opposed  Renters are, on balance, opposed to spending less on housing benefit and social renting tenants are especially likely to oppose – 43% of HA tenants oppose spending less on housing benefit to help pay off the national debt  A third of the public who do not work, 34%, are opposed to spending less on housing benefit to pay off the national debt although on balance more support than oppose  On balance, support for spending less on housing benefit to pay off the national debt is weakest in London More support than oppose spending less on housing benefit to help pay off the national debt

16. More of the public support than oppose spending less on housing benefit if it helped to pay off the national debt Strongly support Tend to support Neither support or oppose Tend to oppose Strongly oppose Net support +12 Base: 1,002 British adults 16+ interviewed 6-12 May 2011Source: Inside Housing/ Ipsos MORI Public Attitudes to Housing Poll Oppose = 32% Support = 44% Don’t know Over the next few years do you support or oppose the Government spending less on housing benefit overall if……it helped to pay off the national debt?

17. Total Owned with a mortgage % support % oppose Social renters are most likely to oppose spending less on housing benefit to help pay off the national debt Owned outright HA rented LA rented Private rented Owner occupiers Renters +12 +17 +18 -5 +4 +18 -3 -11 Over the next few years do you support or oppose the Government spending less on housing benefit overall if……it helped to pay off the national debt? Base: 1,002 British adults 16+ interviewed 6-12 May 2011 Source: Inside Housing/ Ipsos MORI Public Attitudes to Housing Poll Net support (±)

18. Total % support % oppose Full time workers are more likely than those not working to support spending less on housing benefit to help pay off the national debt +12 +17 +8 +9 Over the next few years do you support or oppose the Government spending less on housing benefit overall if……it helped pay off the national debt? Base: 1,002 British adults 16+ interviewed 6-12 May 2011 Source: Inside Housing/ Ipsos MORI Public Attitudes to Housing Poll Net support (±) Part-time Not working Full-time

19. Total % support % oppose On balance support for spending less on housing benefit to help pay off the national debt is weakest in London +12 +14 +2 +14 Over the next few years do you support or oppose the Government spending less on housing benefit overall if……it helped pay off the national debt? Base: 1,002 British adults 16+ interviewed 6-12 May 2011 Source: Inside Housing/ Ipsos MORI Public Attitudes to Housing Poll Net support (±) North London South Midlands

20.  Nearly two in five, 38%, support spending less on housing benefit even if it means tenants have to move to a different area although 36% are opposed  Half of all LA renters are opposed to spending less on housing benefit if it means tenants have to move to a different area to find cheaper accommodation  Those who are not working (40%) and those in the lowest social grades (DE) – 41% - are most likely to be opposed to spending less on housing benefit if tenants have to move to a different area to find cheaper accommodation  Those living in London are most likely to support (45%) spending less on housing benefit if it means tenants have to move to a different area to find cheaper accommodation Opinion is split if spending less on housing benefit means tenants have to move to a different area for cheaper accommodation

21. Opinion is equally divided if spending less on housing benefit means tenants have to move to a different area Strongly support Tend to support Neither support or oppose Tend to oppose Strongly oppose Net support +2 Base: 1,002 British adults 16+ interviewed 6-12 May 2011Source: Inside Housing/ Ipsos MORI Public Attitudes to Housing Poll Oppose = 36% Support = 38% Don’t know Over the next few years do you support or oppose the Government spending less on housing benefit overall if……it meant that tenants had to move to a different area to find cheaper accommodation because housing benefit is lower than the rents they pay?

