Housing

Briefings

• 11May

  Housing Briefing Paper

  Our Housing briefing paper by Nigel de Noronha, Assistant Professor, School of Geography University of Nottingham, has just been published. It examines the impact of Covid-19 on black, Asian and minority ethnic communities who more often experience housing deprivation and, how the risk of overcrowding and other factors have impacted on their experiences during the pandemic. […]

• 15Apr

  Ethnic disadvantage in the housing market: Evidence from the 2011 census

  There is a political consensus that Britain faces a ‘crisis’ caused by a lack of affordable housing.  Solutions to the housing ‘crisis’ rely largely on market solutions. This briefing explores the ‘ethnic penalty’ in housing and its implications for the proposed solutions to the housing “crisis”.  It uses 2011 Census microdata to explore the likelihood […]

• 18Jan

  The housing conditions of minority ethnic households in England

  This paper seeks to quantify the cost of poor housing among minority ethnic households both to the NHS and wider society using analysis of data from the English Housing Survey (EHS). Due to the small sample sizes used for the EHS, this paper does not seek to analyse the comparative housing conditions for individual minority […]

• 18Dec

  Understanding ethnic inequalities in housing: Analysis of the 2011 census

  This briefing explores the disparities between ethnic groups in relation to two key social concerns currently affecting the housing market in the UK: the prevalence of overcrowded accommodation and the rise in the private renting sector. It does this by looking at data recently released from the 2011 Census and therefore compares the recorded experience […]

• 23Mar

  Migrants and the private housing sector

  The growth of the private rented sector is a subject that has been of increasing public and political interest, particularly over the last couple of years. It is well known that the private rented sector is by far the most common tenure for newly arrived migrants. Recent research by research charity, the Building and Social Housing Foundation, has […]

• 18Feb

  Meeting the supported housing needs of black and minority ethnic communities

  The briefing examines the use of specialist housing services to support black and minority ethnic communities, providing good practice examples for people experiencing poor mental health, homelessness, domestic violence, teen parenthood and older age respectively.  The paper also looks at the effectiveness of the ‘Supporting People’ programme, considering the likely impact of funding cuts on […]

• 23Apr

  Housing benefit and welfare reform: Impact of the proposed changes on black and minority ethnic communities

  The coalition government has introduced a package of measures intended to reduce the increasing cost of Housing Benefit (HB). This paper examines the impact of these cuts on black and minority ethnic communities. Living in areas targeted by the cuts, black and minority ethnic communities are also likely to experience higher child poverty rates and […]

• 23Mar

  Housing and identity: how place makes race

  This opinion piece describes the interaction between ‘place’ and ‘race’, arguing that in more unequal societies race becomes a more salient issue. Highlighting the association between new migrants and geographical locations, such as Whitechapel, the paper argues that ‘minorities’ will often be defined by the location in which they live. The paper also provides a […]

• 24Nov

  Monitoring the ethnicity of housing service users: forty years of progress?

  It is 40 years since ethnic monitoring in housing services was first recommended, but this paper suggests that true monitoring is in decline. Whilst basic sources of information are available, practitioners do not appear to be putting them in context.  The key issue for housing services is to ‘get beyond frontline figures to actually identify, […]

• 24Apr

  Refugee community organisations: Working in partnership to improve access to housing services

  Housing services for refugees are better targeted and delivered when refugee community organisations (RCOs) are involved as partners: this means involving them at an early stage and providing ongoing support. Recruiting and training refugee community researchers can also empower community members, by allowing them to take ownership of the research agenda Key messages: Housing services […]

• 24Feb

  Looking to the future: Changing black and minority ethnic housing needs and aspirations

  This paper examines the housing needs and aspirations of England’s largest black and minority ethnic populations. It sets out to identify how changes in demographic, spatial and economic factors are likely to affect the demand for affordable housing from black and minority ethnic populations in the future. The paper explores the ways in which minority ethnic households’ needs and […]

• 25Apr

  Black and minority ethnic young people and housing

  This briefing looks at the housing experiences, needs and aspirations of black and minority ethnic young people aged between sixteen and twenty-five. It aims to inform housing providers of ways of improving services to this diverse group, arguing that we need to listen more closely to the voices of young people in order to design […]

• 26Mar

  Meeting the sheltered and extra care housing needs of black and minority ethnic older people

  Although research into the housing needs of black and minority ethnic elders has made consistent recommendations over the past twenty-four years, these have, at best, been only partly implemented.  With increasing numbers of black and minority ethnic elders, service providers must address their needs, both in the provision of ethnic-specific ‘bricks and mortar’ sheltered accommodation […]

• 26Nov

  Black and minority ethnic user participation in housing

  Emphasis on user participation in the housing sector has risen, yet in spite of this; the involvement of African, Asian and African Caribbean tenants in councils and housing associations seems to be limited.  This is of particular concern given that these communities are more likely to experience poor housing conditions, overcrowding, homelessness and racism and […]

• 1May

  Racist harassment and housing services

  Although official figures indicate that racist harassment is decreasing, many incidents are reported only at a crisis point when abuse can no longer be tolerated.  To support victims effectively social landlords have to ensure that they understand the victim’s perspective and can use a range of codes of practice, good practice guidelines and resources to […]

• 1May

  The housing needs of black and minority ethnic disabled children and their families

  The outcomes and life chances of disabled children and their families are, to a greater or lesser extent, affected by the homes in which they live. Inaccessible public spaces and community facilities, societal attitudes, and health and care needs mean that disabled children spend more time in their homes than other children.  This briefing  argues […]

• 1Feb

  Black and minority ethnic employment in social housing

  Black and minority ethnic staff are underrepresented in the social housing sector, particularly at senior officer and management levels.  This can have a knock on effect on the provision of appropriate services, and the prevention of racist discrimination. This paper outlines methods to increase diversity in the housing workforce, including positive action in recruitment and […]

• 1Oct

  Housing choice and racist hostility

  Extending housing choice for black and minority ethnic households requires consideration of racial discrimination, social and economic inequality and household needs, preferences and aspirations.  Increased opportunities for the expression of housing choice in new lettings systems has improved the choices of location open to black and minority ethnic households, but there is mixed evidence of […]