What is the Coventry Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA)?

Introduction

Welcome to the Hillfields area profile. Coventry is divided into 18 electoral ward areas; while the areas profiled for the JSNA were not specifically designed around ward boundaries, this area is one part of the ward of St Michael’s.

Hillfields is one of the six places in Coventry profiled as part of the JSNA. The map below illustrates the Hillfields area covered in the profile, alongside the other five places.

What is the Coventry Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA)?

The JSNA brings together evidence about the health and wellbeing of Coventry residents, to help leaders across health and care understand and work together to improve the health and wellbeing of the people of Coventry.

Health is more than the healthcare system: it is not just about NHS hospitals, doctors or nurses. Instead, health is about people’s lives. Indeed, people’s health is determined by their economic and social circumstances, such as:

• their communities - whether they have access to a good network of family and friends.
• their prospects - whether they have access to good jobs and education; and
• their environment - whether they live in a good neighbourhood with access to green spaces.

These social circumstances determine people’s health and wellbeing, and therefore, are known as social determinants of health.

This JSNA contains a full range of evidence to provide decision-makers with an understanding of local people and communities. It contains a lot of numbers and statistics, because these are essential to show the trends of how things have changed, as well as comparisons with other places. However, because health is about people, this JSNA also contains a lot of evidence from local people and local community groups.

About this JSNA

This JSNA is one of the six places in Coventry that was profiled in 2023 and 2024 by Coventry City Council with co-operation from partners across the Coventry Health and Wellbeing Board and ideas contributed by community organisations and residents. In April 2018, the Coventry Health and Wellbeing Board authorised a move towards a place-based approach to the JSNA, with the production of a citywide JSNA profile and JSNA profiles for six local areas.

Since the production of the last JSNA, there have been huge external influences on the health and wellbeing of our residents. The COVID-19 pandemic shone a light on inequalities within our communities and has fundamentally altered our lives. There have been changes to what we value, our communities and how they function, our ways of working and to our economy. The data within this profile reflects these changes.

Each JSNA profile is structured as follows:

• Demographics and Community
• Prospects
• Environment
• Health and Wellbeing.

For each topic area covered, the JSNA explores:

• Why is this important?
• What is the local picture? How does it compare?
• What is happening? What else can be done?

In addition to the JSNA profiles, detailed statistical data and evidence is available in the citywide intelligence hub [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/citywideintelhub]. The hub provides tools to compare and contrast metrics and indicators of all kinds.

Despite every effort to ensure the information in this profile is accurate and up to date, it may become less reliable over time.

The following profile uses various data sources and statistics that cover local neighbourhoods within the city. It compares statistics to those of Coventry as a whole and other neighbourhoods, using Lower-layer Super Output Areas (LSOAs) and Mid-layer Super Output Areas (MSOAs) as the geographic units. These are areas where the boundaries have been defined by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and used by the ONS and other bodies to publish local area statistics. LSOAs and MSOAs cover the whole of England and Wales, there are 42 MSOAs that cover all parts of Coventry and each of these are divided into LSOAs, typically 4 to 6 per MSOA. The profiles highlight key strengths and challenges of each area, though data availability at the neighbourhood level may vary. For citywide data, refer to the Coventry Citywide JSNA profile. [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/facts-coventry/coventry-citywide-profile-2023]

In this profile, the six LSOAs that constitute Hillfields used to understand the variation between the neighbourhoods of Hillfields. Local LSOA names, often referencing nearby roads, indicate general locations but cover wider areas than just the roads used in the name. For reference, the Hillfields LSOAs, along with their unique codes which can be used to view them on maps, are listed in the table below.

LSOA 2021 ONS name	LSOA 2021 code	LSOA 2021 name
Coventry 024A	E01009636	Hillfields - Swans Lane Thacknall Street
Coventry 024B	E01009637	Hillfields - Cambridge Street
Coventry 024C	E01009638	Hillfields Village  & Motor Museum
Coventry 024D	E01009639	City Farm North
Coventry 024E	E01009640	Hillfields - Coronation Road Swanswell Basin
Coventry 024F	E01009641	Hillfields - Canterbury Raglan Streets

Executive Summary

Demographics and communities 

Hillfields has experienced significant population growth of 14.4% over the past decade, with a population of 13,400 residents. The area has a youthful demographic, with a median age of 24, driven by the presence of students and young adults. While the working-age population has increased, particularly among those aged 35-64, the growth of older residents (65+) has not increased by much compared to the Coventry average. Hillfields is the most densely populated area in the city, with a high prevalence of overcrowded households, larger households (including students), and lone-parent households.

The population is highly diverse, with 79.6% of residents belonging to ethnic minorities, compared to 44.7% citywide. International migration has been a key factor in Hillfields' growth, with 49.5% of residents born outside the UK and 28.5% arriving in the past decade. Linguistic diversity can pose challenges in accessing services, with 7.2% of residents reporting they could not speak English well, which is higher than the city average. Despite these challenges, there is evidence of community involvement and cohesion, although a sense of belonging may be hindered by the area's high population turnover.

Prospects

Avoidable differences in health emerge by the time a child reaches the age of five. In Hillfields, a lower percentage of children (50.3%) achieve a good level of development by age 5 compared to the Coventry (61.1%) and national average (65.2%). There are some factors that may contribute to child development that are measured and the statistics are presented in this profile, although of course these are not the only, or necessarily most important factors. The data indicates areas that could be improved: lower uptake of antenatal care, health visitor reviews, and early years childcare. On a positive note, breastfeeding rates are above average.

The area also has high rates of child poverty, which are significantly above the city average. Educational attainment in Hillfields is below Coventry’s average, though it is not among the lowest in the city. Slightly fewer children meet expected standards in reading, writing, and maths at Key Stage 2, and average attainment at Key Stage 4 is also slightly lower than the city average.

Unemployment and economic inactivity rates are higher than the city average, contributing to lower household incomes. The cost-of-living crisis has affected residents, with 63% reporting frequent financial worries, far exceeding the city average of 40%. Additionally, food insecurity is prevalent, with only 47% of residents stating their households always have enough food.

While internet access is generally available, digital exclusion remains a challenge, particularly in deprived areas. Community organisations provide vital support to address these issues, offering education and resources to vulnerable residents.

Housing and environment

Health and well-being in Hillfields is further threatened by fuel poverty, with a substantial proportion of households struggling to afford adequate heating, leading to increased risks of physical and mental health issues, especially during colder months. Efforts to improve social housing and community services are underway but require ongoing attention and resources.

Crime rates in Hillfields are significantly higher than city average, higher than all other neighbourhoods in the city, only lower than the city centre. Violent crime is especially prevalent, contributing to widespread feelings of insecurity. Local authorities, housing associations, and law enforcement are collaborating on initiatives to improve safety, tackle issues like fly-tipping, and enhance street lighting to create a safer and more welcoming environment.

Health and wellbeing

Life expectancy in Hillfields for both males and females is lower than the rest of the city overall, the gap being particularly high for males living here. Health inequalities across the city mean that people in more deprived parts of the city not only live shorter lives, but also spend a greater proportion of their shorter lives in poor health. This is the case in Hillfields. 

The COVID-19 pandemic underscored these disparities, as Hillfields, a diverse and deprived area, experienced higher than average COVID-19 mortality rates. Despite this, vaccine uptake remains low, with fewer residents receiving COVID-19 and flu vaccinations, and some child vaccination rates falling below the recommended threshold.

While there aren’t many GP practices located in Hillfields itself, there are many nearby in neighbouring areas and indications are that access to GPs is relatively good and satisfaction with the practices local residents are likely to use are relatively good; although there are indications that satisfaction with local GPs has reduced in recent years, as it has across the city and England overall.

Lifestyle factors present a mixed picture. Smoking rates in Hillfields are relatively low, which is a positive health indicator. However, while residents acknowledge the importance of healthy eating, dietary habits overall appear to be poorer compared to other areas. Additionally, levels of physical activity are lower than average, which could further contribute to health issues in the community. These factors collectively highlight the ongoing health challenges facing Hillfields, despite some positive lifestyle habits.

Demographics and Communities

Location

Hillfields is an area in Coventry. The data in this profile is aggregated from small areas on a best-fit basis, and therefore may differ slightly from other sources. This profile covers all Hillfields. The map below illustrates the Hillfields neighbourhood, the area bounded by the red line is the area used for the statistics described in this profile.

Population

Why is this important?

It is important to understand how Coventry’s population and demographics are changing so that local communities and organisations can ensure that the city has the right services to meet the needs of its people.

What is the local picture?

How does it compare?

Hillfields is an area of growth in the city, in the past 10 years, there has been a 14.4% population increase, and is home to an estimated 13,400 residents. Between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, the population of Hillfields has increased by 1,689 additional residents from 11,753 to 13,442. This means that the population has grown faster here than it has across the city overall (8.9%) and nationally (6.6%).

The population growth rates vary across the different areas of Hillfields. The parts that have experienced the highest population growth are ‘Hillfields - Cambridge Street’ (25%) and ‘Hillfields Village’ (25%), these areas are amongst the faster growing parts of the city, significantly higher than the city average.

Hillfields is the most densely populated area of the city. It has a population density of 10,870 people per square kilometre, more than three times higher than the density for Coventry overall, at 3,500 people per square kilometre.

Hillfields has a notably young population, with a median age of 24, compared to 35 for Coventry and 40 across England. This is largely due to a high number of students and young adults. Over a quarter (27.8%) of residents are aged 16-24, compared to 15.4% citywide. Children aged 0-15 (22.5%) are also more prevalent than in Coventry overall (19.8%), while only 5.5% of the population is aged 65+, significantly below city (14.6%) and national averages (18.6%).