22. Total Owned with a mortgage % support % oppose Social renters are most likely to be opposed to spending less on housing benefit if it means tenants have to move to a different area to find cheaper accommodation Owned outright HA rented LA rented Private rented Owner occupiers Renters +2 +11 -32 -2 +7 -14 -13 Over the next few years do you support or oppose the Government spending less on housing benefit overall if…… it meant that tenants had to move to a different area to find cheaper accommodation because housing benefit is lower than the rents they pay? Base: 1,002 British adults 16+ interviewed 6-12 May 2011 Source: Inside Housing/ Ipsos MORI Public Attitudes to Housing Poll Net support (±)

23. Total Part-time % support % oppose Opposition is strongest among those not working and those in the lowest social grades Full-time AB Not working C1 C2 DE +2 +9 -3 -4 +12 -3 +6 Over the next few years do you support or oppose the Government spending less on housing benefit overall if…… it meant that tenants had to move to a different area to find cheaper accommodation because housing benefit is lower than the rents they pay? Base: 1,002 British adults 16+ interviewed 6-12 May 2011 Source: Inside Housing/ Ipsos MORI Public Attitudes to Housing Poll Net support (±)

24. Total % support % oppose Those living in London are most likely to support spending less on housing benefit if it means tenants have to move to a different area +2 +20 +4 -8 +3 Over the next few years do you support or oppose the Government spending less on housing benefit overall if…… it meant that tenants had to move to a different area to find cheaper accommodation because housing benefit is lower than the rents they pay? Base: 1,002 British adults 16+ interviewed 6-12 May 2011 Source: Inside Housing/ Ipsos MORI Public Attitudes to Housing Poll Net support (±) North London South Midlands

25.  Three in five oppose spending less on housing benefit if it means an increase in homelessness  Strong opposition is consistent across most population sub-groups  Opposition is strongest among those living in the South (66%), and weakest among those living in London (44%) There is strong opposition to spending less on housing benefit if it means an increase in homelessness

26. Three in five oppose spending less on housing benefit if it means an increase in homelessness Strongly support Tend to support Neither support or oppose Tend to oppose Strongly oppose Net support -42 Base: 1,002 British adults 16+ interviewed 6-12 May 2011Source: Inside Housing/ Ipsos MORI Public Attitudes to Housing Poll Oppose = 60% Support = 18% Don’t know Over the next few years do you support or oppose the Government spending less on housing benefit overall if……it meant an increase in homelessness?

27. Total % support % oppose Opposition is strongest among those living in the South and weakest among those living in London -42 -23 -38 -50 -46 Over the next few years do you support or oppose the Government spending less on housing benefit overall if…… it meant an increase in homelessness? Base: 1,002 British adults 16+ interviewed 6-12 May 2011 Source: Inside Housing/ Ipsos MORI Public Attitudes to Housing Poll Net support (±) North London South Midlands

28. Involvement in local planning decisions

29.  A quarter of the public say they would not like to be involved at all in decisions about building new homes in their community  Nearly a half, 46%, say they would like to be either very or fairly involved  Both younger (16-24) and older (65+) members of the public are, on balance, least likely to want to be involved. Those in middle age (45-64) are most likely to say they would like to be involved  A majority of those earning £25,000 or more (57%) and those in the highest social grades (AB) – 59% - say they would like to be involved  Those living in the South are most likely to want to be involved (53%) and those living in London are least likely to want to be involved (37%) More than half the public say they would not like to be involved in decisions about building new homes in their community

30. Net involved -5 Appetite for involvement in decisions about building new homes in your community To what extent, if at all, would you like to be involved in decisions about building new homes in your community? Base: 1,002 British adults 16+ interviewed 6-12 May 2011 Source: Inside Housing/ Ipsos MORI Public Attitudes to Housing Poll

31. Total 25 - 34 % Involved % Not involved Older and younger age groups are least likely to want to get involved on balance 16 - 24 45 - 54 35 – 44 55 - 64 -5 Base: 1,002 British adults 16+ interviewed 6-12 May 2011 Source: Inside Housing/ Ipsos MORI Public Attitudes to Housing Poll Net involved (±) To what extent, if at all, would you like to be involved in decisions about building new homes in your community? 65+ -12 * -2 +4 +6 -14

32. Total % Involved % Not involved Those with higher incomes are most likely to want to be involved -5 Base: 1,002 British adults 16+ interviewed 6-12 May 2011 Source: Inside Housing/ Ipsos MORI Public Attitudes to Housing Poll Net involved (±) To what extent, if at all, would you like to be involved in decisions about building new homes in your community? -10 £6,500 - £11,499 Up to £6,499 £17,500 - £24,999 £11,500 - £17,499 £25,000 + -17 -12 -11 +15

