Issues and SWOT: Worthing

strength

Build on housing that brings families closer to support

Victoria Road homes helped residents return to Worthing.

Local accommodation can preserve school, work and family connections.

Evidence

strength

Make room for homes people can afford

Average private rent is £1,297 a month (August 2026) in Worthing council area. This is £162 lower than the England average for the same month. Homes rented privately ranged from 8.2% in Offington to 42.8% in Central — a gap of 34.6 percentage points.

Housing costs matter most alongside earnings and the number of affordable homes available. A local average cannot tell us whether a particular household can afford its home.

weakness

Reduce the need to place families far away

The council reports a shortage of suitable local accommodation.

Displacement adds practical and financial pressure.

Evidence

weakness

Bring support closer to people in poor health

5.2% of people reported bad or very bad health in Worthing council area (21 March 2021). Across England, the figure was 5.2%. People reporting bad or very bad health ranged from 3.9% in Offington to 7.2% in Heene — a gap of 3.4 percentage points.

This is how residents described their health in the census. It can reveal differences between neighbourhoods, but does not diagnose illness or measure current waiting times. Age profiles differ between places, so these shares do not measure service quality.

opportunity

Turn the new gardens into a reliable everyday link

Montague Gardens is open but some elements remained unfinished.

Accessible routes and maintained facilities matter beyond launch day.

Evidence

opportunity

Plan homes and care around an older population

22.4% of people in Worthing council area were aged 65 or over (21 March 2021). People aged 65 or over ranged from 10.4% in Northbrook to 35.3% in Goring — a gap of 24.9 percentage points.

Age alone does not mean poor health or a need for care. Accessible homes, reliable transport and support close to home matter as people get older.

opportunity

Connect local skills to local opportunities

31.7% of people aged 16 or over had a degree or equivalent (21 March 2021) in Worthing council area. Across England, the figure was 33.9%. People aged 16+ with no qualifications ranged from 13% in Marine to 19.8% in Durrington — a gap of 6.8 percentage points.

Qualifications show one part of the skills available locally. They do not show whether people have secure jobs or work that uses those skills.

opportunity

Target safety work where problems repeat

Mapped police records are available for neighbourhoods in Worthing council area.

Published locations are approximate and some crimes are not mapped. Counts show recorded incidents, not the chance of an individual becoming a victim.

opportunity

Turn published plans into visible progress

3 named local projects or plans have official evidence in this collection.

A published plan makes responsibilities and intentions easier to inspect. It does not prove that funding is secured or that promised benefits have arrived.

opportunity

Target support where disadvantages overlap

Households facing two or more measured disadvantages ranged from 10.3% in Offington to 23.1% in Central — a gap of 12.8 percentage points.

These households met at least two census conditions covering education, employment, health and housing. This is not an income or poverty measure.

threat

Test heating promises against actual connections and bills

The network offers future expansion in stages.

Residents need clarity on access, pricing and service reliability.

Evidence