Tag: affordability

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society launches its review of the year 2022

Summary of the Society’s work over the past 12 months accompanied by headline findings from surveys

This morning the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society launches its review of the year: an in-depth look at the work it has accomplished over the past 12 months.

With unease caused by a new wave of COVID in early 2022, there was still uncertainty that a fully formed Fringe could take place this August. However, against what felt like impossible odds at times, the Fringe re-emerged in glorious technicolour, with local performers joined by artists from across the UK and 63 nations.

In June, Fringe Society President Phoebe Waller-Bridge launched the Fringe Society’s new vision – to give anyone a stage and everyone a seat. This was followed in August with the announcement of new alumni Patron, Eddie Izzard, who started her career as a street performer on the famous Royal Mile.

As the festival approached,activities to celebrate the Fringe’s 75th anniversary took place, through memories collected from audiences and artists over the years.

The popular street events programme expanded into new areas of Edinburgh’s city centre, with over 3,200 performances taking place, and the Fringe Central participants’ hub opened its doors to over 2,100 arts industry, media, producers and visiting delegations.

Projects such as Fringe Days Out and the Children and Young People ticketing scheme returned as the Society continued with local schools and community groups.  These vital initiatives supported children, young people, and those across Edinburgh who might not otherwise get to experience the Fringe.

By the end of August, over 2.2m tickets had been issued, and artists from 63 countries had performed in over 3,400 shows across Edinburgh.

Read the Fringe Society’s full review of the year 2022 at:

https://edfringe.shorthandstories.com/fringe-review-2022.

Following a year of heightened interest in the Society’s work, today the Society also announce the headline results from a mass feedback project, launched in September.

A significant part of the Society’s annual evaluation is surveying a broad group of stakeholders.  This year was no different, with the largest listening drive since 2019.  The Society commissioned Scotinform to facilitate surveys to registered artists, audience members, venues, workers, arts industry and media, who combine to create the Fringe ecosystem.

More than 10,000 responses across the surveys were received, with results now being used to support the development of new projects, and to target our future plans. These vital data insights also give us the evidence base we need to advocate for focused support and address some of the challenges identified by the Fringe community.

The positioning of the festival continues to be strong: 76% of audience members agreed that the Fringe is one of the most important cultural events in the world. When asked for motivations for attending the 2022 Fringe, respondents cited seeing a variety of events/performances (76%) and enjoying live performance after the pandemic (49%).

Edinburgh’s residents continue to be vital to the festival: 65% feel the Fringe makes the city a better place to live, alongside 75% who feel it makes Edinburgh a better place to visit.  With the cost-of-living crisis likely to extend into 2023, 66% of audiences would like ticket offers or discounted tickets, with 91% of Edinburgh residents interested in a discount for EH postcodes.

The live experience continues to be a major motivator, with only 7% agreeing that they would like to see more online shows at the Fringe. As we look ahead to 2023, there is continued optimism from audiences, with 81% of respondents stating they are likely to come to the Fringe in 2023.

Unsurprisingly, following the intense interest in a Fringe app for 2023, 46% of audience respondents said they felt an app would have improved their Fringe experience, with 66% stating they would use an app in the future. This aligned with artist feedback, with 71% stating a Fringe app is very important to them. Work on the 2023 app is already underway and details on its functionality and launch timings will be announced in the new year.

For artists, the Fringe continues to be a core platform for artists’ careers, with 82% of those attending the Fringe for the first time doing so for professional development reasons. For returning Fringe artists, experiencing the Fringe was the biggest motivator, with 82% citing this as the main reason.

Neil Hanna Photography www.neilhannaphotography.co.uk 07702 246823

Accommodation continues to be a concern for many performers: 87% of artists felt that affordability of accommodation and living costs will be a barrier to future participation in the Fringe; however 70% of artists said they are still likely to bring a show to the Fringe in the future.  Interestingly, 17% of artists did not engage directly with the Society, and as such were not aware of the full offering of services available to them such as Fringe Connect and Fringe Marketplace.

While a small sample of workers responded to their survey, the Society continues to review how we reach and support this group more.  Recognising work undertaken in support of the Real Living Wage, 77% of Fringe workers said they were paid on or above this benchmark at this year’s festival. 91% were also satisfied that they had a line manager to seek help from, if and when they needed it.