33. Total Those in higher social grades show a stronger appetite for being involved AB DE C2 -5 +21 -7 -23 -16 Base: 1,002 British adults 16+ interviewed 6-12 May 2011 Source: Inside Housing/ Ipsos MORI Public Attitudes to Housing Poll Net involved (±) C1 To what extent, if at all, would you like to be involved in decisions about building new homes in your community? % Involved % Not involved

34. Total Midlands Those living in the South show the strongest appetite for involvement, and those in London the weakest South Urban North Rural Suburban Metropolitan -5 +10 Base: 1,002 British adults 16+ interviewed 6-12 May 2011 Source: Inside Housing/ Ipsos MORI Public Attitudes to Housing Poll Net involved (±) % Involved % Not involved To what extent, if at all, would you like to be involved in decisions about building new homes in your community? London -9 -11 -19 +5 +1 -10 -15

35. Public attitudes toward development

36.  Half, 51%, of the British public support simplifying the way local planning decisions are made if it makes it easier to build news homes in their community. Nearly one in five, 19%, oppose this  Renters, those in lower social grades and those living in metropolitan areas and London are most likely to support the simplifying of local planning decisions. Those in the highest social grades, those living in rural areas and those in the South are most likely to oppose simplifying the way planning decisions are made  Half support the building of more homes in their community compared with 28% who oppose this  Those with families, those on lower incomes and those living in London are most likely to support the building of more homes, whereas those with higher incomes and those living in the South are most likely to oppose  Of those who want to be involved in planning decisions, more than half (56%) support the building of more new homes in their community. Half the public support building more homes in their community and simplifying the way planning decisions are made to make this easier

37. % support % oppose Strong public support for simplifying how local planning decisions are made and building more homes Simplifying the way local planning decisions are made if it makes it easier to build new homes in your community? +31 To what extent would you support or oppose… Base: 1,002 British adults 16+ interviewed 6-12 May 2011 Source: Inside Housing/ Ipsos MORI Public Attitudes to Housing Poll Net support (±) The building of more homes in your community? +22

38. Strong support for simplifying how local planning decisions are made Strongly support Tend to support Neither support or oppose Tend to oppose Strongly oppose Net support +31 Base: 1,002 British adults 16+ interviewed 6-12 May 2011Source: Inside Housing/ Ipsos MORI Public Attitudes to Housing Poll Oppose = 19% Support = 51% Don’t know To what extent would you support or oppose……simplifying the way local planning decisions are made if it makes it easier to build new homes in your community?

39. Total Owned with a mortgage % support % oppose Renters are more likely than owners to support simplifying the way planning decisions are made Owned outright HA rented LA rented Private rented Owner occupiers Renters +31 +26 +51 +42 +26 +46 +48 Base: 1,002 British adults 16+ interviewed 6-12 May 2011 Source: Inside Housing/ Ipsos MORI Public Attitudes to Housing Poll Net support (±) To what extent would you support or oppose……simplifying the way local planning decisions are made if it makes it easier to build new homes in your community?

40. Total Those in higher social grades are less likely to support simplifying the way planning decisions are made AB DE C2 +31 +20 +25 +49 +34 Base: 1,002 British adults 16+ interviewed 6-12 May 2011 Source: Inside Housing/ Ipsos MORI Public Attitudes to Housing Poll C1 To what extent would you support or oppose……simplifying the way local planning decisions are made if it makes it easier to build new homes in your community? % support % oppose Net support (±)

41. Total Midlands Those living in London and Metropolitan areas are more likely to support simplifying local planning decisions South Urban North Rural Suburban Metropolitan +31 +43 Base: 1,002 British adults 16+ interviewed 6-12 May 2011 Source: Inside Housing/ Ipsos MORI Public Attitudes to Housing Poll London +40 +29 +18 +50 +33 +27 +15 To what extent would you support or oppose……simplifying the way local planning decisions are made if it makes it easier to build new homes in your community? % support % oppose Net support (±)

42. Strong support for building more new homes locally Strongly support Tend to support Neither support or oppose Tend to oppose Strongly oppose Net support +22 Base: 1,002 British adults 16+ interviewed 6-12 May 2011Source: Inside Housing/ Ipsos MORI Public Attitudes to Housing Poll Oppose = 28% Support = 50% Don’t know To what extent would you support or oppose……the building of more new homes in your community?