The number of working age residents has been increasing, at a higher rate than for Coventry overall. Looking at population change over the 10 years between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, the growth by age group in Hillfields is unlike the experience of the city overall, there was significant growth in the number of 18–24-year-olds (16.4%). The Hillfields population has changed differently from Coventry overall in that it has experienced greater increases amongst residents aged 35-49 years (25.8% vs 6.4% for Coventry overall) and 50-64 years (28.3% increase vs 17.9% for Coventry overall), but a relatively low increase in the number of older residents aged 65+ (1.4% increase compared to 8.2% for Coventry overall). 

The population pyramid diagram below illustrates how the age profile of the Hillfields population differs from Coventry overall.

Births in Hillfields have been declining, with 193 in 2021 compared to 258 in 2015. The birth rate is slightly lower than Coventry's average, likely due to the large student population. The area's general fertility rate is 50.2 per 1,000 females aged 15-44, below the city average of 52.0. Fertility rates vary, with student-heavy areas having lower rates, while some neighbourhoods have some of the highest in the city.

Hillfields is home to a relatively high number of students. The Census 2021 counted 3,244 ‘school children and full-time students aged 18+’, making up 24.1% of the total population of the area, compared to 9.8% across Coventry overall. 11.2% of the total population live in student halls of residence (Coventry average 2.9%) and 6.3% live in all student households (Coventry average 2.8%), the rest of this student population live in households with other arrangements.

In Hillfields, aside from student households, there are high numbers of one-person working-age households (25.9% vs. 18.8% in Coventry), this equates to 1,127 households out of a total of 4,352 and lone parent households with dependent children 11.4% (498) of all households compared to 8.3% across Coventry overall. Households of just older people are less common here. One-person households or a single-family household in which all people are aged over 65 make up 6.6% (286) and 1.3% (58) of all households in Hillfields compared to 11.6% and 6.8% across Coventry overall. 

Hillfields has a larger average household size (2.72) compared to Coventry (2.48). One-person households are the most common, making up 32.4%, slightly above the city average of 30.4%. Large households (5 or more people) are more frequent, accounting for 16.1% of households, compared to 9.4% citywide. Household size varies, with some neighbourhoods below average and others amongst the highest in the city. Household size is particularly high in the ‘Hillfields - Cambridge Street’ area, the second highest in city, at 3.55, and also high in the area ‘City Farm North’ at an average of 3.13 people per household.

We can understand more about our communities by using Geodemographic segmentation. The Acorn geodemographic profiler data model from CACI ltd categorises all UK households into 6 main categories ranked from most to least wealthy. All people living in Hillfields are categorised in the three less wealthy groups of the six categories. There are three groups/types of households that dominate the area, making up more than two-thirds of the local population; the three in order down to least wealthy type are:

• ‘Steadfast Community –Urban Diversity’ (20.6% of local population, Coventry7.9%),
• ‘Stretched Society –Tenant Living’ (18.7% of local population, Coventry 11.0%) and
• ‘Low Income Living – Cash-strapped families’ (people living in this type of household make up 30% of the population of Hillfields compared to 7.9% across Coventry overall).

Acorn Wellbeing divides households into types according to their health needs, Residents in Hillfields have a higher percentage of residents in the “At Risk” and “Caution” groups. The four main groups Acorn Wellbeing divides residents into are:

1. Health Challenges (highest levels of illness, often areas with higher elderly population),
2. At Risk,
3. Caution and
4. Healthy (more affluent neighbourhoods with low levels of illness given their age).

Residents in Hillfields largely fall between group 2 “At Risk” (46.1% compared to 38.7% across Coventry overall) and group 3 “Caution” (19% compared to 33.2% across Coventry overall). 14.8% of the population live in households in group 4 “Healthy” which is relatively the same as the city overall at 15.3% and about 11% of the population fall in households under group 1 “Health Challenges”.

Further analysis reveals that the three most notable types in this area are:

• ‘At Risk – Anxious Adversity’ (Urban communities, multi-ethnic, families with children; 18% of local population, Coventry 6%).
• ‘Caution – Borderline Behaviours’ (young singles and couples, ethnically diverse, average alcohol, and smoking; 16% of local population, Coventry 19%).
• ‘Healthy– Gym and Juices’ (Young professionals… relatively comfortable… multi-ethnic… some students, some isolation, 15% of local population, Coventry 3%).

Diversity

Why is this important?

The growth of new communities can change the age and ethnic profile of the city, which can have an impact on demand for local services such as schools and GP surgeries and is influenced by of many complex factors, such as living and working conditions, social inclusion, ethnicity, socioeconomic position, education, and cultural factors.

What is the local picture?

How does it compare?

Coventry as a city is becoming increasingly diverse, Hillfields even more so with 79.6% of the population being part of an ethnic minority group compared to 44.7% in Coventry as a whole. The population of Hillfields is amongst the most diverse of all neighbourhoods in the city.  ‘Ethnic minority’ is used to refer to all ethnic group except the white British group. Ethnic minority groups include White minorities, including White Irish, Gypsy, Roma, and Irish Traveller groups, and the ‘White Other’ group. According to the 2021 Census, 79.6% of people were from an ethnic minority group, which is a 9.8 percentage point increase from the 2011 Census at 69.7%.

Black African ethnicity is the largest minority in Hillfields, making up 17.7% of the population (up 3.8% since 2011), compared to 7.0% in Coventry. This group has grown the most in the last 10 years and has remained the highest minority group in Hillfields for more than a decade. Many other ethnic groups are represented in the people who live here, the biggest according to population number are Asian Indian (11.2%, Coventry 9.3%), ‘White Other’ (10.5%, Coventry 8.2%), Asian Bangladeshi (9.7%, Coventry 1.2%), and Asian Pakistani (6.6%, Coventry 3.7%). The White British population decreased by 9.8 percentage points, from 30.3% in 2011 to 20.4% in 2021, a drop of 800 people.

In the 2021 school census, 88.8% of Hillfields pupils were from ethnic minority groups, with the largest groups being Black African (23.8%), Bangladeshi (12.9%), and "Any other Asian background" (9.6%).

Hillfields has a diverse religious population. Among respondents (95% answered the question on the 2021 Census), 18.2% reported having no religion, lower than Coventry's 31.6%. Islam is the most common religion in Hillfields (40%) compared to 11% across Coventry overall. This is followed by Christianity (33.6%) compared t0 46.8% in Coventry, Hinduism (5.0%) compared to 4.2% citywide and Sikhism (2.1% vs Coventry 5.3%).

There are differences between the neighbourhoods within Hillfields. Muslim populations are highest in 'Hillfields - Cambridge Street' (66.2%), 'City Farm North' (55.3%), and 'Hillfields Village' (41.3%). The Christian population is higher in the neighbourhoods: 'Swans Lane Thacknall Street' (38.7%), 'Coronation Road Swanswell Basin' (36.3%), and 'Canterbury Raglan Streets' (36.6%).

International migration, people moving from overseas, has been an important part of population growth in this area. This is a long-standing trend that continues in the last few years, as more people have relocated to this area than most other parts of Coventry since 2011. Coventry's new communities are from diverse backgrounds, and they consist of people who relocate for work purposes, international students, people who apply for asylum and refugees, and others.

The area has welcomed many new communities, with 49.5% of all residents of the area born outside the UK, compared to the city average of 27.9%. Notably, 20.8% were born in Asian countries, 14.2% were born in EU countries and 12.3% were born in African countries, while the city averages are 10.5%, 10.1% and 5.5% respectively. Residents come from a diverse range of countries of birth, with 18 countries having at least 100 Hillfields residents. The most common countries represented are India (6.3% of all residents), Bangladesh (4.2% of all residents), Romania (3.5% of all residents), Pakistan (2.9% of all residents), Nigeria (2.8% of all residents) and Poland (2.6% of all residents).

Between 2011 and 2021, Hillfields' population grew by 400 UK-born residents and 1,300 non-UK-born residents. Over half of the increase in non-UK residents came from EU countries (700), with 400 from Asia and 150 from Africa.

Hillfields is growing faster than other areas, largely due to international migration, including many international students. According to Census 2021 data, 24.1% of Hillfields' population were school children or full-time students aged 18 or over, compared to Coventry’s 9.8%. Of course, many of these students are from the UK, internal migration contributes to population growth as well as international migration.

Hillfields has seen a higher-than-average rate of international migration in recent years. Newly arrived communities are a key part of Hillfields’ demographics, perhaps more so than any other part of Coventry.  According to the 2021 Census, 28.5% of residents were born outside the UK and arrived in the UK in the previous 10 years, compared to Coventry’s 14.2%.

Annual migration to Hillfields has consistently been above the city average. Although it is hard to measure international migration accurately due to data collection challenges, the number of foreign nationals living in Coventry and registering for a National Insurance Number (NINo) gives an idea of this and how the migration trends have changed over the years. In 2022, 1,907 foreign nationals in Hillfields registered for a National Insurance Number (NINo), one of the highest figures in Coventry. In 2022, this was 1,907 people for Hillfields, a number amongst the highest of all Coventry areas. This marks a sharp rise from pre-pandemic levels, similar to the rest of Coventry, where the total number also increased to a level almost twice as high as before the pandemic.

The country of origin of people moving to Hillfields and newly registering for a National Insurance Number (NINo) has changed in recent years, with the number moving from South Asian countries driving the increase in 2022. Out of a total of 1,907 people in the most recent year for which we have data, more than half, 1,026, were people from South Asian countries; 420 from Sub-Saharan African countries and 174 from EU countries. Before the pandemic a much lower number were from South Asian countries and most were from EU counties; in 2019 out of a total of 927 people, 477 were from EU countries, 161 from South Asian countries and 145 from Sub-Saharan African countries.

The city has a long history of providing safety to those fleeing conflict and persecution. Hillfields is a particular area of Coventry that homes asylum seekers.  Although overall numbers are relatively low, asylum seekers also add to the population growth of the area, with approximately 300 people living here in August 2023, Hillfields is one the city’s areas that homes the most asylum seekers. While the total numbers are relatively low compared to other types of international migration, this is an important part of the area’s demographic when it comes to health and care needs. Coventry as a city supports more asylum seekers than most other local authorities in the country. At more than 2,000 people, Coventry supports the highest proportion of asylum seekers per head of population in the West Midlands region.

Hillfields has a greater and increasing diversity of languages spoken by its residents, which could be a barrier to accessing services. In 2021, for a third of all residents (33.0%) English in not their main language, compared to 17.5% across Coventry as a whole.  25.1% of households had no one who spoke English as their main language, compared to 10.7% of households in Coventry as a whole. We should be mindful that this doesn’t mean people can’t speak English, although a relatively high number of people in the area can’t speak English well, 7.2% of Hillfields residents said they could not speak English well and 1.1% said they could not speak English at all, while in Coventry as a whole these figures were 3.0% and 0.5%.

For school children who live in Hillfields, the proportion who speak English as their main language is even lower at 31.8%, consequently 68.2% do not speak English as their main language, this is much higher than the city overall (34.2%).

The Coventry Household Survey shows that Hillfields has a stronger sense of community than the city average, with 70% agreeing that people get along well (compared to 63% for Coventry), though this is down from 79% in 2018. However, only 41% of Hillfields residents feel a strong sense of belonging, lower than the city's 54%. After COVID-19, just 3% of Hillfields residents felt a stronger connection to their community, compared to 13% citywide.

The Household Survey 2022 found that 55% of residents in Hillfields agreed that there are chances to get actively involved in improving their local community, higher than respondents across all of Coventry (38%). 43% of residents said they were likely to get more involved in the next 12 months, compared to 51% across Coventry overall. Volunteering decreased slightly from 26% pre-pandemic to 22%, close to the city’s 21%.

Cultural participation in Hillfields improved in 2022, according to the household survey, with 65% engaging in activities, up from 63% in 2018, similar to the city's 66%. Low’ or ‘no’ participation is defined as respondents who had not engaged in any of a list of cultural activities at least three times in the previous 12 months. Engagement with City of Culture events was about average: 39% attended an event in the city centre (city average 45%) and 27% attended a local event, matching the city average.

Community Assets

Why is this important?

Understanding the local network of assets, resources and community organisations help facilitate sharing and understanding to improve the health and wellbeing of local communities.

The Community Information Directory [https://cid.coventry.gov.uk/kb5/coventry/directory/adult.page?adultchannel=3] is also a useful tool for knowing what groups, events and activities are happening in the area.

The Community Resilience Team has worked with a variety of groups to gain funding and support in Hillfields, below is a table of groups and assets known to the team in the area at the time of writing.

Groups	Assets
Hope Community Project	Allotments at Motivate Centre [mailto:Allotments@Motivate]
Asian Blind	Swanswell park & pool
Cherished Hearts	Primrose Hill Park
Create to Motivate	Methodist Central Hall
Fridays	Hope Centre
Hillfields Muslim Association	Hillfields Library (WATCH Centre)
Hillfields Wellbeing Group	Harmony Family Hub
Laugh & Chat/BAME Health Hub	St Peter's Community Centre
Mondays Club	WATCH Community Centre/Hillz FM
Oasis Leadership Development LTD	West Indian Communtiy Centre
Sky Blue Support	Coventry Deaf Centre
Change, Grow, Live	Coventry Refugee & Migrant Centre
Clothing Coventry	Somali Cultural Resource Centre
Coventry Independent Advice Service	Berry Street Mosque
Kairos	Coventry Cathedral
Love Coventry	Coventry Eswaram (Hindu temple Hillfields)
Motivate	Coventry Prayer House
Positive Youth Foundation (City wide but have a base in Hillfields)	Coventry Vineyard Church
Salvation Army	Eglise Armee Des Vainqueurs
St Giles Pantry	Elim Pentecostal Church
Voluntary Action Coventry	God's Mission Church
World Foods Food Hub (Carriers of Hope)	Gurdwara Guru Nanak Parkash
	Hillfields Church (Lower Ford Street)
	Hillfields Church (Waterloo Street)
	Holy Trinity Coventry
	Jalalabad Mosque
	Jesus Fellowship Church
	Mosiac Church
	Queens Road Baptist Church
	Ravidassi Community Centre
	RCCG Jubilee Christian Centre
	Redeemed Christian Church Of God Holy Ghost Zone (The)
	Shri Guru Ravidass Sabha Temple Worship and Services
	St Clare's Cathedral
	St John the Baptist Church
	St Mary and St Benedict Roman Catholic Church Faith Group
	St Peter's Church
	St. Mark's Coventry
	The Welcome Church (Christian Life Ministries)

Residents of Hillfields feel that their sense of belonging and safety is closely tied to their connection with the community. Many highlight a lack of community, which impacts how they perceive the area. Building stronger relationships with neighbours and spending time in shared spaces is seen as essential to fostering community spirit, pride, and security.

The absence of common gathering spaces contributes to this disconnect. Residents support the idea of creating more community hubs, parks, and events to encourage interaction and build trust. Greater investment in these initiatives could improve the sense of belonging and make Hillfields a safer, more unified neighbourhood.

“Invest much more in culture and creative sector, build on what has been started in 2021”.

“Focus more on the outskirts of the city centre. Prosperity doesn't need to start and end in the centre. Community hubs. Funding for children's groups.”

Supporting local charities and smaller organisations to deliver support and community work was highlighted as a missed opportunity. Community groups are best place to understand the needs from their community and can be used as an asset in delivering services. Local groups, organisations and charities can act as valuable assets, building trust and rapport with community members, offering tailored solutions, and delivering services in a way that may be more responsive and adaptive than larger, more centralised entities. However, failure to partner with or fund these smaller organisations means missing out on their potential to create more meaningful, localised impact. Therefore, fostering collaboration with community groups could result in more effective support structures and better service outcomes.

"Visit communities listen to what they say and then incorporate these ideas rather than using feedback as a tickbox exercise"

Residents have expressed the need for the council to listen to their feedback and incorporate their ideas. Residents commented that they would like more opportunities for their voices to be heard with suggestions on how to do this being regular council meetings creating a platform for ongoing dialogue. It is felt that these meetings would allow for real-time engagement, where the community can share concerns, offer ideas, and hold the council accountable for addressing their needs.

“Visit the areas and spend more than a afternoon or a morning. Need to focus on creating communities first then the inequalities will improve. I love in cv1 and there is a distinct lack of community.”

“Invest more in local voluntary sector rather than large organisations to deliver”

Communication was highlighted as key to ensuring that individuals gained knowledge and understanding of other services. Social media was praised for raising the profiles of some of the smaller groups in the community, however that is not to say leaflets and posters were not valued by the community.

“Communication is the key, in these days of social media anything that is going on or is planned goes there. Leaflets, letter drops and posters however old fashioned are effective in getting a response in my opinion “

Harmony Family Hub collaborates and co-ordinates a range of services in the area. It could also be used to make connection with individuals and maximise the success of partnerships.

Citizen has implemented an ambitious Local Neighbourhood Plan covering a range of social, economic, and environmental issues that includes housing, community safety, and access to services for its tenants.  Citizen approached Coventry City Council as it recognised that this was an opportunity to work together, using learning from other place-based initiatives, making the most effective use of our collective resources to have maximum impact in an area of multiple deprivation. 

Prospects

Why is this important?

Understanding Coventry's economic, cultural, educational, and early childhood prospects can help us better understand the effects these factors have on the wellbeing of the local populations. A person's lifelong health, happiness, and productivity are affected by preventable health inequalities that can arise during pregnancy, childbirth, and the early years.

Best Start in Life

What else is happening? What else can be done?

The Family Hub located in Hillfields is highlighted as an asset in the community. Harmony Family hub, located in Hillfields helps co-ordinate early intervention and support. By bringing together different professionals such as, Health visitors, social workers, midwives, police, and others the hub can offer holistic and tailored support to families who face challenges.

Health visitors can help children and families make the best start in life. They visit all parents with children under the age of 5 in the city and offer health promotion and write developmental reviews during their home visits to promote childhood development. Schools, faith groups and community centres can work together to help reach socially isolated families, helping bring support to those who need it.

There is a variety of practical support for families and children in the area. Hope Community Projects Coventry supports families in the Hillfields in a variety of ways. They provide childcare, work with parents of preschool children to help them understand and meet the needs of their children and become involved in their learning and development. The project works with the whole family to give them the confidence to access services that help them improve their lives and overcome barriers.

The areas youthful population makes it even more important to create engaging opportunities for young people so that they can reach their full potential. Positive Youth Foundation (a charity that helps young people reach their full potential) is very active in the area and across the city. They operate various sessions from their centre in Hillfields that are designed to give support and education to young people so that they can secure their future and attain their full potential.

Education and skills

Why is this important?

Poor work chances, social alienation, and difficulties with mental and physical health are just a few of the social disadvantages that people could potentially face later in life as a result of low educational attainment and low expectations. By supporting high levels of educational attainment and boosting their expectations, these barriers can be removed so that children and young people realise their full potential in life.

There have been significant disruptions to education over recent years due to the Covid-19 pandemic, forcing schools to close and move to digital classrooms. It is fair to say that this has had an impact on education and some children’s school readiness as a result. Therefore, the Department of Education are reluctant to directly compare attainment statistics between 2019-2022, we have included some for your information here.

