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Call for evidence to parliamentary inquiry into social housing earning and employment gap

A national parliamentary inquiry has renewed its calls for evidence on tackling the employment and earnings gap in social housing. The All-Party Parliamentary Inquiry into Housing and Employment invites all organisations and individuals with relevant insights and expertise to respond to its five questions by the deadline of 30 June 2020.

The national Inquiry is led by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Housing and Social Mobility and runs until September. It is supported by Communities that Work, which champions the role of housing providers in supporting residents into employment, and by PlaceShapers and the housing sector, GEM programme. The UK Collaborative Centre for Housing Evidence (CaCHE) is the research partner for the Inquiry.

Launched before the full onset of the coronavirus crisis, the Inquiry’s focus and its central questions are even more relevant to the new context in which we live.  It is seeking rigorous evidence about the nature and extent of any employment and earnings gaps for social tenants, what factors explain such a gap, as well as potential solutions that can tackle the problem. To what extent are social housing residents disproportionately affected by the economic impacts of the pandemic and what works in supporting these individuals and communities? The Inquiry also wants to learn how residents’ lived experience was heard and engaged with, in the responses it receives.

This Inquiry is one of the first in parliament to respond to the joint issues facing social housing and employment as we emerge from COVID-19. As well as collecting written submissions, the Inquiry will host online panel sessions to receive oral evidence and input from residents, experts and stakeholders. These insights will shape the Inquiry’s final report of its findings and proposals for actions, to be published in October.

Lynsey Sweeney, Managing Director of Communities that Work, said: “The housing sector and its partners are providing vital support to communities hardest hit by the impacts of the coronavirus crisis. In the face of an unprecedented recession, it matters more than ever that we identify the key issues facing social housing and the solutions that will protect residents’ livelihoods. But we can’t do this if the sector doesn’t make its voice heard. “

For more information, please visit the Communities that Work website. The details of the template for questions, prepared by CaCHE are available in this PDF document.  

Please email your written responses to Communities that Work by 30 June 2020.

 

Date: June 3, 2020 1:19 pm

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