What we know about our customers

Who our customers are

Population 

  • Total population - more than 192,000 
  • Large university - approximately 8,000 students 
  • Garrison - capacity for approximately 4,000 military personnel 
  • Businesses - 7,455 

Age of population 

  • 20.8% aged 0 to 17 
  • 62% aged18 to 64 
  • 17.2% aged 65 and over 

Visitors 

Many of our customers are from overseas/outside the city.

Employment status 

  • 68.4% are employed 
  • 7.6% are self-employed 
  • 3.2% are unemployed 
  • 20.8% are economically inactive 

Housing 

  • 34.4% live in a property that is owned with a mortgage
  • 31.9% live in a property that is owned outright 
  • 18.7% rent privately 
  • 13.5% live in socially rented homes 
  • 1% live rent free 
  • 0.5% live in a shared equity property 

What our customers are telling us

Through the most recent surveys and feedback from customers we learnt:

What was most important to them 

  • A polite and respectful response 
  • To get what they need quickly and efficiently 
  • To feel valued 

What we are good at 

  • Providing a polite and friendly service 
  • Being respectful of customer's individual needs 
  • Willingness to go the extra mile to resolve customer queries 

Key areas for us to improve 

  • Our communications with them (including emails, letters) 
  • Our website – to keep it updated and to make it easier to use 
  • Responding to their enquiries in a timely manner 
Data source
ONS 2018 mid year population estimates (released 26/06/2019)
Households ONS – Labour Force Survey 2017, accessed through NOMIS Labour Market Profiles
Employment status – ONS Annual Population Survey 2018, accessed through NOMIS Labour Market Profiles

Page last reviewed: 23 December 2020