What is the local picture? How does it compare?

There are 4 Primary schools and 1 Secondary school in Hillfields. The Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills, also known as Ofsted, inspects services providing education and training for learners and regulate services that care for children and young people. 3 of the 4 primary schools are rated ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’ and one was rated as 'Requires improvement’. The secondary school in the area was rated ‘Outstanding’.

In May 2023 a relatively low proportion of children who live in Hillfields attended a 'Good' or ‘Outstanding’ 73.0% of children who live in Hillfields attend a ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’ school, 22.9% of attended a school with the rating 'Requires improvement' or 'Inadequate' and 4.1% attended a school that hadn’t been recently inspected. This means that 76.2% of those whose school had been inspected, attend a 'Good’ or ‘Outstanding’ school, lower than the city average of 83.5%.

The number of pupils with Special Educational Needs (SEN) is in line with the city average (18.2%). In 2023 18.5% of children living in Hillfields were SEN pupils. SEN can be divided into two types, those with a Statement or an Education, Health & Care (EHC) plan, and those with SEN support. In total 484 pupils are identified as having Special Educational Needs, 3.2% were in receipt of an EHC plan and 15.2% were receiving SEN support.

Hillfields attainment performance at the end of year 6 (key stage 2) is lower than Coventry averages and national averages. In 2022, 52% of students living in Hillfields at the end of year 6 met the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths combined, compared to 54% for Coventry as a whole and 59% for England.

The average attainment 8 scores for pupils at key stage 4 in Hillfields is similar to the Coventry average. Based on attainment 8 scores, which are an average score used to measure an individual student's progress across their 8 best performing subjects taken at GCSE level, the average attainment 8 score for pupils in Hillfields was 45.9 slightly lower than Coventry 46.2 and lower than England (48.9) in 2022.

Free school meals eligibility in Coventry continues to increase and is relativity high in Hillfields. In 2022 38.4% of children from Hillfields (approximately 1,006) were entitled to free school meals, compared to 24.8% across Coventry.  When comparing to other areas of Coventry, the percentage of Hillfields pupils eligible for free school meals is amongst the highest in the city.

There is variation across neighbourhoods with less students being eligible for free school meals in ‘City Farm North’ (24.9%) compared to ‘Hillfields Village’ (50.3%) and ‘Hillfields - Coronation Road Swanswell Basin’ (47.5%).

More residents in Hillfields have little or no qualifications than the city average. 22.1% of Hillfields residents aged 16 and over have no formal qualifications, significantly higher than Coventry (19.4%) and England (18.1%). Having no qualifications may limit a person’s ability to gain more rewarding employment in the city or push them to be redeployed as the city’s jobs increasingly require qualified people.

25.7% of Hillfields residents aged 16 and over are qualified to level 4 or above, which means they have a foundation degree or above, compared to 30.6% for Coventry as a whole and 33.9% for England.

What else is happening? What else can be done?

Local initiatives and creating community champions in the area could positively impact the ways in which people connect to each other and the community. Hillz FM, a community radio station, serves disadvantaged, marginalised, and culturally under-represented groups. It aims to provide relevant media coverage to those underserved by mainstream media. Programs are broadcasted in English and community languages based on demand and volunteer availability, including Kurdish, Polish, Punjabi, Hindi/Urdu, French, and African languages.

Community support is available for young people through homework clubs and advice and support. The Hillfields Cross Cultures Project hosted at the WATCH Centre is aimed at young people between the ages of 16-30, not in education, training, or employment or at risk of becoming NEET. Careers advice, CV support, job searches, interview techniques and support in gaining work experience is available. Positive Youth Foundation “Raising Aspirations Programme” is designed to support young people achieve their potential and helps those experiencing challenges in mainstream education. The programme is designed and tailored to the needs of individuals.

“I enjoyed everything I learned about and meeting new people on my previous skills and training courses.”

“Practical. I love to try new things, beyond the theories. I love to put whatever I learn into practice.” 
 

“Courses can sometimes be overwhelming as they are full on with lots of information, big groups         “

“It helps me more skilled and more capable in my job.”

The library also supports children through programmes such as Bookstart. Through Bookstart, children of preschool age receive a free information pack containing a variety of activities, guidance for parents and a book. This is in the hope that good literacy habits will be formed at a much younger age. Rhyme Time is also an opportunity for the formation of good literacy habits and encourage the development of language and social skills amongst babies and toddlers.

Coventry Skills Survey was conducted to find out what Coventry residents think about skills training courses in the city. It found that residents in St Michaels wards (which includes Hillfields) felt the biggest barriers to undertaking skills or training course were a lack of information surrounding what courses were available, followed by time restrictions and concerns over eligibility for courses. Outlining the digital divide 6 of those responding to the survey said they cannot access IT equipment. When asked what would help to overcome these barriers, more information along with careers guidance and opportunities to learn online were the most popular responses. More than 2/3 felt that they have the skills to either gain employment or progress in their career.

Coventry University Group are developing a national skills hub aimed at supporting the Power Electronics, Machines and Drives community by providing an extensive range of training and development opportunities to help upskill the UK’s workforce to help deliver clean solutions such as the next generation of electric transport. They have partnered with Jaguar Land Rover to develop a pilot training scheme to help upskill 1200 engineers so they can learn the key skills needed for electric vehicle development. This will not only help the production of electric cars which will help lower emissions, but it is also providing workers with key skills for the future.

Economy and growth

Why is this important?

A protective factor for health is having meaningful employment. Reducing avoidable health disparities will involve tackling the unequal distribution of money, wealth, and power by improving opportunities and skills.

Hillfields neighbourhoods have higher levels of multiple deprivation than most other areas of Coventry. This is measured using the Index of Multiple Deprivation 2019, it measures the extent to which people in each neighbourhood (LSOA) in England experiences ‘multiple deprivation’ across the factors of employment, income, education, health, crime, housing and services and living environment; it is the headline measure of deprivation at a local level. This measure remains valid, although the data is now a little old as it is only refreshed every five years on average – the insights from this should be considered in conjunction with other more up to date statistics.

44% of the population live in neighbourhoods (LSOAs) that are amongst the most deprived 10% LSOAs in England and over half (57%) live in neighbourhoods that are amongst the most deprived 20% LSOAs in England.

The map below indicates that half of the neighbourhoods across Hillfields are amongst the most deprived 10% of areas in England, those in the darkest red colour. It shows ‘Hillfields Village’, ‘Hillfields - Coronation Road Swanswell Basin’and ‘Hillfields - Cambridge Street’ neighbourhoods have higher levels of deprivation, ‘Hillfields - Canterbury Raglan Streets’ and ‘Hillfields - Swans Lane Thacknall Street’ neighbourhoods less so, but these neighbourhoods are still experiencing higher levels of multiple deprivation than average.

These pockets of deprivation limit people’s opportunities to succeed and transforming life chances requires addressing the social inequalities that are established right from the earliest years.

The unemployment rate in Hillfields is much higher than the city average. A contribution to this will inevitably be the disruption during the COVID-19 pandemic and slow growth in the national economy in 2022, however rates have been consistently above average. The unemployment rate according to the 2021 Census for residents in Hillfields was 11.1% of all aged 16-64 (1,077 people), much higher than the Coventry average 5.9% and amongst the highest rate of all areas in the city.  While the unemployment rate is higher than average in all parts of Hillfields, there is variation across the area. ‘Hillfields - Canterbury Raglan Streets’ area has a much higher unemployment rate at 14.8%, whereas ‘Hillfields - Cambridge Street’ has a lower unemployment rate at 6.4%.

From the 2021 Census, 43.7% of those aged 16-64 were in employment, compared to 64.2% across Coventry overall. The Census measures employment and unemployment rates differently to other data sources and was produced during a unique time for the labour market due to the COVID-19 pandemic, therefore the percentages used from the Census are lower than other official data and employment rate sources.

The number of residents claiming unemployment benefits is significantly higher in Hillfields. The claimant count increased significantly in early 2020, an indication of the impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on employment, and while it has fallen since 2020 it remains significantly higher than 2019 levels. Between August 2019 and August 2023, the proportion of the local working aged (16-64) population claiming unemployment benefits in Hillfields increased by 3.0 percentage points from 6.8% to 9.8% (945 people from in total), significantly higher than the city average of 5.6%.

Economic inactivity rates in Hillfields are significantly higher (45.3%), than the city average (29.9%), this area being home to a much higher-than-average number of students. So, in addition to the around one in ten of the working aged population that are unemployed, nearly half are economically inactive.  Economic inactivity refers to people who are neither in work nor unemployed, they are not actively seeking work for various reasons. This includes full-time students, those looking after a home, people living with long term illness, retired people, and others. Economic inactivity rates are particularly high amongst people who are inactive students, in Hillfields 23.7% of all aged 16-64 are economically inactive full-time students compared to overall city average of 12.8%.

Overall inactivity amongst non-students in this area is also higher than average, although it varies by reason. 10.2% of all working age people who are inactive and ‘looking after home/family’ compared to the rest of city’s rate of 6.0%. and people who are ‘long-term sick or disabled’, making up 4.8% of all working aged people compared to the city’s average of 4.9%.

0.6% of working aged residents of the area are retired (Coventry 2.3%). 6.0% of working aged residents of the area are ‘Inactive Other’ compared to the overall city average 4.0%.
Hillfields ‘Canterbury Raglan Streets’ has some of the highest rates in the whole city of Inactive students, making up 44.1% of all people aged 16-64.