In addition to the statistical information, Scotinform evaluated free text responses across the surveys.  In general, there was an appetite for more information to be shared with all respondents, at more regular points of the year. 

Advance detailed information was clearly sought, and as such The Society is refining its communications strategy to ensure first time, and returning artists, have the year-round support they need to attend the Fringe in the future. 

Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: “It’s easy to forget how tumultuous this year has been – between Omicron variants, the cost-of-living crisis and de-stabilising world events, it feels miraculous the Fringe happened at all.

“The fact that it did is a testament to the concerted effort and support of a cast of thousands, including artists, audiences, venues, media, staff, volunteers, crew, sponsors, elected officials and the city of Edinburgh itself.

“Improvements can always be made, and the insights and data gained from our recent listening exercise are already being taken forward.

“We recognise that there are ongoing challenges, and our team are working hard behind the scenes to continue to advocate for our artists, and to support audiences as they plan for Fringe 2023.”

Review-of-the-Year-2022Download

Over a third of adults say they’re unable to afford adult education

The biggest barrier to British adults continuing their education is cost, with more than a third (35%) saying they’re unable to afford to study, while almost a fifth (19%) say they don’t have time.

A YouGov survey of 2,109 GB adults commissioned by distance learning provider Oxford Opening Learning found that, although  69% of respondents said they could be motivated to learn for any type of new qualification – from GCSEs to PHDs and industry certificates – only just over a quarter of Brits (27%) are likely to actually do so.

The five most common issues that stop adults continuing with education in the future are:

  1.    Lack of affordability (35%)
  2.    Time constraints (19%)
  3.    Not needing any further qualifications (18%)
  4.    Lack of motivation (17%)
  5.    Lack of energy (17%)

Almost half of millennials (25–34-year-olds) say they are likely to consider studying for a new qualification in the future.

The other barriers that Brits said most commonly stop them studying are that they don’t have the time to devote to it (19%) and feeling that another qualification would be unnecessary because they feel they are educated enough (18%).

As well as respondents also saying that they lack the motivation to study (17%), the same number also said they lack the energy. Many Brits also commented that they deem themselves too old.

The research also revealed that many British adults would be happy to continue learning if they felt they could. Receiving a boost to their pay packet is only the third most common incentive, agreed by three in ten (30%) of  Brits , whereas 42% would be more likely to take a course simply out of their own general interest in the subject.

Greg Smith, Head of Operations at The Oxford Open Learning Trust, said: “The fact that so many would like to study further but don’t feel they can points to a lot of misconceptions that people have about adult education.

“For those who think they’re too old, adult learning isn’t only about furthering a career – it’s also extremely beneficial in terms of mental health. There’s evidence to show that, not only does keeping the brain active combat depression and anxiety, but also helps prevent dementia in later life and boosts confidence.

“Studying for a new qualification with a distance learning course is also vastly different to a classroom and can be spread over a longer period to fit in with your current work or lifestyle.

“The initial cost is often far outweighed by the benefits of gaining a new qualification, through an increase in pay, a promotion or a career change.”

Oxford Open Learning’s Top Tips for Adult Learners:

  • Make the learning experience as relevant and useful as possible. Draw on your personal experiences and link the subject matter to real world benefits for your work and personal life
  • Make learning as engaging as possible to boost motivation. Use a variety of learning stimuli, such as images, activities, videos, lectures and podcasts to find what works for you
  • Breaking down information into bite-sized chunks can also help to make it easier to process, and don’t forget to take regular breaks to help you maintain concentration
  • Master your skills by playing an active role in your learning experience. Exploring the subject matter through self-study and active participation can help you to learn in a way that is meaningful to you
  • Let learning occur through mistakes. Trial and error can make the learning experience more effective, while the sense of overcoming a challenge can help to boost confidence

More advice on how to overcome perceived barriers to adult education can be read here:

Successful Studying – It’s all about time

Over 80% of renters already rent burdened as cost of living set to soar

New data reveals the shocking amount of money being spent on rent every month, on top of drastic cost of living increases set for April

  • Over 80% of renters are spending more than 30% of their take home pay on rent every month, with women hit the hardest
  • Almost one in three (29%) are spending more than 50% of their monthly pay on rent
  • Over 85% of women spend more than 30% of their income on rent, 10% more than their male counterparts
  • 59% of renters don’t believe their rent is affordable

New data by flatshare site SpareRoom reveals the shocking amount of money being spent on rent every month, with over 80% of renters spending more than 30% of their take home pay on rent, and almost one in three (29%) handing over more than 50% of their pay.

