Press releases

Young people have more loyalty to their county than their country - and only one in 25 Britons (4%) regard themselves to be, in any sense, European - according to a new study from Combined Insurance.

At a time when there has been wide ranging debate about what it means to be British in the 21st century, and the relative value of a sense of nationhood, Combined Insurance quizzed 2,300 people to establish whether they regarded themselves to be British, English, Welsh or Scottish, and whether they considered themselves to be European or most loyal to their village or county.

Key findings

Overall, less than a third of British people (30%) regarded themselves to be British and loyal to the Union Jack. At a time of political devolution, 29% had primary loyalties to their kingdom (England, Wales, Scotland), and more than a fifth of people (22%) had turned their back on any form of national flag – instead defining their loyalties to their county or their village.

Of note, the importance placed on local communities is not being driven by the older generation  - those perhaps that can remember the “good old days” of local life with a plentiful supply of local shops, post offices and milkmen. It is the “digital” generation, the under 25 age group that have grown up with the global reach of the Internet, text messages and an impersonal call centre culture that are driving a return to the local community. Age group correlates with sense of identity; the over 55s are those most likely to define themselves as British (36%) or English (33%), whereas the under 25s are those most likely to be loyal to their village, town or county (29%).

Sense of identity: Where do people’s loyalties lie?

Clear differences of opinion emerged between the English, Scots and Welsh. By some distance, the Scots were most likely to define their loyalties to their kingdom (49%). The Welsh were broadly split between loyalty to the Welsh dragon and the Union Jack (32% vs 30%), whereas in England people were relatively more likely to claim loyalty to Britain or their county – but not England. Despite the recent resurgence of the St.George’s flag at major sports events , the fact that few English people know when St George’s Day occurs is perhaps telling.

Within English regions, loyalty to the local community was stronger the further from London people lived. Regions with the greatest sense of community, identity and loyalty comprised the North East (32%), Yorkshire (30%) and the South West (27%).

Peter Lock, Senior Regional Manager at Combined Insurance commented: “Across the country, millions of people are clearly saddened by the loss of character, services and jobs from their local community. People protesting about the proliferation of metro supermarkets, the loss of post offices and seeing UK firms beginning to bring calls centres home are part of a desired return to vibrant local communities, the wish for more business to be done face to face and for people to be treated as individuals. People want their community and identity back.”

“As the community insurer that has never moved away from doing business face to face locally over the last 90 years, Combined Insurance’s research helps us examine what makes communities tick. With the nation’s youth driving the move back to localness the future of local community traditions and values seem in safe hands.”

For more information please contact:
Jo Winser / Guy Bellamy FD Consumer Dynamics 020 7269 7177

Notes to editors;
- Research was carried out by YouGov amongst a GB representative sample of 2,300 people in March 2007

- In 2007 Combined Insurance is investing in local communities in the UK and Ireland through two community investment programmes – the Combined Insurance Community Awards focused on voluntary consumer groups, charities and clubs and the Combined Insurance Enterprise Awards recognising local small businesses.

- Since 1919, Combined Insurance (www.combinedinsurance.co.uk) has specialised in bringing affordable, quality insurance products to individuals and families - and currently provides supplemental disability, accident, health and life cover to over 3.5 million policyholders. Combined Insurance has never forgotten its roots and today operates face to face in local communities – just as it has done for the last 90 years.

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