43. Total Those with families are most likely to support the building of more new homes Single Post-Family Family +22 +9 +16 +32 Base: 1,002 British adults 16+ interviewed 6-12 May 2011 Source: Inside Housing/ Ipsos MORI Public Attitudes to Housing Poll Pre-Family % support % oppose Net support (±) To what extent would you support or oppose……the building of more new homes in your community?

44. Total Those with higher incomes are, on balance, less likely to support building more new homes locally +22 Base: 1,002 British adults 16+ interviewed 6-12 May 2011 Source: Inside Housing/ Ipsos MORI Public Attitudes to Housing Poll +23 £6,500 - £11,499 Up to £6,499 £17,500 - £24,999 £11,500 - £17,499 £25,000 + +28 +33 +13 +15 To what extent would you support or oppose……the building of more new homes in your community? % support % oppose Net support (±)

45. Total Higher social grades are, on balance, less likely to support building more new homes locally AB DE C2 +22 +14 +20 +34 +21 Base: 1,002 British adults 16+ interviewed 6-12 May 2011 Source: Inside Housing/ Ipsos MORI Public Attitudes to Housing Poll C1 % support % oppose Net support (±) To what extent would you support or oppose……the building of more new homes in your community?

46. Total Midlands Support for building more new homes is strongest in London and Metropolitan areas and weakest in the South South Urban North Rural Suburban Metropolitan +22 +41 Base: 1,002 British adults 16+ interviewed 6-12 May 2011 Source: Inside Housing/ Ipsos MORI Public Attitudes to Housing Poll London +36 +22 -3 +41 +24 +14 +12 % support % oppose Net support (±) To what extent would you support or oppose……the building of more new homes in your community?

47. % support % oppose Those likely to be involved in planning decisions are more likely to support the building of more new homes Very/ fairly likely to be involved in planning decisions +25 Base: 1,002 British adults 16+ interviewed 6-12 May 2011 Source: Inside Housing/ Ipsos MORI Public Attitudes to Housing Poll Net support (±) Not very/ not at all likely to be involved in planning decisions +20 To what extent would you support or oppose……the building of more new homes in your community?

48. Technical details

49. Capibus Omnibus Survey – 6 th – 12 th May 2011  Interviews with a representative sample of 1,002 British adults aged 16+  Undertaken face-to-face, in-home between 6 th - 12 th May 2010  155 sampling points across Britain  Data are weighted to the national population profile by: –Age, sex, working status, region, ethnicity, car in household, and tenure  Where figures do not add up to 100% this is a result of computer rounding or multiple answers  An asterisk (*) indicates a score of less than 0.5% but greater than zero  Results are subject to sampling tolerances e.g. ±3 for a 50% finding based on 1,002 adults (95% confidence interval)  Research carried out by Ipsos MORI on behalf of Inside Housing  For more details, please contact Stephen Finlay (stephen.finlay@ipsos.com)

50. Demographic profile

51. Tenure profile % Base: 1,002 British adults 16+ interviewed 6-12 May 2011 Source: Inside Housing/ Ipsos MORI Public Attitudes to Housing Poll Owned with a mortgage Owned outright HA rented LA rented Private rented Other Tenure

52. Age and gender profile % Age Gender Base: 1,002 British adults 16+ interviewed 6-12 May 2011 Source: Inside Housing/ Ipsos MORI Public Attitudes to Housing Poll

53. Region and area profile % Region Area Base: 1,002 British adults 16+ interviewed 6-12 May 2011 Source: Inside Housing/ Ipsos MORI Public Attitudes to Housing Poll