People spending more than 30% of their household income on rent are traditionally considered ‘rent burdened’, those who spend over 50% are considered ‘severely rent burdened’. SpareRoom’s data shows the majority of renters are currently ‘rent burdened’. This means many will already have difficulties affording necessities including food, transport and medical care on top of rent, not to mention finding money for increases in living costs come spring.  

With increased energy bills and national insurance costs looming, women are most likely to feel the pinch, with over 85% spending 30% or more of their income on rent, compared to 75% of men, highlighting the affordability gap between men and women.  

Unsurprisingly the data showed people in London, South East and South West England are spending more of their take home pay on rent than in other regions – 84% of Londoners, 83% of South East and 82% of South West spend over 30% of their salary on rent*.

The pandemic saw rents drop in London and increase everywhere else, but recent data from SpareRoom’s Rental Index now shows the capital’s rents are back on the up, which will no doubt cause more of an affordability issue for Londoners.

Matt Hutchinson, SpareRoom director comments: “The general rule of thumb for affordability has always been that you should spend around 30% of your income on rent.

“Even before the pandemic hit that definition felt outdated, but we’re about to see people’s financial situations hit hard over the coming months and years. With over 80% of the UK already rent burdened, and almost a third spending over half of their salary on rent, people are already feeling the squeeze.

“Although wages are rising, they aren’t growing fast enough to make up for cost of living increases that are rising at their fastest pace for 30 years**. This doesn’t just affect renters, it also makes life difficult for the huge numbers of young people who moved back home to their family over the course of the pandemic, not to mention those who were already there.”  

Survey conducted by SpareRoom in January 2022 with 11,130 respondents

* What % of your monthly take home pay goes on rent?

RegionOver 30% of salary on rentOver 50% of salary on rent
East Anglia80%29%
East Midlands73%25%
North East65%17%
North West74%24%
Northern Ireland52%13%
Scotland73%30%
South East83%32%
South West82%31%
Wales75%28%
West Midlands73%26%
Yorkshire and Humberside69%21%
London84%30%

** https://www.independent.co.uk/news/consumer-prices-inflation-london-rishi-sunak-jonathan-reynolds-b1996254.html

UK rental growth hits 13 year high as demand increases in Scotland’s major cities

  • Acute rental demand over Q3 2021 has pushed UK rental growth to its highest level since 2008
  • Annual rent growth has increased by 7.2% in Glasgow and 3.6% in Edinburgh
  • Demand continues to outstrip supply, which is running at 43% below the five-year average – exerting an upward pressure on rents
  • Average UK rents are now tracking at +4.6% on the year [and 6% excluding London], after climbing 3% over the last quarter – with rental demand doubling in central Leeds, Manchester and Edinburgh and London in Q3 v. Q1
  • Rental growth is close to, or at, a 10-year high across most UK regions – except for in London and Scotland
  • After 15 months of consecutive falls, London’s rents have swung back into positive territory, rising by 4.7% between June and September, as offices reopened and city life resumed
  • The structural undersupply of rental properties across the country and the strength of the employment market will support rental growth into 2022
  • UK rental growth [excluding London] is set to ease slightly to 4.5% by the end of 2022

UK rental market growth has reached a 13 year high as renters rush back to city centres, reports Zoopla, the UK’s leading property portal, in its quarterly Rental Market Report.

Record price growth defines new era for the UK rental market

Acute tenant demand over the third quarter of 2021 has propelled UK rental growth to its highest level for over a decade [13 years]. 

The market is being shaped by an ongoing supply and demand imbalance, with demand continuing to outstrip supply, which is running at 43% below the five year average and exerting an upward pressure on rents. 

