Hayes parish is a suburb of the London Borough of Bromley, but retains something of its self-contained village atmosphere and is attached to the green belt.

The parish has a population of around 8,500 although the electoral ward of Hayes extends much further with a population of over 12,000. The area is predominantly residential with a wide range of age and social mix. Housing is mainly owner occupied and the working population is mostly white collar.

Hayes has its own railway station, good bus services and road connections.

The main shopping street consists of two small supermarkets and a variety of smaller shops and restaurants. There is another row of shops in 'old' Hayes, a restaurant and a pub.

There are three state primary schools and a comprehensive secondary school.