Issues and SWOT: Burnley

strength

Build on the existing leisure destination

Pioneer Place adds an operating cinema and food venues to the town centre.

Proposed response: Connect visits with independent shops and public transport.

Evidence

strength

Make room for homes people can afford

Average private rent is £631 a month (August 2026) in Burnley council area. This is £828 lower than the England average for the same month. Homes rented privately ranged from 10% in Whittlefield with Ightenhill to 40.3% in Bank Hall — a gap of 30.2 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

Make canal-side activity less weather dependent

Finsley Gate Wharf’s award identifies the lack of sheltered permanent facilities.

Proposed response: Use the grant to extend reliable community access.

Evidence

weakness

Bring support closer to people in poor health

7% of people reported bad or very bad health in Burnley council area (21 March 2021). Across England, the figure was 5.2%. People reporting bad or very bad health ranged from 4.9% in Cliviger with Worsthorne to 8.8% in Brunshaw — a gap of 3.9 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

Make village facilities easier to use

Worsthorne’s proposals include accessible plots, paths and seating.

Proposed response: Design the three projects with people who face mobility barriers.

Evidence

opportunity

Plan homes and care around an older population

17.9% of people in Burnley council area were aged 65 or over (21 March 2021). People aged 65 or over ranged from 6.4% in Daneshouse with Stoneyholme to 31.9% in Cliviger with Worsthorne — a gap of 25.5 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

24.3% of people aged 16 or over had a degree or equivalent (21 March 2021) in Burnley council area. Across England, the figure was 33.9%. People aged 16+ with no qualifications ranged from 14.9% in Cliviger with Worsthorne to 33.4% in Daneshouse with Stoneyholme — a gap of 18.5 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 Burnley 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 11.7% in Cliviger with Worsthorne to 36.4% in Bank Hall — a gap of 24.6 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

Prevent flood repairs becoming repeated repairs

The Hurstwood proposals identify flooding and rainwater erosion.

Proposed response: Check how water moves before committing the small grant.

Evidence