Household income is lower than the city average for residents in Hillfields, amongst the lowest in the city.  The ‘UK Paycheck’ dataset from CACI estimates average gross annual household income for 2023, for Hillfields the mean average is estimated at £30,309 compared to the Coventry average of £41,552 and the UK average of £47,621. A higher proportion of households in this area are on low incomes, 39% of households are on an annual income of less than £20,000, compared to 27% across Coventry overall and 22% across the UK.

Average household income is at its lowest in ‘Hillfields Village’ at £22,675, lower than all other areas in the city. The ‘City Farm North’ neighbourhood has the highest average income amongst Hillfields neighbourhoods at £38,282 in Hillfields, but this is still lower than average for Coventry.

People living in Hillfields are more likely to worry about money, this in part can be attributed to the cost-of-living crisis. The Household Survey 2022 found that 63% of residents said they had been worried about money often or almost all the time in the last few weeks, this is much higher compared to the city’s average of 40%.  47% of residents surveyed in said that all their household always have enough of the food they want to eat, this is lower than the city’s average of 69%.

Making sure that everyone can access and use digital resources and services is very important. Coventry has a great benefit of having fast internet in general, but this does not guarantee access and there are many people in the area who may experience digital isolation. The Ofcom Connected Nations report 2022 provides us with local data, and there is a high level of ‘gigabit’ availability in Hillfields, with 92.6% of premises having access to fixed broadband that can deliver 1,000 Megabits per second (Mbit/s), although this is notably lower than Coventry overall at 96.9%. All premises have access to ‘Superfast Broadband’ (30 Mbit/s or more), but the actual performance measured is lower, with only 85.6% having average measured speeds of connections 30 Mbit/s or faster. However, having good connection levels overall does not mean that residents have the ability to access fast broadband or afford it.

The Greater Manchester Combined Authority created the Digital Exclusion Risk Index (DERI) tool to estimate the chance of digital exclusion for all small neighbourhoods (LSOAs) in England. They used different metrics to measure the risk factors of demography, deprivation, and broadband availability and gave each area a score between 0 and 10. A score of 0 means a low chance of exclusion and a score of 10 means a high chance. This data reveals a varied picture for the area, with slightly higher than average risk scores than the Coventry average.

Hillfields has many areas that score higher than the city average. ‘Hillfields Village’ is ranked 5th in the city with a score of 4.22. Overall, four of the six LSOAs that make up Hillfields have scores higher than average for Coventry and amongst the amongst the highest 20% of neighbourhoods in England. The other 2 LSOAs (‘Hillfields - Canterbury Raglan Street and ‘Hillfields - Swans Lane Thacknall Street’) have lower than average scores for the city.

Another method to assess digital exclusion is the Internet User Classification 2018 data set from the Economic and Social Research Council, which used various statistics to put each LSOA in Great Britain into 10 different categories based on the internet use and participation of its residents. There is variation by neighbourhood in Hillfields for this measure, aligning with the areas with the relatively high and low DERI scores shown above. Three of the neighbourhoods in Hillfields were in the ‘e-Withdrawn’ category, the one that has the lowest engagement with the internet, but other neighbourhoods are categorised as more engaged. The parts of Coventry that were given this category were usually those with higher levels of multiple deprivation.

What else is happening? What else can be done?

Increasing the economic prosperity of the city is important to those living Hillfields. The One Coventry Plan sets out the council’s ambition to ensure more residents of Coventry are fulfilling their ambitions, living healthier lives for longer and living in safer, connected, and sustainable communities.

One Coventry plan engagement found that residents in Hillfields felt that the most important priority was increasing the economic prosperity of the city and of the region, closely followed by improving outcomes and tackling inequalities within our communities and finally tackling the causes of climate change.

Community and voluntary groups are working together in the city to ensure support is in place for those who need it. The Coventry Food Network is an example of this, established as a result from the pandemic. Coventry Food Network is a food partnership which brings together several public, private, voluntary and community sector partners to address food poverty and its causes in Coventry by taking a city-wide collaborative and strategic approach towards a unified Coventry Food Network and Strategy. Since 18 March 2020, the Council has been working closely with a range of partners, to create and deliver a system of food provision. Some of the initiatives that have evolved from this partnership are:

• Established 15 social supermarkets/grub hubs throughout the city to provide nutritional food and support to those residents in greatest need.
• Support the delivery of the Household Support Fund by providing emergency food provision to vulnerable residents who needed additional support with accessing/affording food.
• Supported the delivery and developed a model to support those who were clinically extremely vulnerable (Shielding) re: food and basic support.
• Procured food and distributed food parcels to children eligible for free school meals provision during school holidays.
• Continue to support and enhance the offer of healthy, nutritious food to children and families eligible for free school meals through the HAF programme

The cost-of-living crisis is undoubtedly having a huge impact on residents, however there is a more coordinated approach to help and support on offer to residents. Citizen Money Advice team has provided housing and/or money advice drop-in clinics from Harmony Hub and Thomas King House to any local residents.

“more support for underprivileged families”

#CovConnects device bank is helping residents to become less digitally excluded. ​The #CovConnects Device Bank received digital devices from the West Midland's Combined Authority's Connected Services program. Donations included laptops, Chromebooks, PCs, and mi-fi dongles and are being distributed through the #CovConnects Device Bank to Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise organisations in specific communities across the city. By distributing these devices directly to these communities, the Council aims to tackle digital exclusion and improve residents' access to the digital world. Additionally, the #CovConnects team offer support for organisations and their residents in connectivity, skills, and support to maximize the recipients' benefits.

Business rates were raised as a concern by residents. Residents saw business rates in the city centre as a potential barrier for smaller businesses, making it difficult for them to operate or grow. They fear this could reduce local business diversity and limit entrepreneurship, leaving only larger companies able to afford the rates. This could harm the area's vibrancy and community feel, potentially weakening the local economy. Residents suggested reviewing business rates to better support small businesses.

“Fix the issue of business Rates in the City Centre - so that more diverse, smaller businesses are also incentivised to set up there”

Hillfields residents stressed that a sustainable food strategy could address multiple issues, including climate change, local economic development, health, and social inclusion. By promoting local food production, reducing waste, and encouraging plant-based diets, thus reducing the community's carbon footprint. Economically, it could support local farmers and businesses, create jobs, and boost food security. The strategy could also improve public health by promoting healthier diets and addressing food insecurity. Additionally, social inclusion could be enhanced through community gardens and food-sharing initiatives, fostering stronger community bonds while ensuring access to affordable, nutritious food.

 “A sustainable food system strategy would complement and add weight to the climate change strategy, allowing the Council to leverage more influence and resources towards the climate agenda whilst also meeting many other needs”

Housing and Environment

Localities and neighbourhoods

Why is it important?

The quality of the built and natural environment, such as the local neighbourhoods, access to local shops, services, parks and green spaces, affect the health and wellbeing of everyone.

What is the local picture? How does it compare?

Satisfaction with the local area is lower than the city average, with some indication that residents in Hillfields feel that it has become a worse area to live in. According to the Coventry Household Survey 2022, 39% of people surveyed in Hillfields were satisfied with local area as a place to live. This is 26 percentage points lower than the satisfaction rate of 65% recorded in the 2018 survey and lower than the overall satisfaction level recorded for Coventry (66%). 42% of people surveyed in Hillfields thought their area had got worse to live in, this was higher than the Coventry average of 28%.

Hillfields lacks greenspace, with below-average provision compared to the rest of Coventry. The Green Space Strategy 2019 -2024 shows there is considerable variation in the amount of green space by ward across Coventry, the average per ward is 62.3 hectares. Hillfields is in St Michael’s ward where there is only 29.6 hectares of green space, a relatively low coverage. Across the city, the average level of provision is 3.05 hectares per 1,000 population and in St Michael’s there is only 0.86 hectares of green space per 1,000 population, the 3rd lowest coverage per head out of the 18 Coventry wards. The table below shows the green space quantity by type and ward.

Most scores for St Michael’s are below average, with natural and semi natural greenspace, green corridor and unrestricted outdoor sports facilities scoring zero.

Table: Green space quantity by primary type and Coventry ward, hectares per 1,000 population

Source: Coventry Green Space Strategy 2019-2024, Coventry City Council 

Hillfields has poorer air quality than is average for Coventry neighbourhoods.  Air pollution is the largest environmental risk to the public’s health and has a harmful impact on the health of people living, working, and studying within Coventry. Like many towns and cities throughout the UK, roadside pollution levels, especially those resulting from nitrogen dioxide (NO2) emissions from traffic and Particulate Matter (PM), are a concern. Poor air quality affects different communities disproportionately, some areas in Coventry do not achieve the EU and international standards. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is one of the pollutants of concern, and ‘diffusion tubes’ are deployed to measure levels at various roadside locations in Coventry, in 2022, 75 locations were measured, five of which were situated in Hillfields, all 5 had levels below the then recommended 40 µg/m3 of NO2.  A more stringent 10 µg/m3 guideline level was introduced recently. None of the sites measured in this area, or any other area in the city, have met this standard, all are measured at an average above 10. As with all other sites measured across the city, the levels measured reduced between 2019 and 2022.

The local measurements from these 5 diffusion tubes are not the very highest in the city and an alternative measure, estimated annual NO2 levels by neighbourhood presented in the ‘Shape Atlas’ tool from the Department of Health and Social Care, also indicates NO2 levels to be higher than average for the city but not the very highest. This source does indicate NO2 levels to be higher than the national average across the whole city, however, each neighbourhood in Hillfields is estimated to have levels amongst the highest 20% in the country. The same source also estimates Particulate Matter (PM) and Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) levels to the higher than the average for Coventry neighbourhoods.  

Residents in Hillfields are less likely to have access to a car. The Census 2021 recorded that only 50% of households in Hillfields have access to a car or a van, lower than that recorded for the Coventry average 72.4% and the England average of 76.4%.

