International Personal Finance

International Personal Finance Wave 1 Report January - March 2012

Contents Background/Methodology Overall Results Czech Republic Hungary Poland Romania Conclusions & Recommendations

1 Background/Methodology

IPF currently provides consumer credit to 2.2 million customers, across six international markets. The business offering is unique for the markets in which IPF operates. This project is designed to engage with IPF’s customer base, understand the issues they have and their feelings towards the society in which they live, and how they can be better represented in the political and commercial worlds. IPF wishes to use this research to enhance its unique position as a mouthpiece for the lower socio-economic demographic amongst key groups of decision-makers. Background

Methodology IPF emailed their customer base in six countries to invite them to join the Provident community. Participating countries are: Czech Republic, Hungary, Mexico, Poland, Romania & Slovakia Registrationemail Respondents were sent to an online registration survey administered by YouGov. Personal details were collected: name, date of birth, gender, region lived in, personal income Registration survey Invitation email Members were invited to complete the Wave 1 survey online Contained questions on neighbourhood, provisions and involvement in their local community. In four markets, telephone numbers were collected to gauge feedback from members Wave 1 survey Reminder email Members were reminded that there was still the opportunity to take part in the survey Those completing Wave 1 in Czech Republic, Slovakia and Romania were entered for prize draws for electronic goods. For every Polish complete, a donation was made to a children’s charity Prize draws

Provident Communities * Sample sizes in Mexico & Slovakia are too small to be reported individually. Results from these countries are included in the overall summary

2 Overall Results

Overall, Provident community members are proud of the neighbourhoods in which they live • Hungarians are less likely than other nationalities to take pride in the place in which they live • There is little difference between men and women but there are signs to demonstrate that younger people are more proud than their elders Taking everything into account, how would you describe your overall attitude towards your local neighbourhood? Would you say you feel… Base: All (1,311) * Total includes both Mexico & Slovakia as well as countries shown

One in ten feels unsafe when walking alone in their neighbourhood after dark • Reflecting the pattern of every country, women are less likely to feel safe after dark in their local area • The over 55s tend to feel less safe than the other age groups And how safe would you feel walking alone in this neighbourhood after dark? Base: All (1,311)

Only one in ten Provident community members has seen a decline in their local area over the last two years… • …but half do not believe there has been any change either way • The older generation are more likely to believe there has been a decline with 14% of those 45+ saying their area has got worse (vs. 9% of under-45s) Total Men Women Under 45s 45s & over My area ‘has got better’ 38% 40% 37% 41% 29% My area ‘has not changed much’ 48% 46% 49% 45% 55% My area ‘has got worse’ 10% 10% 10% 9% 14% I have lived in the area fewer than two years 4% 3% 4% 5% 2% On the whole do you think that over the past two years your neighbourhood has got better or worse to live in, or haven’t things changed much? Base: All (1,311)

Satisfaction with basic services (electricity, water) is high but other local services could improve • Health services and recreational facilities are those services that people are likely to criticise • Many people are indifferent about the quality of policing, perhaps reflecting its limited use compared to services required on a daily basis Please indicate how satisfied with the provision of the following services in your local neighbourhood…Local Policing; Health Services; Public Transport; Recreational Facilities; Basic Services. Base: All (1,311)

Just over half of Provident community members would like to have more direct involvement in local decisions • Men are more likely to say yes to making these decisions whereas women are a little more reserved, prepared to get involved if the issue interests or affects them • Over 35s have more interest in the decisions made by their local councils/government One in four respondents is satisfied that the public services received reflect the taxes paid Satisfied: 25% Dissatisfied: 40% Generally speaking, would you like to be more involved in the decisions your Council/local government makes that affect your local area? Base: All (1,311)

3 Czech Republic

Three quarters of Czechs are proud of their neighbourhood • Females are more likely to be proud than males • A quarter of Czechs speak to their neighbours on a daily basis with another half speaking at least once a week Not proud 17% Proud 74% Neighbourhood Taking everything into account, how would you describe your overall attitude towards your local neighbourhood? Would you say you feel… How often do you speak to your neighbours? Base: All (151)

Over half of Czechs believe that their neighbourhood has improved over the last couple of years • Men are significantly more likely than women to feel that the area has got better • Fewer than one in ten feels that there has been a decline in their neighbourhood as a place to live 54% say their area ‘has got better’ 32% say their area ‘has not changed much’ 8% say their area ‘has got worse’ 5% have lived in the area fewer than two years Neighbourhood On the whole do you think that over the past two years your neighbourhood has got better or worse to live in, or haven’t things changed much? Base: All (151)

The majority of Czechs are satisfied with the basic services they receive but less so with the local policing • One in five are not satisfied with the public transport services they receive in their local area • Czechs are generally satisfied with the health services available locally • Women are significantly less likely to approve of the recreational facilities on offer to them Provisions Please indicate how satisfied with the provision of the following services in your local neighbourhood…Local Policing; Health Services; Public Transport; Recreational Facilities; Basic Services. Base: All (151)

