Incentivised Funeral Savings Scheme pilot: qualitative research - full report

Research methods

Methods overview

The study adopted a qualitative approach, using focus group discussions. This enabled the study to obtain rich and insightful feedback on participant experiences, attitudes, and demand for the IFSS proposed. The interactive dynamic between participants enabled them to think deeply about the issues and to consider imaginative solutions to design and delivery issues. The Technical Appendix is attached as Appendix A.

A topic guide was developed to structure the discussion, ensuring consistency across focus groups. It covered the following sections:

• Warm up
• Attitudes towards saving
• Preparedness for funeral – general and financial
• Response to the IFSS proposition
• Views on the SG contribution
• Attitudes towards credit unions and alternative delivery partners
• Attitudes and capacity to save – generally and for a funeral
• Likelihood to participate in the IFSS proposed

The topic guide was developed in consultation with the SG team. A copy of the topic guide is included as Appendix B.

Fieldwork

Each group was attended by facilitators. One executive acted as the lead moderator, taking overall control of group discussion while the other took notes and paid close attention to unspoken language.

Given the sensitive nature of the topic, the groups were split into two ‘sessions’. The first two-thirds of the discussion was conducted as a full group discussion. The second part of the discussion (covering the final two topics on the guide) was conducted in pairs or trios in order to discuss more senistive issues. The group was divided according to those who had close affinity with each other, for example, in terms of views, experience or attitudes.

All group discussions were recorded and transcriptions were produced for the purpose of analysis. The fieldwork took place between 27 February and 13 March 2019.

Sample

Twelve focus groups (each with 5 or 6 participants) were held with Scottish adults who fit the characteristics of the IFSS target demographic. Progressive Partnership recruited those who were over 40 years old and fell into the C2DE social group (according to the National Readership Survey classification system).

The National Readership Survey (NRS) classification system is based on occupation and enables a household and all its members to be classified according to the occupation of the Chief Income Earner. C2DE is a combination of the following groups:

• C2: Skilled manual workers
• D: Semi-skilled and unskilled manual workers
• E: State pensioners, casual and lowest grade workers, unemployed people with access to state benefits only

Groups were recruited using ‘free find' strategies across Scotland. Recruiters used a screening questionnaire, designed by Progressive Partnership, based on the criteria and sample plan agreed with SG at the project inception meeting. Key recruitment criteria comprised of the following:

• Aged over 40
• Mix of genders
• Belonging to NRS social group C2DE
• Located in the 20% most deprived data zones in Scotland, with a mix of urban and rural localities
• Mix of those currently saving for a funeral and those not saving for a funeral
• Excluded people who had recently experienced a bereavement, owing to the sensitivity of the subject matter under discussion

The sampling strategy is set out on Table 2. The focus groups took place at local venues such as community centres that participants were likely to have visited before. This was designed to be convenient for participants, encourage open and honest dialogue in familiar surroundings, and minimise the cost and duration of travel. A £40 incentive was paid to encourage attendance.

Table 2: Sample Strategy