Northumberland County Council used Paycheck data to inform its Local Plan

Highlights

• Up-to-date, annually refreshed income data
• Comparing communities, not just towns
• Revealing inequalities in detail
• Supporting post-Covid recovery and growth
• Objective basis for strategy and resource allocation

About Northumberland County Council

Northumberland County Council looks after a population of over 320,000, in England’s most northerly county. Northumberland is one of England’s five largest counties, with widely distributed towns and communities of varying types and populations.

The Challenge: Understanding the needs of different neighbourhoods

Senior Economic Analyst Julie Dowson provides data to departments across the council, from housing and planning to public health and regeneration. She says:

“Our communities have such wide differences – it’s really important to look at them at a granular level and compare them. That’s where the Paycheck data comes in. We need current, household level information to understand exactly where people are experiencing challenges, so the council can target plans and funds to address them”.

The Solution: Household-level Paycheck data reveals areas of need and opportunity

Northumberland County Council also uses Paycheck insight to feed into its annual Economic Performance Assessment and five-year economic strategy. Julie says, “You can’t plan based on subjective assumptions – the Paycheck data provides objective evidence to support our policies, priorities and programmes. That means everyone in the Council as well as our partners and customers can see and understand why we’re focusing our resources in particular areas.”

The Benefits: Targeted help and support for towns and communities

Northumberland County Council used Paycheck data to inform its Local Plan. The outputs influence Strategic Housing Market Assessments and Land Assessments, which identify potential locations for additional housing and indicate what land may be released for future housing development. This helps Northumberland County Council to plan enough affordable homes to meet residents’ needs in different housing developments across the county.

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