Comparing this insight to the air quality data summarised above indicates an inequality, Hillfields has a high proportion of people who don’t use cars regularly but also has many neighbourhoods where the population is subjected to poorer than average air quality.

What else is happening? What else can be done?

Despite lower levels of car ownership in Hillfields, traffic was identified as a particular problem for the area. Residents were also concerned about the environmental and safety impacts of the traffic problem. More traffic can lead to higher air and noise pollution levels, negatively affecting the health and well-being of the community. Traffic congestion also increases the risk of accidents, particularly in areas with schools, parks, and high pedestrian activity, posing a significant safety concern.

“Road works every where causes traffic jam that increase pollution.”

“Keep the streets cleaner and more attractive to businesses”

Residents in Hillfields are concerned about the lack of attractive green spaces, with vandalism and litter being key issues. Green spaces are essential for fostering community cohesion, combating loneliness, and addressing environmental challenges like pollution, noise, heat, and flooding.

To improve these areas, residents suggest involving school children in maintaining green spaces through activities like tree planting and litter clean-ups, fostering environmental responsibility. Boosting recycling incentives, such as deposit-return schemes, could also help reduce litter. Additionally, protecting greenbelt land from development is seen as crucial for preserving limited green spaces and ensuring long-term environmental benefits for the community.

“Involve school children. Let them provide the ideas. Let children's voices be heard. Advertise what has already been achieved!”

“Boost incentives for recycling - including cash options (machines) where people can return their own plastic bottles, cans etc in exchange for cash. Partners with businesses to achieve this.”

Residents in Hillfields have been working with the Council and Citizen to tackle fly-tipping. People who live in Vernon Close, Brook Close, Vauxhall Close, Gilbert Close, Days Close and Spring Close had ongoing concerns about an area around their homes which has become a fly-tipping hotspot. The clean-up was done in response to customer feedback demonstrating the council’s commitment to reducing anti-social behaviour across our communities so that residents have a cleaner environment to live in. The project forms part of a wider plan to invest in the St Michael's Estate, Hillfields. The Neighbourhood Plan will ensure that all stakeholder partners are working together in the planning and delivery of the project that includes tackling Anti-Social Behaviour, Building Safety and improving green spaces within the community. 

The area could be improved by ensuring that the local environment is clean and attractive for residents which will encourage people to enjoy their local spaces. Due to the limited amount of green space in the area residents feel it is vital for the council to maintain the parks, fields, and open spaces

Coventry University Group is a partner of the Clean Futures Innovation Accelerator. Clean Futures will develop the West Midland’s innovation ecosystem - helping to drive economic growth, increase industry engagement and accelerate the commercialisation of SMEs in the region. It will support the development of the transport sector in the West Midlands, enabling the transition of manufacturing and associated supply chains from fossil-fuelled solutions to clean-tech.

Housing and homelessness

Why is this important?

Historically, housing is only considered in relation to health in terms of support to help vulnerable people to live healthy, independent lives and reduce the pressure on families and carers. However, it is now recognised that good quality housing for all leads to better health and wellbeing, as it indirectly affects early years outcomes, educational achievement, economic prosperity and community safety.

Conversely, rough sleeping and homelessness significantly impacts on a person’s mental and physical health, and the longer someone experiences rough sleeping, the more likely they will develop additional mental and physical health needs, develop substance misuse issues and have contact with the criminal justice system.

What is the local picture? How does it compare?

Home ownership is significantly lower than average and private and social renting is higher in Hillfields to the Coventry average. The 2021 Census showed that in Hillfields overall less than a quarter (22.2%) of households are owner occupied (either owned outright or with a mortgage) compared to 57.4% in Coventry. 41.7% of households in Hillfields are privately rented compared to the Coventry average of 24.7%. 35.3% of households are socially rented, much higher than the city average of 17.0%. This data counts private households, it does not include student halls of residence, of which there are some in the area, they are classed as communal establishments.

A large proportion of private households in Hillfields are terraced houses or flats. 45.4% of households are terraced houses (Coventry average 39.9%) and a relatively high proportion of households are a part of purpose-built blocks of flats or tenements, making up 27.6% of households (Coventry 15.7%). There are relatively few detached or semi-detached households, making up 7.5% (Coventry 11.6%) and 14.7% of households (Coventry 30.0%).

House prices in Hillfields are lower than the Coventry average. House Price Statistics for Small Areas (HPSSAs), produced by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) shows that in September 2022, the median house price in Hillfields £143,500 was lower than the Coventry median average of £214,000.

In 2021 median house prices in Hillfields were £130,000 indicating a 10% increase from September 2021 – September 2022. This increase was in the upper quartile for all Coventry areas. However, the median house price £143,500 remains relatively low, the second lowest price recorded for an MSOA in Coventry in September 2022.

A high proportion of households in Hillfields are classed as overcrowded. The 2021 Census revealed that 16.9% of households, more than one in every six, were overcrowded in Hillfields compared to 7.7% in Coventry. Overcrowding is twice as common here than is average for the city, Hillfields overcrowding rates are amongst the highest of all Coventry’s neighbourhoods. A house is defined as overcrowded if there are too few rooms for the number of occupants based on standards of a minimum number of common rooms and bedrooms needed for the size and composition of the household.

The 2021 Census showed that there are 4,400 households in Hillfields, 3% of the 134,100 households in Coventry. 29.3% of households in Hillfields have 4 or more people in them compared to the Coventry average of 23.1%. While only 40.7% of households in Hillfields had 3 or more bedrooms compared to Coventry’s average of 64.6%.

Fuel poverty, which is influenced by energy prices, incomes, and housing quality, is high in Hillfields. This is measured using 2021 data, a time before the significant increase in energy bills impacted on households. In 2021 fuel poverty was more prevalent in Coventry than in the region or England, Coventry had the 4th highest fuel poverty rate of all local authority areas in England. The Coventry average was 20.8% and the England average was 13.1%. 42.5% households in Hillfields were estimated to be in fuel poverty, more than double the Coventry average, amongst the highest rates of all neighbourhoods in the city. It is likely rates have increased since then as the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on communities across the city is yet to be fully realised, as people face rapidly rising energy, fuel, food and housing costs.

The city has high and increasing levels of homelessness, and Hillfields has particularly high levels, as indicated by data on homelessness applications from Coventry City Council. In 2022/23 there were 153 homelessness applications made to Coventry City Council from people living in Hillfields, a significant increase from the 63 applications made in 2018/19. These are people who made an application and were assessed as being homeless or at risk or being becoming homeless and assigned to the area based on their last settled address. The rate of homelessness or at risk of becoming homelessness per 1,000 households in Hillfields was 35.1 in 2022/23, significantly higher than the overall city rate of 14.6 and the highest rate out of all Coventry areas. The trends in the area are similar to those for the city overall, increasing and notably higher than four years previously before the pandemic, 2018/19.

What else is happening? What else can be done?

Social housing provides long term homes that enable people to settle, residents raised concerns about the system in acquiring accommodation, the quality of the homes and the types of people that are entitled to them.

Better social housing contributes to stronger, healthier, and more equitable communities which benefit health outcomes for its residents and society.

Citizen Housing are working with Coventry City Council and their customers to develop a neighbourhood plan for the area. The neighbourhood plan aims to help identify key issues and to develop actions which address these issues and improve local services. Citizen are responsible for 750 homes in the area and Coventry City Council is responsible for services such as street cleaning, so by working together to create the plan, they aim to help make improvements to Hillfields. The plan includes objectives such as improving community safety, maintaining homes, and improving them to a good standard, and building on existing partnerships with residents.

Threats to health and wellbeing are exacerbated by the increased costs associated with keeping homes warm, dry, and ventilated sufficiently over the colder months of the year and potential intermittent shortages in energy supply.  Cold homes are recognised as a source of both physical and mental ill health, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke, respiratory illness, falls and accidents.

The Council has been proactive in supporting the most vulnerable residents access support through a series of initiatives. Coventry City Council have commissioned local energy charity Act on Energy to deliver its Keeping Coventry Warm Scheme. Keeping Coventry Warm provides Coventry residents with free energy saving advice and information.

The household support fund is also a way to provide residents with support for essentials linked to energy and water in recognition that a range of costs may arise that directly affect a households’ ability to afford or access food energy and water.

Crime and community safety

Why is this important?

Being a victim of crime, and being worried about crime, impacts on a person’s perception of their quality of life in the neighbourhood and has a negative effect on a person’s mental and physical wellbeing.

What is the local picture? How does it compare?

The crime rate in Hillfields is significantly higher than the average crime rate in Coventry. It is higher than all other neighbourhoods in the city, only lower than the city centre, and ranks highly compared to other neighbourhoods for most type of crime, particularly for violent crime.  The recorded crime rate per 1,000 of the population in 2022/23 was 209.0 significantly higher than the Coventry average rate of 124.6.  The crime rate in the area has been on an increasing trend, as it has for the whole city; the total number of crimes recorded in Hillfields in 2022/23 was almost double the 2017/18 levels, 97% higher compared to the Coventry overall increase of 65%.  The scale of increase in Hillfields over that time was one of the greatest of all Coventry’s neighbourhoods. The number of recorded crimes and anti-social behaviour incidents in 2022/23 in Hillfields increased to 3,012 from 2,729 in 2021/22, a 10.4% increase.

The top three categories of crime reported in Hillfields 2022/23 were: Violence and sexual offences (accounting for 42% of all crime and antisocial behaviour), Vehicle crime (9% of all) and public order crimes (8%).