The imbalance has been compounded by both long-term structural issues such as landlord divestment following the 3% stamp duty levy introduced in 2016, and more the immediate post-lockdown demand, which collectively have eroded available supply.

Average UK rents are now tracking at 4.6% year on year, after climbing 3% over the last quarter. Excluding London, where the market has lagged, average UK rental growth has reached a 14-year high of +6%.

Rental growth is also explained in part by tenant demand moving up the price bands [see figure 1]. This reflects the ongoing search for space, which has not only characterised the sales market, but the rental market, too.

Figure 1

Affordability remains steady – despite pan-regional rises

UK monthly rents now account for 37% of an average income for a single tenant occupant; however, even with strong rental growth, the measure of affordability remains in line with the five year average [see figure 2]*.

The regions registering the highest levels of rental growth are among those that are the most affordable when compared to the UK average, and as such, there has been more headroom for rents to increase. 

Rental growth is close to, or at, a 10-year high across most UK regions – except for in London and Scotland. Rents are up most in the South West (9%) year on year, followed by Wales (7.7%) and the East Midlands (6.9%).

In many of the UK’s largest cities, annual rental growth is running well ahead of the five-year average rate of growth. Bristol leads with 8.4% growth in the year to September, followed by Nottingham at 8.3%, and Glasgow at 7.2%.

Rental demand in the central zones of Manchester, Edinburgh  and Leeds has at least doubled over Q3 compared to Q1, and in Birmingham demand has increased by 60% – buoyed by the return of office workers and students, and the lure of city life.

Figure 2

London rents rebound into positive growth – but remain lower than pre-pandemic levels

After 15 months of consecutive falls, London’s rents swung back into positive territory, up +4.7%, in Q3. This amounts to annual growth of +1.6% compared to falls of almost 10% at the start of the year.

As with other major UK cities, market activity rose significantly in Q3, with tenancies agreed in London running 50% above the five-year average, underlining the bounceback in the market as offices reopened and city life resumed.

Despite this upward trajectory, given the falls over the last 18 months, average London rents are still 5% lower than they were at the start of the pandemic.

Rents forecast to rise by a further 4.5% by the end of 2022

Looking ahead to the new year, the structural undersupply of rental properties across the country is expected to support rental growth into 2022. 

In addition, the supply shortage coupled with the strength of the employment market which, despite the pandemic, is set to remain robust, will in turn support demand and sustain rental growth.

While the level of rental demand might ease in the near term in line with seasonal trends, demand levels will  remain higher than usual, especially in city centres, where there is an element of pent-up demand being released.

On the supply side, rental stock will remain tight, amid lower levels of investment into the sector by landlords, and this will underpin rental pricing. There is more leeway for stronger rental growth in areas of the country where rents are relatively more affordable, suggesting that rents could rise above earnings outside of the south of England, supporting rental growth across the UK excluding London at 6% in 2021 and 4% in 2022. 

Meanwhile, London rental growth is expected to pick up to 3.5%, with rents ultimately exceeding pre-pandemic levels.

Gráinne Gilmore, Head of Research, Zoopla, comments: “The swing back of demand into city centres, including London, has underpinned another rise in rents in Q3, especially as the supply of rental property remains tight. 

“Households looking for the flexibility of rental accomodation, especially students and city workers, are back in the market after consecutive lockdowns affected demand levels in major cities. 

“Meanwhile, just as in the sales market, there is still a cohort of renters looking for properties offering more space, or a more rural or coastal location.” 

*The methodology Zoopla has used to calculate affordability has changed from the last quarter; Zoopla is now using ASHE data, and previously used the Labour Force Survey.

Botanic Gardens is top ten UK family-friendly eco-attraction

  • Uswitch.com reveals the best family-friendly eco-attractions in the United Kingdom, ranking each attraction out of 100
  • The attraction ranking in first place, with 71 points, is GreenWood Family Park based in Gwynedd, Wales
  • The second-best eco-friendly attraction is Pensthorpe Natural Park in Norfolk, with a score of 64 out of 100
  • Wildwood Trust in Kent, ranks third with a total score of 53 points out of 100
  • A quarter (24%)[1] of all analysed reviews praised the attractions’ eco-conscious factors, such as educational information and sustainable ethos[2]
  • Find out how you and your family could be more eco-friendly by reducing your personal carbon footprint with the Uswitch Carbon Footprint Calculator

The summer holidays can often be overwhelming for parents who don’t know where to take their children for a fun-filled family day out, so Uswitch.com, the comparison and switching service, have analysed the best eco-friendly attractions for parents and children to enjoy.

