UK: Keeping up with the Joneses - Brits will lie for the right address

A nationwide survey carried out by Ipsos MORI* for Norwich Union Direct reveals that the majority of people in the UK will happily lie about where they live to make their home sound more exclusive.

The survey commissioned by the Quote Me Happy home insurers, polled over 2000 Brits to get a deeper understanding of Britain as a nation of homeowners.

The findings flagged up a nation of "Hyacinth Buckets" fixated on postcode status. Three out of five Brit’s admitted that they would lie about where they live to make themselves and their neighbourhood sound more upmarket.

According to the Norwich Union Direct "Power of the Postcode" survey, home location is more important than the actual home itself, with a staggering 77% of the nation preferring to live in a more exclusive neighbourhood than owning their "dream home".

Equation To Find The Perfect Location
As part of Norwich Union Direct’s ongoing research into all aspects of the home, the home insurance specialists commissioned leading home and property psychologist, Jon Gowlland to create an equation to understand what makes a neighbourhood desirable:

(G + S) ˛ + (V+P) = Good Neighbourhood (N)

On the equation he comments: “A neighbourhood’s desirability is predominantly related to geographical (G) plus social factors (S) – they are the biggest attractions to making an area more desirable to the potential home-buyer. Of secondary importance and to be taken in to consideration are factors of the home size/value itself (V) and underlying psychological thoughts (P) which draw individuals to a neighbourhood. When the factors are added together, the higher the end result, the more desirable the neighbourhood.”

Jon adds: “Therefore, a good neighbourhood is a region with ideal location - in terms of proximity to work, shops, schools and social factors - in terms of being near to friends and family. Then, there is the additional consideration for the secondary factors - the underlying psychological aspect such as an area which reminds the individual of a place or earlier home and as the survey highlights the actual home itself is of secondary importance."

Jon Gowlland comments further on the Norwich Union "Power of the Postcode" survey: “We do lie to make ourselves look better. People make assumptions about who we are because of where we live - it’s related to the ‘halo’ effect. If someone says they live somewhere desirable we automatically infer positive, personality traits about that person.”

On home location being more important than the dream home Gowlland adds: “As a nation we’re obsessed with home improvement – evident by the growing number of DIY TV programmes dedicated to it. Nowadays we’re aware that we can do something about a home in need of repairs, if we don’t like where a sink is we can move it however, it’s not that easy with home location. The condition of a property is a movable feast but location is a fixed variable.”

Commenting on the Norwich Union "Power of the Postcode" research, The House Doctor, Ann Maurice, says: “The interesting thing about these findings is that we place more emphasis on our the location of our home, than on having a dream home. It is almost as if the postcode is the new class system. Although the snobbery associated with location status may seem fickle, it could reap rewards when asserting your social standing or adding value to your property. Estate agents have been using this tactic for years.”

Heather Smith, head of marketing (Home) for Norwich Union Direct, said: ”It is important for Norwich Union Direct Insurance to get under the skin of homeowners and the mindset of people living in Britain today. This research has flagged up some insights that we, as the UK’s leading home insurers, need to be aware of.”

The audit is part of a wider study being conducted by Ipsos MORI for Norwich Union Direct Home Insurance. For more information on Norwich Union Direct visit www.norwichunion.com.

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*Ipsos MORI independent study, commission by Norwich Union Direct Home Insurance sample consisted of 2044 adults aged 15+ years (nationally representative of Great Britain). Study undertaken between 2–7 March 2006

The study was based on a multiple answer question.

For further information, please contact:

Tel: 020 7404 3000
Fax: 020 7404 5000

Hannah Moselhi
hannahm@borkowski.co.uk 
07917 167792

Natasha Gould
natasha@borkowski.co.uk 
07920 092018

Note to editors:

Regional Breakdown

London

1. Londoners are the region most likely to lie about their postcode to make their address sound more prestigious with a staggering 42% surveyed saying they would lie. 
2. 55% would lie about where they live; they would say they lived in an area near to their homes to make their address sound more exclusive.
3. Londoners think its more important to live in a good neighbourhood rather than live in their dream home with 66% in agreement.

