Close links between housing, worklessness, disadvantage and neighbourhood quality are no surprise. Yet it is a complex brew.

In 2006 the Human City Institute, supported by think tank MEL Research and housing groups Trident and Matrix, began work to tease out these links with the aim of promoting multi-disciplinary solutions.

The research explored the needs of Somalis, Bangladeshis, Chinese, Vietnamese and various faith groups correlated with ‘the power of place’ and indicators across policy areas.

The research reveals how common housing problems, such as overcrowding and poor quality housing, can directly affect health and economic prospects.

Dissimilarities also exist, of course, including tenure: Somalis, for example, are concentrated in poorer private rented accommodation whereas Asian groups are more likely to be low-income homeowners.

Discrimination and harassment is common to all, making socio-economic advancement difficult despite many community efforts.

A recurring theme has been how much ‘place’ and ethnicity impinge on life chances. The concentration of these groups in inner city areas has a massive impact.

Life expectancy is often a decade lower than in more affluent areas. Air quality is worse, population densities are much higher and socio-economic disadvantage is acute. Despite inter-disciplinary policy efforts in the past decade, it remains the case that birth dictates a person’s destiny in the UK today.

HCI’s response has been to develop a ‘face-to-face’ forum for discussion of common interests and to set up ENACT - a community consultancy to cultivate research, community advocacy and governance skills - as a means of tackling multiple deprivation.

John Morris is chair of HCI and chief executive of Trident Housing Group

Have your say

You must sign in to make a comment