Lecturer at St Mary’s Publishes research on Homelessness in the UK

A lecturer in the School of Management and Social Sciences at St Mary’s University, Twickenham, has published a new report as part of a joint research project between homeless charities Crisis and Shelter. St Mary’s Geography Lecturer Dr Jenna Truder was part of the research team for the project called ‘A Roof Over my Head: Key Findings for the Sustain Project’, whilst working at Crisis as Research Officer. The research, called Sustain, was part of a three-year partnership project between the charities and funded by the Big Lottery’s research programme. The longitudinal study explored the long-term outcomes for vulnerable households who have entered the Private Rented Sector (PRS). There are around 3.8 million households in PRS in the UK today, up from 2 million in 2001 and it is increasingly being used by Local Authorities to house those who have made a homelessness application to them. The research, which saw the team spend 19 months working with 128 people who had been rehoused, found that there were significant problems in the PRS, and that it is not a suitable housing option for everyone, particularly those people with vulnerabilities. The report identified that with people at such a vulnerable time in their life, a secure, safe and stable home is vitally important, but that these needs are often not met. Instead, tenants often find that the properties are in poor condition, there are issues with landlords, and that the accommodation is simply cramped and unsuitable, often with damp, mould and insect infestation. What’s more, with a lack of suitable fixtures, fittings and furniture, many tenants struggle to pay for household costs, often resulting in debt. From the findings, the report gave several recommendations including improved funding and support for tenants, ensuring that people are allocated appropriate accommodation that meets their needs, improving conditions at a local level, and developing a national framework for tackling problem landlords. Dr Truder, who spent almost two years working with people who have been rehoused into the PRS for the project, said, “As the PRS is increasingly used by local authorities and agencies to house homeless people, it is more important than ever to question the sector’s ability to accommodate the needs of this particular group, particularly as relatively little is known about their experiences and outcomes once they move into PRS accommodation. "By tracking the experiences of people rehoused in the PRS over 19 months, the research provides a powerful insight into tenancy sustainability and housing outcomes, and contends that accommodation plays a fundamental role in people’s wellbeing. The project has demonstrated that there are significant problems in the PRS, and Crisis and Shelter hope that the findings and recommendations from this research will be used to help improve the lives of those moving into the PRS in the future.” The research was officially published in February at the British Library, with a presentation and panel discussion with leading academics and governmental agencies. The results have been covered in the media nationally including Channel 4 News and The Guardian Newspaper.