People experiencing homelessness and offered accommodation since Covid-19 will be interviewed as part of research assessing the support they have received.
The study, the first of its kind in the UK, is led by academics at Cardiff University and the Centre for Homelessness Impact. It will robustly assess which housing options are most likely to provide positive outcomes. This innovative partnership has been awarded funding from the Economic and Social Research Council which is part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).
At the beginning of the Covid-19 lockdown, many people experiencing street homelessness were offered emergency accommodation to facilitate safe self-isolation. As local authorities now begin to make more suitable housing arrangements for those currently living in hotels and other emergency accommodation, this study will provide valuable insights into tackling homelessness and reducing Covid-19.
Participating local authorities in England will support the research team to follow individuals over a period of 12 months to evaluate how they are doing, looking at housing stability, health and wellbeing.
The aim is to reduce the rate of Covid-19 infection as well as the risk of returning to homelessness.
Dr Peter Mackie, the study's Principal Investigator, based at Cardiff University's School of Geography and Planning, said: "The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in radical changes in policy and practice responses to homelessness. For the first time homelessness has been treated as a crisis.