Yorkshire/Humberside

1. 66% of those who live in Yorkshire and Humberside would lie about where they lived - saying they lived in areas near to their home to make their addresses sound more exclusive. 
2. Yorkshire and Humberside is the region most likely to lie about their postcode to make their address sound more prestigious with a staggering 42% surveyed saying they would lie. 
3. Yorkshire and Humberside think it’s more important to live in a good neighbourhood/location rather than live in a dream home with 78% in agreement.

South West

1. The South West think it’s more important to live in a good neighbourhood/location rather than live in a dream home with 82% in agreement. Welsh are the least likely to be concerned. 
2. 54% of the South West would lie and say they live in areas near to their homes to make their address sound more exclusive.
3. South West likely to lie about their postcode to make their address sound more prestigious with a staggering 34% surveyed saying they would lie. Lower than national average of 37%

South East

1. The South East think it’s more important to live in a good neighbourhood/location rather than live in a dream home with 79% in agreement. 
2. 60% of the South East, would lie and say they live in areas near to their homes to make their address sound more exclusive.
3. South East likely to lie about their postcode to make their address sound more prestigious with only 33% surveyed saying they would lie. Lower than national average of 37%

Eastern England

1. Eastern England think it’s more important to live in a good neighbourhood/location rather than live in a dream home with 82% in agreement. Welsh are the least likely to be concerned. 
2. 55% of Eastern England would lie and say they live in areas near to their homes to make their address sound more exclusive.
3. Eastern England likely to lie about their postcode to make their address sound more prestigious with only 32% surveyed saying they would lie. Lower than national average of 37%.

North East

1. 66% of those who live in the North East would lie about where they lived saying they lived in areas near to their home to make their address sound more exclusive. 
2. A third of the North East would lie about their postcode to make their address sound more prestigious (32% surveyed).
3. North East thinks it’s important to live in a good neighbourhood/location rather than live in their dream home with 76% in agreement.

North West

1. 56% of those who live in the North West would lie about where they lived saying they lived in areas near to their home to make their addresses sound more exclusive. 
2. North West likely to lie about their postcode to make their address sound more prestigious with only 35% surveyed saying they would lie. 
3. North West thinks it’s important to live in a good neighbourhood/location rather than live in their dream home with 76% in agreement.

East Midlands

1. 46% of those who live in the East Midlands would lie about where they lived saying they lived in areas near to their home to make their addresses sound more exclusive. 10% lower than the national average.
2. East Midlands likely to lie about their postcode to make their address sound more prestigious with only 36% surveyed saying they would lie. 
3. East Midlands think it’s important to live in a good neighbourhood/location rather than live in their dream home with 71% in agreement.

West Midlands

1. 50% of those who live in the West Midlands would lie about where they lived saying they lived in areas near to their home to make their addresses sound more exclusive.
2. West Midlands likely to lie about their postcode to make their address sound more prestigious with only 34% surveyed saying they would lie. 
3. West Midlands think it’s important to live in a good neighbourhood/location rather than live in their dream home with 78% in agreement.

Wales

1. 60% of Welsh would lie about where they lived saying they lived in areas near to their home to make their addresses sound more exclusive. 
2. The Welsh are likely to lie about their postcode to make their address sound more prestigious with 42% surveyed saying they would lie. 
3. The Welsh think it’s important to live in a good neighbourhood/location rather than live in their dream home with 76% in agreement.

Scotland

1. 53% of Scot’s would lie about where they lived saying they lived in areas near to their home to make their addresses sound more exclusive. 
2. The Scottish likely to lie about their postcode to make their address sound more prestigious with only 38% surveyed saying they would lie. 
3. The Scottish think it’s important to live in a good neighbourhood/location rather than live in their dream home with 80% in agreement.

Norwich Union Direct Insurance

• Norwich Union Direct is the UK's largest insurer with a market share of around 14%.
• With a focus on insurance for individuals and small businesses, Norwich Union Direct insures:
  - one in five households
  - one in seven motor vehicles 
  - around 800,000 businesses
• Norwich Union Direct products are available through a variety of distribution channels including brokers, corporate partners such as banks and building societies and Norwich Union Direct. 
• Last year, Norwich Union Direct’s parent company, Aviva, acquired RAC. The acquisition brings together the RAC's powerful brand and customer base with the expertise and leading position in motor insurance of Norwich Union Direct Insurance.