The main reason for the overall rise in crime in the last 5 years is that there have been more crimes recorded under the category ‘Violence and sexual offences’. This pattern is true for Hillfields as well as for the whole of Coventry; in 2022/23, 1,267 crimes in this category were recorded in this area. What stands out is, although crime rates in this area are above the city average for most types of crime, the gap between violent crime rates in this area and the city average is bigger than for other types of crime; the rate of ‘Violence and sexual offences’ is especially high at 94.3 per 1,000 population compared to 51.6 for the whole of Coventry.

There were 79 incidents of Hate Crime recorded in Hillfields between September 2022 and October 2023, this indicates it is significantly more prevalent than the Coventry average in this area, amounting to a rate of 5.9 per 1,000 residents compared to 2.8 for Coventry overall.  

The Coventry Serious Violence Strategic Needs Assessment 2023 highlights St. Michael’s ward, which include Hillfields and other areas, as having relatively high rates of knife crime, gun crime and possession of weapons in 2022/23. Although the volume of such crimes is relatively small among the total recorded ‘Violence and sexual offences’ in the area, the rates for all of these are highest out of all Coventry’s 18 wards in St. Michael’s, with 178 knife crimes, 19 gun crimes and 228 possession of weapons crimes recorded in 2022/23. While this is for all of St. Michaels ward and not all of these crimes would have been in Hillfields, this give a strong indication that rates of serious violence are high in Hillfields. The number of all of these crimes have been on an increasing trend since 20219/20.

The proportion of residents in Hillfields who feel safe during both the day and night is significantly lower than the Coventry average. In the 2022 Household Survey, only 60% of residents surveyed in Hillfields felt safe during day compared to the Coventry average of 77%. This has been a significant decrease from the 2018 survey where 93% of residents in Hillfields felt safe in the day. 40% of residents surveyed said they felt safe after dark in their local area this is also lower than the Coventry average of 45% and 61% in 2018 survey.

What else is happening? What else can be done?

Residents have reported that they felt unsafe around The Closes, Hillfields, and the area was untidy with rubbish. Coventry City Council and Citizen worked together to undertake a co-ordinated programme of fly-tipping removal, tree canopy thinning and cutting back of shrubs. This has resulted in the area being cleaner and improved street lighting is better illuminating previously darkened areas. Residents have reported that this is a considerable improvement. The council and Citizen Teams are now systematically reviewing land ownership and responsibilities around The Closes, to identify collaborative opportunities to further improve the environment.

Key partner agencies who work in Hillfields have come together to help make it a safer place to live and work. West Midlands Police, Coventry City Council and housing association Citizen all employ a range of people who work in Hillfields and have created the #OurHillfields partnership to combine and focus their resources to tackle the things that matter most to the local community. Established in 2019, the West Midlands Violence Reduction Unit (WM VRU) is a partnership organisation that sits within the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner. It aims to reduce and prevent violent crime across the region. It benefits from the expertise of partners in public health, criminal justice, sports, education, and policing to tackle the root causes of violence and support communities most affected by violence. The WM VRU has commissioned projects such as Early Years Protective Behaviours programmes, school and community-based youth mentoring, and domestic abuse prevention campaigns.

Health and Wellbeing

Health and Wellbeing

Life Expectancy

Why is this important?

Life expectancy and healthy life expectancy are extremely important summary measures of overall population health. The Marmot Review, Fair Society, Healthy Lives, demonstrates clear and significant links between avoidable differences in health outcomes and deprivation, where people experiencing multiple deprivation not only living shorter lives, but spend a greater portion of their shorter lives with a disability or in poor health. As a Marmot city, Coventry has adopted and embedded the principles of Marmot, tackling the social conditions that can lead to health inequalities, and working to improve the areas in which people are born, grow, live, work and age. 

What is the local picture? How does it compare?

There are health inequalities across Coventry whereby areas with higher levels of deprivation tend to have lower life expectancy. Hillfields is one of these areas. Life expectancy is a statistic giving a high-level picture of the health of Coventry residents and should be used with care in understanding likely life spans for people; excess deaths due to the COVID-19 pandemic will have had a negative impact on life expectancy statistics but this may not have a permanent impact. Whilst this data includes 2020 and the pandemic will have undoubtedly affected mortality statistics, life expectancy increases had already stalled before 2020.

Life expectancy (LE) in Hillfields for both males and females is lower than the rest of the city overall, the gap being particularly high for males living here. Healthy life expectancy (HLE) is also significantly lower than average here, on average people suffer poorer health earlier in their life than other places. In Hillfields this is particularly the case for females, HLE being substantially lower than that of Coventry and England as a whole.

Table: Life expectancy at birth 2016-2020 by MSOA, the most up to date figures available at local level 

Area	Life Expectancy (LE) at birth (years)  (2016-20)
	Female	Male
Hillfields	81.6	74.3
Coventry	82.1	78.1
England	83.2	79.5

Source:  The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities 2022, Crown Copyright.

Health inequalities across the city mean that people in more deprived parts of the city, like Hillfields, not only live shorter lives, but also spend a greater proportion of their shorter lives in poor health. The gap between healthy life expectancy at birth (HLE) and life expectancy at birth (LE) is referred to as the ‘window of need’. While this gap in Coventry is bigger than that of England as a whole, for the people in the Hillfields area is even bigger, particularly so for females. In Hillfields, females spend 35% of their expected life span in poor health, a higher proportion than the 25% for females in Coventry or the 22% nationally. This window of need is wider for females than males, partly due to the longer life expectancy of women, which means they spend more of their lives in poor health.

Table: Life expectancy (LE) at birth & healthy life expectancy (HLE) at birth 2009-2013 by MSOA*.

Area	Healthy life expectancy at birth (2009-2013)		Life expectancy at birth (2009-2013)		Window of need  (2009-2013)
	Female	Male	Female	Male	Female	Male
Hillfields	52.1	54.6	80.5	75.7	28.4	21.1
  	 	 	 	  	 	 
Coventry 	61.8 	61.2 	82.1 	77.9 	20.3 	16.7 
England 	64.8 	63.5 	83.0 	79.1 	18.2 	15.6 

Source:  The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, Crown Copyright.

*The most up to date figures available at local level for healthy life expectancy, data for LE is presented for the same period to accurately calculate the ‘window of need’. The data for 2016-20 LE in the table above is the best to use to understand LE alone. This is the most up to date data at MSOA level, for more up to date information for Coventry City as a whole please see our Citywide profile [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/facts-coventry/joint-strategic-needs-assessment-jsna/4]

Premature mortality (deaths under 75) is significantly higher in Hillfields than in Coventry and the national average. The standardised mortality ratio (SMR), which adjusts for different age structures across populations, is 148.7 in Hillfields, compared to 116.9 in Coventry overall and 100 nationally. An SMR of 100 represents a mortality rate the same as the national average given the age structure of the population. This means Coventry's premature mortality is 16.9% above the national average, after the age structure of the population has been accounted for, and 48.7% higher the national average in Hillfields.

Hillfields ranks 10th out of 42 Coventry areas for premature mortality, with particularly high rates of premature deaths from cancer (124.4) and circulatory disease for the same age group (151.0). It is also the 8th highest for deaths considered preventable (174.3), In this instance, a ‘preventable’ death is one which is considered as avoidable through public health or primary interventions.

What else is happening? What else can be done?

A social gradient approach focusing on people’s prospects and opportunities, housing, and environment and lifestyle factors can help improve outcomes, and reduce inequality and reduce premature mortality. Themes that have been explored throughout this JSNA.

Health Protection

Why is this important

Demand and access

Why is this important?

The demand for health and care services is expected to increase as the city’s population grows and ages. To manage this growth there is a need to shift the emphasis to proactive and preventative care. This means ensuring people have better general health regardless of where they live, requiring fewer visits to hospital and shorter stays if they need inpatient care; and remodelling urgent and emergency and planned care so that it can cater to the expected increase in demand.

What is the local picture? How does it compare?

Hillfields has relatively good access to health services, with most residents being able to reach a GP and a pharmacy within a few minutes. All residents in the area can access a GP within a 15-minute walk of their home, this access is important because car ownership rates are low in this area. For many parts of Hillfields walking time is less than 15 minutes to a GP, but access is slightly less good for people living in the northern parts of the area, from where it is estimated it should take around 15 minutes. Despite there being no main GP practice within the Hillfields area itself, there is a single branch of the Sky Blue Medical Group located in the Harnall Lane Medical Centre, and a number of other practices nearby. The biggest coverage is in the western area of Hillfields which comes from the City of Coventry Health Centre on Stoney Stanton Road, several practices are located there. There are more practices in other locations nearby, including in Lower Stoke & Gosford Park, and Stoke Heath. With one pharmacy located in a fairly central position within the area and others around the edge of the area, the longest journey time by foot to a pharmacy for all residents of Hillfields is estimated to be less than 10 minutes.

Map: Locations of GP practices around the area of Hillfields, with walking distances highlighted 

Data source: Shape Place, Department of Health & Social Care 

Map: Locations of pharmacies around the area of Hillfields, with walking distances highlighted 

Data source: Shape Place, Department of Health & Social Care 

Overall, satisfaction with the GP practices in the areas nearby Hillfields is relatively good compared with the city as a whole and nationally. Using the latest GP survey data, 71% of the users of the above GP practices would rate their experience as good or very good. This is on par with the rest of Coventry and England (both 71%), although overall satisfaction has dropped since 2019, with GPs local to Hillfields, as it has across all Coventry GPs and nationwide; from 78% in local practices and 81% across all Coventry practices in 2019.

It is very much the same story when it comes to obtaining appointments via telephone and the actual wait for them. 60% of GP users in the area responded that it was easy or very easy to obtain an appointment and 58% were satisfied or very satisfied with the waiting times of their appointments. This is on par with the rest of Coventry but above the results for England, where only 50% of respondents said it was easy or very easy to obtain an appointment and 53% were satisfied or very satisfied with the waiting times.

