News from the Building and Social Housing Foundation (BSHF)

One third of private renters are now families with children

The number of families living in the private rented sector has risen rapidly, according to research published today by the Building and Social Housing Foundation (BSHF). 

Who Lives in the Private Rented Sector? profiles the household characteristics and changing make-up of the private rented sector (PRS) and identifies the rapid growth of households with children.

As the PRS continues to grow, a better understanding of the households accommodated in the sector is vital if people’s housing needs are to be effectively met.  The report gives a useful summary of the households in the private rented sector, thus providing organisations with analysis to help inform their development decisions.

 

A copy of the report can be downloaded from Who lives in the Private Rented Sector?

 

News from Cambridge Centre for Housing and Planning Research

NEW OUTPUTS

The role of the planning system in delivering housing choice for older Londoners

This study was commissioned by the Greater London Authority to investigate the role of planning in meeting the housing needs of older Londoners. It is partly a ‘think piece’ to look specifically at the role of the planning system in helping to ensure that older Londoners have a choice of homes that they can afford and which meet their requirements for different sizes and types of dwellings in high quality environments. The study also includes original research on the scale of need for specialist housing at local level.

The findings of the study have been used to inform the Housing SPG and it is expected that the study will be of use to Boroughs in the development of polices related to older persons housing. The findings of the study will inform the further alterations to the London Plan with a view to strengthening policy on the delivery of older persons housing (further work may be required on older persons needs for other specialist services). In addition, the report will be of use to the Mayor’s Housing and Investment Teams, when updating the Housing Strategy and making funding decisions. To download the report  go to CCHPR Publications

Mapping the number of extra housing units needed for young people

Centrepoint, the youth homeless charity, commissioned CCHPR to undertake this piece of work looking at the requirement for emergency homeless accommodation, supporting housing units, social housing and private rented housing with the use of Housing Benefit across England with a specific focus on the requirements for those aged 16-25.

To download the report go to CCHPR Publications


NEW PROJECTS

The role of the private rented sector in preventing homelessness: identifying good practice and the impact of policy change

The Oak Foundation has commissioned research that focuses on good practice that is demonstrated through Oak funded projects and looks more broadly at other successful practices and models. For further details go to CCHPR projects

Support in the preparation of a housing strategy for Jersey

The States of Jersey has commissioned CCHPR to provide support to its embryonic Strategic Housing unit in the preparation of an island wide, cross tenure Housing Strategy. The project comprises a series of papers for discussion with officers and the relevant Ministers between November 2012 and April 2013, leading to the production of a public Consulation Paper for circulation in May and a final Strategy Paper for debate in the States Assembly in June/July 2013. For further details go to CCHPR projects
 

 

 

News from Cambridge Centre for Housing and Planning Research

New publication - 
Measuring the affordability of housing association rents in England: a dual approach
A new journal article has been published by Dr Connie Tang in the latest issue of the International Journal of Housing Markets and Analysis. The purpose of this article is to compare relative levels of rental affordability across the English housing association sector, using two methods, rent-to-income ratio and residual income standards (poverty-line and budget standard). The rent-to-income ratio analysis identified that housing association rents were generally affordable. However, the residual income analyses using two different minimum acceptable standards suggested some scepticism in this regard. In particular, both analyses confirmed the affordability problem in London where nearly half of existing housing association tenants had disposable household incomes that were well below the poverty-line as well as the largest rent-to-income ratio. Both analyses also confirmed that lone parents were more likely than average households to have an affordability problem.

The article is published in the International Journal of Housing Markets and Analysis, Vol. 5, Issue: 3, pp.218 - 234. You can access the article online by this link: Measuring the affordability of housing association rents in England: a duel approach

New projects

Welfare reform
CCHPR is working with Ipsos Mori on a major new study for the National Housing Foundation on the impact of welfare reform. The work, which will report in 2014 aims to focus particularly on the impact of welfare reform for the housing association sector and its tenants. It will monitor the impact of reforms as they come into operation next year, including the cuts to housing benefit for under-occupiers of working age, and the changes to the method of payment brought in under Universal Credit.

Maximising the performance of the new Section 106 and Community Infrastructure Levy Planning Framework with Local Authorities: Developing a Planning Gain Model
The Centre is currently developing a simple model to estimate the impact of charging different CIL and S106 rates on the economic viability of development. The model has huge potential to assist local authorities in modelling the impact of different CIL and S106 rates on the economic viability of development across their area. We propose a project to further develop the model for local authority use. We will work with a sample of local authorities to test and refine the model with a view to eventually making it publicly available for use by local authorities to assist in developing their new CIL and S106 charging frameworks. This will transfer our academic knowledge and expertise into a tool that can be used by local authorities in policy and practice.
Evaluation of lighting interventions
CCHPR is currently starting three separate small evaluations of lighting interventions in housing settings for the Thomas Pocklington Trust. The impact on health wellbeing and reduction in falls will be examined.

Analysis of the PRS in Richmond and surrounding areas
Richmond Council, together with Richmond Housing Partnership, are currently jointly commissioning research in order form the evidence base of their tenancy strategy. This work will help supplement this evidence base by improving understanding of the private rented sector in and nearby to Richmond with a particular focus on the availability of housing for low income groups.

Developing best practice in social care and support for adults with concurrent sight loss and dementia within different housing settings
This project, funded by the National Institute for Health Research seeks to develop best practice in social care and support for people with dementia and sight loss in a range of housing settings. The research is led by York University and CCHPR will lead the element of the study that looks at the costs of care in different settings.

Channel Islands housing markets
An overview of housing markets and their economic context in the Channel Islands, based upon secondary data, has been commissioned by One Savings Bank.

Conference papers
Dr Gemma Burgess, Sarah Monk and Christine Whitehead all presented papers at the European Network for Housing Researchers conference in June. Their presentations were:

The role of regulation in the private rented sector: a comparative study (by Christine Whitehead, Sarah Monk, Sanna Markkanen, Kathleen Scanlon and Connie Tang) conducted case studies of eleven European countries to clarify how regulation had changed over the last thirty years and what impact this has had on the scale of private rental provision.

The role of the planning system in delivering housing choice to older Londoners (Sarah Monk and Gemma Burgess) draws on recent research into the role of the planning system in delivering specialist older people’s housing to explore the barriers to increased delivery and make recommendations for change.

Housing an Ageing Population: Housing Options and the Value of Information and Advice to Older People in England (Gemma Burgess) drew on ongoing work evaluating advice services for older people in England.