Over a third of Czechs have no conclusive opinion on whether the level of taxes is reflected in the services received • Only 4% of Czechs are very satisfied with value for money of the services in their local area • Dissatisfaction is higher among women than men 4% Very satisfied 28% Fairly satisfied 34% Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied 19% Fairly dissatisfied 12% Very dissatisfied 4% Don’t know Provisions Taking everything into account, how satisfied or dissatisfied are you that the public services offered by your local government reflect the taxes you pay? Base: All (151)

Two in three Czechs want to feel that they can influence decisions in their local area • However, over a quarter are prepared to let these decisions bypass them • Half would welcome the opportunity to actively participate in the decision-making process but nearly as many would only want to be involved depending on the issue Influence in decisions Direct involvement in decision-making process Very Quite Not very Not at all Involvement How important is it for you personally to feel that you can influence decisions in your local area? Would you say it is… Generally speaking, would you like to be more involved in the decisions your Council/local government makes that affect your local area? Base: All (151)

4 Hungary

Just over half of Hungarians are proud of their neighbourhood • Those aged 45+ and lower earners (sub-150k Forints per month) are less likely to take pride in the neighbourhood • Two thirds speak to their neighbours on a regular basis • Older people converse with their neighbours more regularly Not proud 40% Proud 53% Neighbourhood Taking everything into account, how would you describe your overall attitude towards your local neighbourhood? Would you say you feel… How often do you speak to your neighbours? Base: All (216)

Three quarters of Hungarians do not view public drunkenness as a problem in their neighbourhood • But 20% think that it is a problem and this figure rises looking at older people • A third believe littering is a problem in their local area • Women are twice as likely to feel unsafe after dark (38% vs. 20% of men) 18% feel ‘very safe’ 51% feel ‘fairly safe’ 22% feel ‘a bit safe’ 6% feel ‘very unsafe’ 3% ‘never walk alone after dark’ Neighbourhood How much of a problem are people being drunk or rowdy in public places in your local neighbourhood? How much of a problem is rubbish or litter lying around in your local neighbourhood? And how safe would you feel walking alone in this neighbourhood after dark? Base: All (216)

Three in five Hungarians perceive their area as not having changed much in the last few years • Women are marginally more likely to think the local area has experienced a downturn 12% say their area ‘has got better’ 61% say their area ‘has not changed much’ 24% say their area ‘has got worse’ 3% have lived in the area fewer than two years Neighbourhood On the whole do you think that over the past two years your neighbourhood has got better or worse to live in, or haven’t things changed much? Base: All (216)

Public perception of recreational facilities available in local areas is quite low among Hungarians • Only 34% are satisfied with the facilities • Two in five are satisfied with local policing; the same number are undecided • Overall, Hungarians are largely indifferent about the level of public transport accessible to them Provisions Please indicate how satisfied with the provision of the following services in your local neighbourhood…Local Policing; Public Transport; Recreational Facilities; Basic Services. Base: All (216)

5 Poland

Almost four-fifths of Poles are proud of the neighbourhood in which they live • This figure is higher among women and the older generations • Three in four Poles speak to their neighbours regularly (at least once a week) Not proud 18% Proud 78% Neighbourhood Taking everything into account, how would you describe your overall attitude towards your local neighbourhood? Would you say you feel… How often do you speak to your neighbours? Base: All (139)

The majority of Poles do not believe that their neighbourhood has a problem with public drunkenness or littering • And a mere 6% feel unsafe in their local area after dark • Women are significantly more likely to feel unsafe alone after nightfall 17% feel ‘very safe’ 61% feel ‘fairly safe’ 17% feel ‘a bit safe’ 5% feel ‘very unsafe’ 1% ‘never walk alone after dark’ Neighbourhood How much of a problem are people being drunk or rowdy in public places in your local neighbourhood? How much of a problem is rubbish or litter lying around in your local neighbourhood? And how safe would you feel walking alone in this neighbourhood after dark? Base: All (139)

A quarter of Poles have seen their area improve in the last two years • Over half have not noticed any change either good or bad • Men are far more likely than women to have fallen either side of the fence (49% of men cannot see a change compared to 61% of women) 24% say their area ‘has got better’ 55% say their area ‘has not changed much’ 14% say their area ‘has got worse’ 6% have lived in the area fewer than two years Neighbourhood On the whole do you think that over the past two years your neighbourhood has got better or worse to live in, or haven’t things changed much? Base: All (139)

Satisfaction with the basic services available to Poles is high • Although they are less satisfied with recreational facilities • Health services score highly with two in three people satisfied Provisions Please indicate how satisfied with the provision of the following services in your local neighbourhood…Local Policing; Public Transport; Recreational Facilities; Basic Services. Base: All (139)