What else is happening? What else can be done?

A social gradient approach focusing on people’s prospects and opportunities, housing and environment and lifestyle factors can help improve outcomes, reduce inequality and reducing premature mortality.

The citywide JSNA identified that a culturally competent approach that recognises and makes best use of the assets of the city’s diverse communities is essential. This includes working with local community and religious groups to encourage take-up of vaccination, diagnosis and screening programmes

​As part of the Adult Social Care Service, the council are working more closely with other organisations to improve the outcomes for adults. The Improving Lives programme is a partnership programme, led by Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care System, bringing together University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire, Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership Trust and the Council to work as one service. It aims to enhance patient experiences, prevent hospital admissions, and improve hospital discharge processes. The program focuses on effective care through three sub-programs: Interfaces, Hospital Processes at UHCW, and One Coventry Integrated Team. Its key goals are to promote independent living and simplify care delivery through partner collaboration.

Working together in partnership is vital to delivering services to residents. The Working Together Group; an alliance of CWPT, VSCE, and Primary Care in Coventry and Warwickshire, aims to strengthen partnership working within the voluntary, community, faith and not for profit social enterprise sector.

Healthcare pressures, particularly in rapidly growing areas, are a concern to residents in the area. As populations increase, local health services often struggle to keep up with rising demand. This leads to longer wait times, reduced access to primary care, and overburdened facilities, which disproportionately affects vulnerable groups such as the elderly, low-income families, and people with chronic health conditions. Addressing these pressures requires a multifaceted approach, including investment in healthcare infrastructure, hiring more medical professionals, and improving access to preventive care, especially in areas experiencing rapid population growth.

Lifestyles

Why is this important?

Individual behaviours, such as eating enough fruits and vegetables, smoking, alcohol consumption, and physical activity can affect health. These lifestyle behaviours are strongly influenced by the environment in which people live. For example, people living in a ‘food desert’, with limited access to affordable and healthy food, are more likely to eat unhealthily; an unsafe environment is likely to discourage people from walking or cycling; and social and cultural influences, including friendship groups, advertising and media, play an important role in determining people’s lifestyles.

These lifestyle risk factors – poor diet, physical inactivity, excessive alcohol consumption and smoking – are all linked to ill health and premature death. Having a combination of the risk factors contributes to greater ill health. People facing poorer social circumstances are more at risk of having multiple risk factors, exacerbating avoidable differences in health.

What is the local picture? How does it compare?

The number of residents that smoke in Hillfields is lower than the city average. In the Household Survey 2022, 5% said they currently smoke cigarettes; lower than the city’s rate of 11%. 4% said they used e-cigarettes compared to 7% for the city overall.

The importance of eating healthy food remains well recognised by most residents, but there are indications that some aspects of diet are poorer in this area overall, although it is a mixed picture. According to the latest 2022 Household Survey data, 98% of respondents from Hillfields agreed that it is important to eat healthily. However, the proportion of households in Hillfields eating five portions of fruit and vegetables per day is lower than the city average (11% vs 21% for Coventry)

A smaller number of households reported eating takeaways at least once a week (14%) compared to the city average (24%). In terms of cooking at home, only 52% of Hillfields respondents indicated that they have everything in the kitchen to cook a meal, lower than the Coventry average of 81%.

Alcohol consumption in Hillfields appears to be lower than the city average, however hospital admissions for alcohol related conditions is significantly worse compared to the city overall. Responding to the Coventry Household Survey 2022 only 9% from Hillfields said they drink alcohol more than once a week and compared to the city average of 25%. Of those that do drink alcohol, 11% said they drink more than 2-3 units of alcohol on two or more days in a typical week, compared to 24% of respondents from the whole city.  

Alcohol is causing disproportionate harm to health in Hillfields. The number of hospital admissions amongst Hillfields residents between 2016/17 and 2020/21 for causes that can be attributed to alcohol use (‘broad definition’) gives a Standardised Admission Ratio (SAR) of 159.2, meaning it is 59.2% higher than the national average, this is higher than the Coventry SAR of 134.9. The SAR for admissions due to conditions that are ‘narrowly’ alcohol attributable, a more specific subset of health conditions and diseases that are directly and primarily caused by alcohol consumption, is 133.7, similar to the rate for Coventry overall of 132.8.

Table: Rates of admissions to hospital due to alcohol related conditions (defined in two ways, broadly and narrowly due to alcohol) by place of residence, 2016/17 to 2020/21

Hospital admission rates – alcohol related	Hospital Standardised Admission Ratios (SARs)
	Hillfields	Coventry	England
Hospital admissions for alcohol attributable conditions (Broad definition)	159.2	134.9	100.0
Hospital admissions for alcohol attributable conditions (Narrow definition)	133.7	132.8	100.0

Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) NHS Digital

Physical activity levels in Hillfields are significantly below average. According to the 2022 Coventry Household Survey, 30% of Hillfields residents engage in no everyday activity (e.g., active travel or gardening), compared to 11% citywide. Additionally, 50% of Hillfields residents do not participate in any recreational activity (such as recreational walking or cycling), significantly higher than the city average of 24%.

Using the latest National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) data for the 3 years covering 2019/20 to 2021/22, childhood obesity rates amongst Hillfields children aged 4-5 and 10-11 are higher than average. 12.0% of reception-aged children (4-5 years) in the area are classed as obese. There is also an increasing trend in the number of Year 6 children aged 10-11 years, with the latest data showing that 28.7% of children in this age group were measured as obese. These figures are slightly higher than the Coventry city averages, with 10.8% of reception and 24.8% of Year 6 children classed as obese across the city. This suggests that the area rate of obesity increases in line with that of the city between the ages of 5 and 11.

What else is happening? What else can be done?

Services in the area work well together to provide support and projects for vulnerable groups. Coventry Citizen’s Advice deliver projects to support people affected by Cancer. The Macmillan project delivers essential benefits advice services to people affected by cancer through a new model of integrated support, the Major Trauma project supports those in hospital who have suffered major trauma and the TB/HIV project is directed at individuals who have TB/HIV.

To address health inequalities and establish an environment that promotes and preserves good health, it is important to acknowledge that lifestyle factors are rooted in socioeconomic conditions. Hillfields has an abundance of groups working in the area to provide support to residents. It is important to continue to address access to affordable; lowering risky behaviours by changing social norms and connecting people to peer support groups, such as encouraging them to use health check services, sexual health check services, stop smoking services and improving their access to drop-in sessions for psychological therapy and child clinics in the neighbourhood.

Key Messages

Hillfields has undergone substantial population growth of 14.4% over the past decade, exceeding city and national averages, largely due to international migration. This growth has led to a notably young demographic with a median age of 24, driven by the presence of students and young adults.

Hillfields is also one of Coventry’s most diverse neighbourhoods, with 79.6% of residents from ethnic minority backgrounds and nearly half of the population born outside the UK. This diversity, while a strength, also presents challenges, particularly around language barriers.

Despite these challenges, the area shows signs of resilience, with a relatively high level of community involvement. However, the low sense of belonging among some residents, likely exacerbated by frequent turnover and socioeconomic pressures, remains an area of concern that local policymakers may need to address.

Prospects

In Hillfields, there are notable discrepancies in child development compared to Coventry and national averages. Targeted interventions, focusing on neighbourhoods with lower rates, can enhance early childhood development. Increasing awareness and access to funded early years childcare can ensure more children benefit from early education programs.

The number of children living in relative poverty is also higher than citywide and national averages.

While educational attainment at Key Stages 2 and 4 is below the city average, Hillfields is not the worst-performing area in Coventry. However, the gap in achievement, coupled with widespread poverty, suggests that local children face significant barriers to success.

Economic challenges are also prominent, with high unemployment and economic inactivity contributing to lower household incomes and increased financial stress, necessitating efforts to create job opportunities and boost economic development. The cost-of-living crisis exacerbates these issues, as indicated by high levels of financial concern and food insecurity among residents.

Despite good internet availability, digital exclusion remains a concern. Community organisations are crucial in addressing these challenges, offering vital support to marginalised groups and helping to combat digital exclusion.

Housing and Environment

Housing in Hillfields presents challenges, with notably lower homeownership rates compared to the city average, a higher proportion of privately rented or rent-free households, and increasing house prices despite them still being lower than the city average. Overcrowding is more prevalent, with a greater number of households containing four or more people and fewer having three or more bedrooms than the city average. This highlights the need for improved social housing initiatives, which organisations like Citizen Housing and Coventry City Council are actively addressing through neighbourhood plans.

Health and wellbeing are threatened by higher levels of fuel poverty, exacerbated by increased heating costs and potential energy shortages during colder months, posing risks to both physical and mental health.

Crime remains one of the most pressing issues in Hillfields, with rates of violent crime and overall crime significantly higher than the city average. This contributes to an atmosphere of insecurity, impacting residents’ quality of life and further reducing satisfaction with the area.

Health and Wellbeing

The area was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, as higher mortality rates and lower vaccination uptake revealed the need for targeted public health interventions in deprived and diverse communities.

Despite relatively good access to GP services nearby, patient satisfaction has declined, reflecting broader healthcare delivery challenges. Lifestyle factors in Hillfields present a mixed picture; while low smoking rates indicate some public health successes, issues related to diet and physical activity remain, pointing to areas in need of improvement. A social gradient approach focusing on people’s prospects and opportunities, housing, and environment and lifestyle factors can help improve outcomes, reduce inequalities, improving healthcare access, and promoting healthier lifestyles through collaboration between public health authorities, healthcare providers, and the community.