I-Sphere

The Housing First Pathfinder has been highly effective at supporting people with the sharpest experiences of homelessness to stay in their homes, according to the country’s first evaluation of Housing First, published this week by I-SPHERE at Heriot-Watt University. The independent I

Prof Sarah Johnsen and Dr Janice Blenkinsopp provide an overview of the main findings from the first interim report of the independent evaluation of Scotland’s Housing First Pathfinder programme. Operating in five areas encompassing six local authorities (Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire, Dunde

New research published by the Institute for Social Policy, Housing, Equalities Research (I-SPHERE) based at Heriot-Watt University has found that the planning process in England is reinforcing racial inequality, despite having clear potential to support the needs of ethnic minority residents. The st

The Glasgow Alliance to End Homelessness (GAEH), a unique collaboration that aims to eradicate homelessness in the city, has created an Advisory Council with experts from public health, social policy, housing and the built environment.

With all of Holyrood’s political parties now supporting Housing First ahead of May’s election, Professor Sarah Johnsen, an expert in homelessness policy based with I-SPHERE at Heriot-Watt University, explains why the approach is attractive to politicians looking for an effective, evidenc

In a guest blog for the Edinburgh Poverty Commission, Professor Glen Bramley from the Institute for Social Policy, Housing, Equalities Research at Heriot-Watt University, writes that there is no pathway to ending poverty in Edinburgh without resolving the city’s housing and homelessness c

An internationally renowned award has been presented to a research group whose work prompted a step-change in the UK Government’s approach to extreme disadvantage. 

Following the publication of the policy briefing on homelessness prevention in the UK early this year, Prof Suzanne Fitzpatrick, Dr Peter Mackie, and Dr Jenny Wood reflect on the emerging impact of this CaCHE analysis.

Heriot-Watt University has been announced as a recipient of a prestigious Queen’s Anniversary Prize in recognition of the work of its Institute for Social Policy, Housing, Equalities Research (I-SPHERE), an institute that has brought new impetus to UK and international efforts to address extre

I-SPHERE Professor Sarah Johnsen describes how a flexible and relational approach helps to overcome many of the barriers that homeless people face when accessing healthcare.  As policy interest in inclusion health has escalated, there has been increased recognition that existing healthcare ser

Prof. Sarah Johnsen from Heriot-Watt University describes four key ingredients that make Housing First work. There continues to be increasing quantitative evidence of an over-representation of Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) amongst homeless populations, which corroborates the findings of years o

Institute for Social Policy, Housing, Equalities Research (I-SPHERE) director Professor Suzanne Fitzpatrick provided oral evidence this week to the UK Parliament’s work and pensions committee on its inquiry into the welfare safety net. Drawing on I-SPHERE’s work on Destitution in th

Following the release of a new I-SPHERE report examining temporary accommodation provision in Scotland, Beth Watts picks out some of the key themes from the research. This week, Scottish Government will publish a plan seeking to end homelessness in Scotland. This ambition, announced last year, saw t

A ‘supported lodgings’ model must be introduced in Scotland to urgently address youth homelessness and reduce reliance on hostel and B&B accommodation, a new report has found. While levels of youth homelessness have been falling in recent years in Scotland, 16-24 year olds remain heavily ove

A new I-SPHERE report reveals how housing associations and local authorities in England are using Fixed Term Tenancies. Beth Watts shares the main findings and reflects on their implications for the social housing sector. Since 2012, social landlords in England have been permitted to offer fixed ter