Shelter and Crisis win research lotto jackpot
3 December 2009
Shelter and Crisis will be launching a new three-year study into well-being and housing sustainability for vulnerable tenants in the private rented sector after being awarded a grant of £363,769 from the Big Lottery fund.
The study aims for the first time to research what personal and social factors affect people's ability to sustain their tenancy in the private rented sector (PRS). It will also examine what services are most effective in supporting vulnerable tenants in the PRS in the long term.
14% of households in the UK are now housed in the PRS, and this number is set to grow, yet very little is known about the sector and whether it is suitable for its tenants' needs over the long term.
This study of vulnerable households that move into the PRS in England will involve a review of existing data and collect new information over the course of the three-year research.
This longer-term approach will help identify changes over time in people's attitudes, behaviour, and decision-making and will explore which factors impact on the sustainability of tenancies in the PRS. The outcomes of the work will be to establish a new evidence base to improve advice and support services and to influence policy to help vulnerable people.
Shelter's Head of Research, Jackie Smith, said: We are delighted to have been awarded this grant by the Big Lottery Fund, which represents the culmination of many years of joint working between Shelter and Crisis.
"For the first time we will be able to explore the ability of vulnerable groups to sustain private rented tenancies and put forward solutions that can have a direct impact on improving their lives and the services they need to successfully sustain tenancies.'
Duncan Shrubsole, Director of Policy and External Affairs at Crisis, said: "Crisis has worked for many years to help single homeless people access accommodation in the private rented sector, often the only accommodation option open to them. Whilst the PRS works for many, there has long been a clear lack of evidence and analysis as to outcomes over the long-term and the services that are needed to successfully sustain tenancies. This research fills that gap and we are delighted to be a partner with Shelter on delivering this with the support of the Big Lottery."
Notes to Editors
Shelter is the lead organisation for this project and has Crisis as a partner. In delivering a new evidence base, influencing the policy framework and sources of support and help for vulnerable households the project will address Big Lottery outcomes to promote well-being and develop healthier and more active communities. The project will also develop the research capability in Shelter and Crisis and embed new knowledge and experience in undertaking longitudinal studies. The project will have a well-developed dissemination plan reaching a wide range of audiences and drawing on Shelter and Crisis' extensive networks in service delivery, policy and practice and with government and parliamentary contacts.
The research project itself will be carried out by a team of three researchers: a project manager who will oversee the project and two researcher officers (each responsible for contact with a different sub-group). The project manager and the research officer focusing on households with children will be placed at Shelter and the research officer focusing on single households will be placed at Crisis.
Crisis is the national charity for single homeless people. We are dedicated to ending homelessness by delivering life-changing services and campaigning for change.*****
Shelter works to alleviate the distress caused by homelessness and bad housing. We do this by giving advice, information and advocacy to people in housing need, and by campaigning for lasting political change to end the housing crisis for good. Visit www.shelter.org.uk to find out more
Crisis is the national charity for single homeless people. Crisis develops innovative solutions that help people into homes they can call their own.
Not a priority for social housing, the private rented sector is the only solution for many single homeless people. We are leading the way to achieve greater access to private rented accommodation for single homeless people. Crisis has been working in this area since 1997 when it developed a best practice model for deposit schemes, Crisis SmartMove, which is delivered by local agencies under license from Crisis and has helped over 13,000 people into a new home. We now run a national advisory service providing training, consultancy and advice to local authorities and homelessness agencies across England and Scotland on how best to prevent and tackle homelessness in conjunction with the private rented sector.
For more information see privaterentedsector.org.uk
