News from BSHF

New research from BSHF on Housing Benefit claimant numbers

Research from BSHF highlights the rapid growth of in-work Housing Benefit claimant numbers in Great Britain during 2010 and 2011.
Analysis of latest figures from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) indicates that:

• The number of Housing Benefit claimants has reached a new high of 4.95 million
• In-work households account for almost all (93 per cent) of the increase in the number of claimants in the last two years
• Almost one in four households who rent their accommodation and are in employment receive Housing Benefit

The research is free to download from the BSHF website http://www.bshf.org/published-information/publication.cfm?lang=00&thePubID=5E017604-15C5-F4C0-99F1DFE5F12DBC2A

Research briefing from BSHF on Regeneration

A new briefing from BSHF summarises the findings of research on the Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder, Bridging NewcastleGateshead, which ran from 2003 to 2011 in the North East of England.
Particular findings of the research include:

• The importance of a long-term commitment to funding regeneration at a national level, preferably with some level of cross-party support
• The need for the government to clarify what will happen if the priorities of local communities conflict with those of national policymakers
• The need for a clear definition of the community being supported by regeneration
• The importance of understanding and addressing the needs and aspirations of the communities affected by regeneration

The research was conducted by Andrea Armstrong during a PhD at Durham University, which was supported by BSHF. The briefing is free to download from the BSHF website http://www.bshf.org/published-information/publication.cfm?lang=00&thePubID=81B12E18-15C5-F4C0-9904048F10A3C1E2

News from the Institute of Housing, Urban and Real Estate Research (IHURER), Heriot-Watt University

IHURER has launched a website dedicated to the ‘Multiple Exclusion Homelessness Across the UK: A Quantitative Survey’ study, funded by the ESRC, and led by Prof Suzanne Fitzpatrick. The website provides details of key findings and downloadable outputs, including the first three of a series of Briefing Papers. Future outputs will be uploaded as they become available. The MEH study has had direct influence on the forthcoming homelessness strategy for England – see the website for details. http://www.sbe.hw.ac.uk/research/ihurer/homelessness-social-exclusion/multiple-exclusion-homelessness.htm.

IHURER is hosting the European Real Estate Society Conference in Edinburgh, June 13-16 2012. Participants are attending from all over the world and almost 400 abstracts have been accepted, with housing constituting a major theme. Details are available at www.eres2012.com

Drawing on her ESRC-funded research on the role of faith-based organisations in homelessness provision, Dr Sarah Johnsen presented at the Westminster Faith Debates session focussing on ‘Religion and Welfare’ in Whitehall on 21 March. The event was chaired by Rt Hon Charles Clarke and Sarah’s paper was responded to by fellow panel members Rt Hon David Blunkett and the Most Revd Peter Smith (Catholic Archbishop of Southwark). The Westminster Faith Debates series was hosted by the AHRC/ESRC Religion and Society programme and Theos.

Prof Dennis Culhane, a leading homelessness expert from the US, and IHURER’s Prof Suzanne Fitzpatrick went on a whirlwind ‘tour’ of the UK in February, speaking at events in Edinburgh, London and Cardiff. Suzanne spoke about her work on homelessness in the UK and Europe; Dennis on homelessness policy and provision in the US. The events included:

• 7 Feb, Shelter Scotland: 'Homelessness post 2012: where next? ' at St Pauls & St George's, Edinburgh;
• 9 Feb, JRF and WISERD seminar: 'The future of homelessness policy in Wales: Learning lessons from the States and the Scots' at the University of Cardiff; and
• 10 Feb, Crisis seminar: 'Homelessness in austere times: lessons from home and abroad' at the Courtauld Institute of Art, Somerset House, London.

Mark Stephens will be joining IHURER on 1 May as Professor of Public Policy (from Urban Studies in Glasgow University). His research focuses on the themes of housing and poverty, and housing markets, much of it in a comparative context. He is Treasurer of the European Network of Housing Research and an Editor of Urban Studies.

SENIOR RESEARCH FELLOW - CENTRE FOR REGIONAL, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RESEARCH (CRESR)

The Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research (CRESR) at Sheffield Hallam University is seeking to appoint a senior/principal research fellow to make a significant contribution to our strategic objectives around furthering research agendas into social and economic disadvantage. The successful candidate will have a proven track record in income generation and publication in peer refereed publications.

Further details about the post in CRESR are at:

http://www.shu.ac.uk/jobs/vacancies/academic/academic-adverts/ds31711.html?utm_source=microsite&utm_medium=vacancies&utm_content=research-roles&utm_campaign=d-s-cresr

This appointment is part of a wider investment by Sheffield Hallam University in its research and teaching. Further details about all the new posts at SHU are at:

www.inspired-research.net

The closing date for applications is 9 March 2012.

