Mr and Mrs Average don’t live here anymore

The average 2.4 family is a dying breed, with almost two thirds of people (63%) claiming to be outside of the ‘norm’ according to research from mortgage specialists Birmingham Midshires.

At a time of unprecedented growth in the number of single occupancy households; and over 18,000 civil partnerships having taken place last year, Birmingham Midshires has explored opinions of what being ‘average’ means in Britain today as part of its Not So Average Joe campaign, which champions the needs of people with non-traditional lifestyles.

More like Slaters than Stepford Wives

Of those polled, 63 per cent said that the description of ‘average’ did not apply to them and 60 per cent said they prefer to stand out from the crowd than to conform. Extended families living under one roof and single parents, as epitomised by The Slaters in EastEnders, are more likely to exist that the 2.4 set-up of the traditional family unit.

Wales is home to the most individuals, with 67 per cent of people claiming not to be ‘average’, whereas Yorkshire is the ‘average’ centre of the UK, with 39 per cent of people in the region putting themselves in the mainstream.

Freak or Unique?

When people who do not conform to the norm were asked how they felt about being ‘individuals’, they described themselves as happy to be different (63%), proud of their individuality (56%) and empowered (49%). Meanwhile, those who describe themselves as average say their ‘normal’ status makes them feel accepted (54%), safe (50%) and included (44%).

Birmingham Midshires then asked the two groups to describe their perception of people that fall into the opposite category to themselves. Those who class themselves as ‘individuals’ have a negative perception of their ‘average’ counterparts, describing them as unimaginative (56%), safe (48%) and not very brave (37%), while just three per cent thought average people were lucky to fit in.

Conversely, many people who think of themselves as average have a positive opinion of people who are individuals – and may even envy them. Although one in two (54%) say ‘individuals’ are attention seekers, they are also described as go-getters (31%) and brave (30%).

Tim Hague, managing director of mortgages at Birmingham Midshires said: “Many mainstream mortgage providers still work on the model of having married applicants with 2.4 children but, as our research shows, the majority of people are no longer ‘average’. Not everyone is the same, and therefore no one mortgage deal is right for everyone. We would urge people – whether they believe themselves to be average or unique - to seek the advice of a regulated mortgage intermediary to ensure they get a mortgage deal that is right for them.”