News from Research Centres (Updated)

Centre for Housing Policy, University of York

New staff

Carol McNaughton joined CHP on 1 October on a year's ESRC postdoctoral fellowship. She will be working in the area of homelessness and in particular helping to develop CHP's interest in new migrants and homelessness.

New projects:

An Evaluation of the Sanction of Housing Benefit: funder: Department for Work and Pensions
Led by Sheffield Hallam University, this research will monitor and explore the housing benefit sanction schemes in the 8 pilot areas, including assessing how the schemes are established and managed, the effectiveness of the schemes and the impact of the schemes on affected households and local communities.

Housing Costs, Employment Incentives and Benefits in London: funder: GLA, London Councils and the London Child Poverty Commission
An analysis of the impact of the higher housing costs in London on work incentives. Literature reviews, qualitative interviews, and formal analysis of the inter-relationships between rent levels and tax and benefit structures (and take up rates and delivery) will lead to reform proposals for improving work incentives in London.

Homelessness and Substance Misuse: evidence-based approaches to the provision of effective services: funder Scottish ExecutiveCHP will lead this project, supported by colleagues from York and Oxford Brookes. Its aim is to produce evidence to facilitate the development of outcome measures that can accurately assess service efficiency and effectiveness in the field of homelessness and substance misuse.

The Difference that Faith Makes: Faith-based organisations and the provision of services for homeless people: funder AHRC/ESRCThis project will examine the responses made to homelessness by Faith Based Organisations (particularly those with a non-Christian religious affiliation) and the ‘difference that faith makes’ to the nature and outcomes of welfare interventions for vulnerable people.

An Evaluation of the Glasgow Homeless Hostel Decommissioning Programme; funder Glasgow City CouncilGlasgow Homeless Partnership is funding this long-term (3-year) evaluation of the city's hostel decommissioning programme, which is now entering its final phase.