EVALUATION OF THE FirstStop INITIATIVE DEMONSTRATES THE VALUE OF INFORMATION AND ADVICE TO OLDER PEOPLE

Published by Cambridge Centre for Housing and Planning Research (CCHPR) in January, the evaluation of FirstStop shows how it is helping older people to make difficult decisions about their housing and care. In particular, the evaluation focused on assessing the value for money of providing housing advice and support to older people. The evaluation reports can be found at: http://www.cchpr.landecon.cam.ac.uk/outputs/detail.asp?OutputID=270

NEWS FROM CHR ST ANDREWS

CHR Event: Facing the Challenges to Housing Scotland's People
The Centre for Housing Research sponsored a one day roundtable on February 3 to seek consensus on the housing issues that need urgent attention in Scotland. Organised by Knowledge Exchange Specialist, Sharon Chisholm, the event was intended to discuss and agree on the important issues by stimulating a conversation with key stakeholders. Grainia Long of CIH, kicked the day off with a stimulating review of where we have come to, what opportunities have been missed and the urgent need for immediate action. Michael Lennon, Derek Ballantyne and Per Ahren provided international perspectives and a host of other presentations focused on key issues across all tenures.

Carnegie Funded Research: Housing Associations and the 'Big Society'
Dr Kim McKee has been awarded a Carnegie Foundation small grant to research the impact of the big society on housing policy in Scotland. Focusing on the community-based housing sector in Scotland and the role of housing associations as ‘community anchors’, this exploratory qualitative study will deconstruct the ideas underpinning the big society and explore the strengths and weaknesses of this political ideology for housing policy and practice. It will report in the Spring.

New research project from CHR
Entitled ‘Mind the (Housing) Wealth Gap: Intergenerational Justice and Family Welfare’, this three year project is concerned with the wealth inequalities and injustice that exist not only between but within generations. It is being funded by the Leverhulme Trust and will be led by Dr Beverley Searle, combining expertise from the Universities of St Andrews (Dr Kim McKee, and Professor Duncan Maclennan), Durham (Professor Lorna Fox), Birmingham (Professor Karen Rowlingson) and Delft (Dr Maarten van Ham). Access to private wealth (notably housing wealth) is of increasing political and social importance. It not only determines the quality of life for older people but increasingly determines life chances of younger people. This new project will explore concerns of intergenerational justice and the new tensions between family members arising from competing demands - inheritance vs welfare – on families limited wealth resources. Understanding these issues will become vital to addressing the inequalities and injustices that current and future generations experience.For further information please contact Dr Beverley Searle at bas4@st-andrews.ac.uk

2012 HSA/HSCT BURSARY AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED

The Housing Studies Association and the Housing Studies Charitable Trust are delighted to announce the recipients of their joint 2012 bursary awards. The bursaries were established to ensure that members of the housing studies community facing financial barriers were still able to attend and present their work at the Housing Studies Association annual conference and to subsequently submit their paper to the Housing Studies journal.
The six recipients of the 2012 bursaries are: Michael Adedotun (Agri-Link Cooperative Society, Nigeria); Joe Crawford; Rachel Danemann (University of Stirling/ South Hams District Council); John Erskine; Zhan McIntyre (South Ayrshire Council) and Zhihua Zhou (University of Singapore.
The Housing Studies Association 2012 conference will be held at the University of York on 18-20 April. For further information, see: http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/chp/hsa/conference.htm
For further information about the bursary scheme please contact John Flint: john.flint@sheffield.ac.uk

REVIEW OF MEMBERSHIP SERVICES
As part of a wide ranging review of what the HSA delivers to members, we have established a small committee to review membership services. Its first priority will be to implement electronic payments and renewals and more flexible options for members to interact with the Association. This work will be complete for 2013 renewals. The committee would be more than happy to hear from members with any comments about membership services and renewals that they may have. If you have any views of things that the HSA could do better, please drop Ed Ferrari a line at e.t.ferrari@sheffield.ac.uk

RESIDENT INVOLVEMENT IN SOCIAL HOUSING IN THE UK AND EUROPE

Resident involvement in social housing is about how tenants or others living nearby can influence a social landlord’s activity. The remit of such influence may range from contributing to landlord decisions on local service delivery, at one end of spectrum, to bearing on an organisation’s strategic policy, at the other. Irrespective of whether it incorporates governing body membership, resident involvement is an aspect of housing and urban governance. This research was commissioned by Hyde Housing Group to inform further development of the Group’s governance and accountability structures and procedures. To obtain a copy of the report go to http://www.hyde-housing.co.uk/library/special-publications

BSHF VACANCY

The Building & Social Housing Foundation is recruiting a new Research Officer (International Programme). This is a permanent position to begin in April (earlier if possible). The closing date for applications is 9am on Thursday 1 March 2012. For further information, please find a detailed job description and person specification at: http://www.bshf.org/employment/

EVIDENCE REVIEW ON HOUSING AND POVERTY

This call is for a critical review of evidence that will consider how housing of all tenure types can mitigate or exacerbate poverty. This includes the likelihood of people being in poverty and exiting it; as well as what aspects of housing act to mitigate or exacerbate poverty. Further information The aims of the review are to highlight which pieces of existing evidence and which potential new research questions might help us to better understand: the relationship between housing and poverty; and how best to use housing as a tool to mitigate poverty. The deadline for this call for proposals is Monday 5 March 2012 23:59. For further details please visit http://www.jrf.org.uk/funding/calls-for-proposal/housing-poverty-review