Only a quarter of Poles believe that they are getting value for money when thinking about the services they receive for the taxes paid • Just under half are dissatisfied with the way their taxes are spent • The under-35s are less likely to be satisfied 1% Very satisfied 23% Fairly satisfied 20% Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied 36% Fairly dissatisfied 9% Very dissatisfied 11% Don’t know Provisions Taking everything into account, how satisfied or dissatisfied are you that the public services offered by your local government reflect the taxes you pay? Base: All (139)

Nine out of ten Poles would like to feel that they can influence decisions that affect their local area • Over half would like direct involvement with the majority of the rest prepared to become involved if they are interested in the issue at stake • Men are less likely than women to seek involvement Direct involvement in decision-making process Influence in decisions Very Quite Not very Not at all Involvement How important is it for you personally to feel that you can influence decisions in your local area? Would you say it is… Generally speaking, would you like to be more involved in the decisions your Council/local government makes that affect your local area? Base: All (139)

6 Romania

Just under three quarters of Romanians are proud of the area in which they live • One in five are very proud and there is little difference among the genders • The majority speak to their neighbours on a regular basisalthough there is a correlation demonstrating that lower earners are more active in this respect Not proud 27% Proud 71% Neighbourhood Taking everything into account, how would you describe your overall attitude towards your local neighbourhood? Would you say you feel… How often do you speak to your neighbours? Base: All (772)

Three quarters of Romanians feel safe after dark in their local area • Men are likely to feel more safe as are those in the lower income bracket • Just under a third believe that litter is a problem although only one in ten believes there to be a public drinking issue – with younger people more likely to believe this 16% feel ‘very safe’ 58% feel ‘fairly safe’ 16% feel ‘a bit safe’ 5% feel ‘very unsafe’ 6% ‘never walk alone after dark’ Neighbourhood How much of a problem are people being drunk or rowdy in public places in your local neighbourhood? How much of a problem is rubbish or litter lying around in your local neighbourhood? And how safe would you feel walking alone in this neighbourhood after dark? Base: All (772)

Only one in twenty Romanians believe that their area has got worse over the last two years • 45% say their area has improved with the same number not noticing a change • Those under 35 were less likely to have noticed either a positive or negative change 45% say their area ‘has got better’ 46% say their area ‘has not changed much’ 6% say their area ‘has got worse’ 3% have lived in the area fewer than two years Neighbourhood On the whole do you think that over the past two years your neighbourhood has got better or worse to live in, or haven’t things changed much? Base: All (772)

Two in five Romanians are satisfied with the quality of health services available in their local area • Satisfaction with basic services (electricity, water) is much higher, with four fifths satisfied • Women are less satisfied than men when looking at transport, recreation and particularly policing Provisions Please indicate how satisfied with the provision of the following services in your local neighbourhood…Local Policing; Public Transport; Recreational Facilities; Basic Services. Base: All (772)

Two in five Romanians are dissatisfied with the services the receive in return for the volume of tax they pay • A further third are not sure whether they receive value for money • Satisfaction is higher among the over-35s and those in the lower income bracket 3% Very satisfied 20% Fairly satisfied 33% Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied 27% Fairly dissatisfied 14% Very dissatisfied 3% Don’t know Provisions Taking everything into account, how satisfied or dissatisfied are you that the public services offered by your local government reflect the taxes you pay? Base: All (772)

Half of Romanians would like to be involved directly in making decisions affecting their local area • Four in five feel it is important to have an influence on these decisions • Men and the older generations are more likely to want this kind of involvement Influence in decisions Direct involvement in decision-making process Very Quite Not very Not at all Involvement How important is it for you personally to feel that you can influence decisions in your local area? Would you say it is… Generally speaking, would you like to be more involved in the decisions your Council/local government makes that affect your local area? Base: All (772)

7 Conclusions & Recommendations

On the whole, Provident Community members are proud of the neighbourhoods in which they live. They are also sociable and communicate regularly with their neighbours The general feeling is that any perceived movement of change in their local areas is positive – perhaps supported by high-quality basic services. Any negative perception will be reinforced by poor recreational facilities In all countries, women feel less safe alone after dark than men. However, this is unlikely to be related to public drunkenness, which is considered a marginal issue People would like to have more influence on the decisions affecting their local area – to increase this involvement, it is important to engage the right people in the right issues Findings

Public drunkenness and littering were not considered to be major problems, so what is it that people find to be the issues affecting them? What issues would encourage people to become more engaged in their local decision-making processes? If people do not feel that they are getting value for money when comparing taxes with services received, do they think taxes should be lowered or the money should be better spent? If so, which services should they go towards? What plans could be implemented over the next two years that would make people say that their area has improved? Potential subjects for revisiting

International Personal Finance