Uswitch.com experts scraped TripAdvisor reviews for eco-friendly attractions in the UK[3], monitoring keywords and phrases that reflect having a great family visit[4].  Over 34,000 four and five-star reviews were analysed, with six categories to determine a family-friendly eco-friendly attraction – Enjoyability, Family compatibility, Food availability, Affordability, Conservation and eco-friendly components and Cleanliness[5].

Table 1: The UK’s eco-friendly attractions, ranked

RankAttractionLocationPercentage of reviews mentioning keywords and phrases in each categoryFinal Score
EnjoyabilityFamily- friendlyFood availabilityAffordabilityEco-friendly componentsCleanliness
1GreenWood Family ParkGwynedd78%73%80%5%38%14%71
2Pensthorpe Natural ParkNorfolk64%53%79%4%56%8%64
3Wildwood TrustKent53%47%63%4%76%5%53
4The Eden ProjectCornwall43%27%63%7%23%3%40
5The Living RainforestBerkshire40%38%56%4%52%4%37
6Centre for Alternative TechnologyPowys42%32%59%2%24%6%35
7Markshall EstateBraintree42%27%64%4%20%6%35
8National Botanic Garden of WalesCarmarthenshire48%24%70%3%20%5%35
9The Royal Botanic GardensLondon38%18%56%4%21%3%20
10Royal Botanic Garden EdinburghEdinburgh26%11%43%1%15%2%6

Source: Uswitch.com

GreenWood Family Park in Gwynedd scored the highest of all the attractions with 71 points out of 100. This is no surprise since the park is home to two spectacular attractions: the world’s first people-powered rollercoaster, and Wales’s longest sled run.

The park’s Enjoyability factor was notable, with three quarters of reviews mentioning how fun (78%) or family-friendly the park is (73%), and even more favoured the quality of food (80%).

Norfolk’s Pensthorpe Natural Park scored 64, awarding itself second place in the eco-attraction rankings.

Four-fifths of reviews (79%) praised the quality of food, while over half (53%) cited the family-friendly nature of the attraction. In line with this, over three-fifths (64%) applauded the park for its fun factor.

The Park gained a mediocre score on affordability, with 4% of reviews showing negativity towards the cost of the attraction.

Table 2: The top-scoring attraction for each category analysed

Category analysedTop scoring attractionLocationPercentage of reviews relating to the category
EnjoyabilityGreenWood Family ParkGwynedd78%
Family-friendlyGreenWood Family ParkGwynedd73%
Food availabilityGreenWood Family ParkGwynedd80%
AffordabilityThe Eden ProjectCornwall7%
Eco-friendly componentsWildwoodKent76%
CleanlinessGreenWood Family ParkGwynedd14%

Source: Uswitch.com

Wildwood Trust, formerly known as Wildwood Discovery Park and located in south-east England, is ranked as the attraction with the most eco-friendly components, with over three-quarters (76%) of reviews mentioning this factor.

Overall, a quarter of reviews (24%) for all the attractions combined mentioned eco-friendly and conservation efforts made by the sites – and a further quarter (24%) noted the family-friendly elements of the attractions.

Uswitch encourages anyone interested in how eco-friendly their household is to find out their personal carbon footprint and read tips on how to lower it using the  Uswitch Carbon Footprint Calculator.

Sarah Broomfield, energy expert at Uswitch.com comments: “The relatively high numbers of reviews regarding how eco-friendly the attractions are show that visitors are mindful of where they like to spend the day with their families.

“It is great to see that a majority of these eco-friendly attractions live up to their status and are excelling in customer satisfaction.

“It is unfortunate, however, that eco-friendliness seems to come at a cost; affordability is low-ranking for these attractions, which is not ideal for those with large families or low incomes.”

Find out how you could save nearly £1,000 a year with Uswitch here.