Coventry Homelessness Review 2024

8.1. Coventry’s Demographic

According to the 2021 census, Coventry's population amounted to a total of 345,324 people, representing a 9% growth rate from 2011.

Based on this figure, the demographics of Coventry's population are as follows:

Christians accounted for 43.9% of the population, maintaining their status as the largest religious group since 2011, albeit with an -11% decline in growth rate.

In the 2021 census, 45% of Coventry’s population identified as an ethnic minority, up from 33% in 2011, which is higher than both the regional (28%) and national average (26%)

Of the ethnic minority population, Asian Indians formed the largest group making up 9% of Coventry’s total population compared to 3% in England and 5% in the West Midlands. Within Coventry, Foleshill West, Foleshill East, and Hill fields had the largest percentage of their population identifying as an ethnic minority with 80% or more doing so.

Coventry boasts of a youthful demographic, with the median age ranging from 25 to 34 years and the top 75th percentile falling within the age group of 35 to 49. Conversely, individuals aged above 74 represent the smallest proportion of the population.

54% of the population are said to be economically active, 5% are unemployed and students and 41% are economically inactive.

8.2. Summary of Coventry’s population

The percentage of Coventry neighbourhoods that are amongst the 10% most deprived in England reduced from 18.5% to 14.4% between 2015 and 2019. Based on this measure, Coventry ranked 64th nationally in 2019 (with 1st being the most deprived), an improvement in ranking from 46th in 2015. These pockets of deprivation limit people’s opportunities to succeed in life; and transforming life chances requires addressing the social inequalities that are established right from the earliest years. The latest available data, for 2020/21, suggest that 23% of Coventry children aged 0-15 live in relatively low-income families compared to 19% nationally.

8.3. Mental health

There are approximately 46,221 people in Coventry living with a common mental disorder such as depression.

Projected numbers of people aged 18-64 in Coventry with specific mental health needs

Note: dependant on drugs figure covers all drugs not just opiates and crack.

Source: Mental Health Market needs assessment 2021/26

Cited: PANSI data 2020. Note that there will be overlap between these groups.

8.4. Health and life expectancy

Overall health in the city is below average, life expectancy has remained below the regional and national averages.

Life expectancy for females in Coventry is 82 years and for males is 78. from 2018 to 2020. This is below the national average of 83.1 for women and 79.4 for men. Healthy life expectancy for Coventry males is lower than the national (63.1) and regional (61.9) averages whereas for Coventry females it is slightly higher (62.6) and (63.9). The trends show little change in recent years for women, but it has fallen a little for men.

There are significant health inequalities across Coventry’s neighbourhoods that affect certain communities disproportionately. Males living in less deprived areas of the city can, on average live up to 10.7 years longer than those living in the most deprived areas of Coventry, and for females, the gap is 7.8 years.                                    

8.5. Substance misuse

Coventry has an average number of citizens who are dependent on substances and an above-average number of citizens whose alcohol consumption is considered harmful.

During 2021/22

There were an estimated 5416 people in Coventry who were alcohol-dependent (Alcohol dependence prevalence in England - GOV.UK)

 Note: but this reflects dependency, not “at risk of alcohol-related health problems” and approximately 700-800 people who are dependent access treatment each year.

There is an estimated 2,500 heroin and crack users in Coventry (the estimate has recently been increased from 1,800). Approximately 1200 drug users will access treatment each year.

Note: This is the current estimate of people who are using/misusing heroin (or other illegal opiates) and / or crack cocaine. It does not include any other substances; it also does not include those who are using / misuse prescription only opiates, etc.

In 2021/22, there were 858 presentations (new starts) to structured treatment. Of these 28 (3%) were NFA, and 118 (14%) had a housing problem at assessment. This does not include those who accessed non-structured treatment.

Source: Office for Health Inequalities and Disparity

8.6. Domestic abuse

 There has been an average growth rate of 9% domestic abuse cases in West Midlands Police area force, in which by 2022, 17.6% of the total crimes reported were due to domestic Abuse, according to ONS.

The breakdown of crimes and the trend of domestic abuse in West Midlands is as follows:

Estimating the number of people affected by domestic abuse is difficult due to the hidden nature of the problem and the difficulties for individuals in recognising domestic abuse.

8.7. Housing affordability

Affordability of housing is a contributory factor to homelessness, as the price of privately renting accommodation or indeed being able to buy a property is increasing however household incomes are not directly proportional. With this ratio, it allows a measure of what it takes to afford a house in Coventry based on earnings of the individual. The measure will be based on the ratio of house price to yearly earnings, private rent to earnings and Private rent to Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates.

Based on the ratio of House Price to Yearly Earnings: In 2022, an average house in Coventry cost 6 times the average earnings of a household. This number has been on an upward trend, which means it is becoming more expensive to purchase a house with the average earnings in the city.

Below is the trend of the house affordability ratio from 1995.

Based on the Ratio of Private Rent to Earnings: According to ONS, an area is deemed affordable, if the average ratio of Private Rent to Earnings is below 0.30. The ratio of PRS to earnings in Coventry is 0.31 which is higher than the ratio of West Midlands and England, which are 0.28 and 0.26, respectively. Although, Coventry’s ratio has been stagnant for the last 4years, while the affordability ratio in West Midlands and England has had an average growth rate of 2% and 1%, respectively.

Figure 6 Ratio of Monthly Private Rent to Monthly Earnings

Based On the Ratio of Private Rent to LHA Rates: LHA rates are determined by The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), it is calculated based on the private market rents being paid by tenants in a Broad Rental Market Area (BRMA). In 2020, the rates were frozen and it was last set based on the 30th percentile of local rents in April 2020 (Commons Library). This means with the rents increasing over the years, LHA rates will not be significant enough for claimants, which makes this factor significant in causing homelessness. However, the rates have been increased from April 2024 and it is intended to cover the 30th percentile for properties based on rental levels in September 2023.

Table of LHA Rates, Average Rent and 30th Lower Quartile Rent

Summary of 30th Lower Quartile rents to LHA Rates in Coventry City

Nb: For a ratio greater than 1, signifies it’s less affordable.

Figure 10 Trend of LHA Ratio to 30th Lower Quartile Rents in Coventry City

NB: The number of houses that fall under the 30th lower quartile will not be accessible to most of the claimants of LHA as the number of claimants is greater than the number of properties in the 30th lower quartile.  

Comparisons of 2023 Lower Quartile Rent Ratio of (2024 LHA Rates) to 2023 Mean Rent Ratio of (2024 LHA Rates)

Note: For a ratio greater than 1, signifies it’s less affordable.

Figure 11 Comparison of 2024 LHA Rates Ratio to Mean and Lower Quartile Rent

8.8. Availability of Affordable Housing in Coventry City

As a non-stock holding local authority (all council housing stock was transferred in 2000 to Whitefriars Housing, now Citizen), social housing in Coventry is owned and managed by Registered Providers. 35 Registered Providers operate in Coventry, but most of the stock is held by the ten Registered Providers who are partners in Coventry Homefinder, the choice-based lettings scheme by which social housing is let in the city. There are just over 25,600 Registered Provider properties in Coventry Private registered provider social housing stock and rents in England 2022 to 2023 - GOV.UK (22,341 general needs, 2,633 supported housing/housing for older people, 634 shared ownership).

In 2022/2023 927 houses were let via Home Finder and the breakdown of these lettings’ vs the housing needs in 2022/2023 is as follows: