We focus on four complex health issues more prevalent in urban areas
With the Social Progress Imperative, we've developed the first neighbourhood level, health-focused social progress index of its kind.
With Wellcome Trust
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Multiple long-term conditions
We're supporting households at risk of eviction and ill-health whose income has been hit by the pandemic.
Partners: Kineara and Southwark Law Centre
Funding amount: up to £260,000
Duration: August 2020 – March 2021
Programme: multiple long-term conditions
We are building a holistic support offer that prevents people losing their homes, delivers a better deal for private landlords and protects working-age adults whose income has been hit by the pandemic. We will prioritise those who live in our target neighbourhoods, are at risk of developing long-term health conditions and face an immediate threat of eviction.
Our programme of assistance will include support for wellbeing, mental health, employment support, coaching, income maximisation and mediation between tenants and their landlords.
We have partnered with Southwark Law Centre to provide a full-time, specialist lawyer with expertise in the private rented sector. The lawyer will provide technical support, greater representation in court cases and provide a direct referral route for households who have other legal requirements, such as immigration matters.
Research from The Health Foundation shows that changes to people’s economic circumstances during the Coronavirus pandemic are having a strong impact on their physical and mental health, and the group most likely to have trouble meeting their rent obligations are households who have moved onto Universal Credit during the quarantine period. Across our boroughs, the number of universal credit claimants more than doubled between February and May.
Housing and health are directly related – precarious housing greatly increases the risk of ill-health and unhealthy housing leads to respiratory, cardiovascular and mental health problems. Those in the most precarious housing situations live with the highest health inequalities: over half of people in temporary accommodation experience a worsening of their physical and mental health.
We also know that the issue of precarious housing has a disproportionate effect on low income Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) groups – nationally, 31% of BAME households are in the private rented sector, compared to 15% of their white neighbours, and in our place in Lambeth and Southwark, Black residents are also more likely to have less secure employment and more likely to have a long-term health condition.
Almost a quarter of all households in Southwark are in privately rented accommodation. We are focussing on private renters because we believe this is where the absence of support is most clearly felt.
Kineara are a social enterprise working in housing, education, employment and research. The Southwark Law Centre provides access to justice for people in need, primarily in Southwark.
Michael Parsons leads our work on minimising the health risks from housing insecurity.
With King’s College London and Outcomes Based Healthcare
With King’s College London Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, Money and Mental Health Policy Institute and Citizens Advice
With Community Southwark