77078495 Protocol
Homeless Housing in the United Kingdom
77078495
Honours Project
Tim South
Leeds Metropolitan University
Public Health – Environmental Health
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Cover Page...... 1
Introduction...... 2
Aims and Objectives...... 3
Background of the study...... 4
Rationale...... 5
Learning outcomes...... 6
Research Question and Objectives...... 7
Study design...... 8
Methodology...... 9
Ethics...... 10
Risk...... 11
Resources required...... 12
Programme diary...... 13
Project diary...... 14
References...... 15
Introduction:
The United Kingdom at the moment is experiencing levels of increase in homelessness as it is expected that the increase will carry on if nothing is being done in order to prevent people from becoming homeless (GOV UK, 2013). Homelessness is when an individual has no home or place (shelter) to live in. ‘A person is homeless if he has no accommodation available for his occupation, in the United Kingdom or elsewhere’, (Legislation GOV UK, 2009). Homelessness has had great affliction on society, developing societies and most adversely on underdeveloped societies for a long time. “One of the most basic human rights is for somewhere safe and stable to live, yet homelessness continues to be one of the worst social problems in Britain today”, (Barnardo’s, 2013). This project will undertake research to find out the main causes of homelessness and what can be done in order to prevent it from increasing.
Aims and objectives:
This project will focus on why there are increases in homelessness and what the main causes are to this problem. The main research question is what are the main causes of homelessness and how can this problem be prevented in order to reduce the increase of its rising. The project will research on whether or not personal issues, financial issues and other issues have a great impact on the increase of homelessness and how it can be prevented. The research that will be used will allow the aims and objectives to be reached and thoroughly talked about through the whole project; also, the data and information from the research will help find out the answer to the research question.
According to Fitzpatrick, Kemp and Klinker (2000), it is crucial to establish what is already known about homelessness for a number of reasons. In order to adequately tackle this project and reach a convincing conclusion, the project will be comprised of the following set objectives;
· To define homeless housing.
· To determine the causes of homelessness in the United Kingdom
· To find out the relationship between statutory and non-statutory housing and their differences to the economy of the United Kingdom.
· To examine the trend of homelessness in England.
· To identify and analyse any links of housing laws between the member nations of the United Kingdom.
· To identify any measures that has been taken by the United Kingdom government to reduce the problems of homeless housing in the country.
· To assess the outcomes and impacts of any policy measures that have been put in place or that is under implementation to enhance better housing facilities in the UK.
· To investigate any economic and social factors that could be a cause to the rise of homelessness in the United Kingdom.
· To recommend on the possible measures and state suggestions that could be taken to ensure a better housing facilities and to eradicate homelessness in the United Kingdom.
By following this set of guidelines and objectives, it will allow me to reach my aims and objectives in a clear manner and help with the research question and study of the topic chosen for this project.
Background of the Study:
Increased housing demands have consistently pointed to the declining conditions of better housing facilities in the world (Williams and Holmans, 1997). The UK government in particular is focused in helping the various local councils in the country and working in partnership with all local communities to plan and build better places to live for all its citizens (Homeless link, 2012). Such an initiative would be a great step towards minimizing the numbers of homelessness. ‘This will include building more affordable houses, improving the quality the already available ones on rental basis, helping more people to buy homes by providing housing mortgage loans and providing housing support for all other vulnerable citizens’ (Shelter, 2007). Also, it will involve personal issues such as financial support like providing employment to those who need jobs and income and also helping with personal issues such as family problems and other issues which they may experience such as drug misuse too as it is one of the factors of becoming homeless nowadays.
Through the Housing Act 1996 and the Homeless Act 2002, the United Kingdom government through the local authorities has the duty to look after the homeless citizens in the country. This is a situation referred to as statutory homeless housing. Therefore the local authorities in the United Kingdom refer to any non-statutory homeless housing as all people who are not eligible for assistance by these authorities. This makes the UK as one country worthy of special attention on homeless housing. It is the only European developed country with such a statutory responsibility towards the homeless, and also the only country to have set up a task force that will look into the homeless housing menace (Anderson, 2007).
The United Kingdom is a developed economy, and is among the twenty economies; this was the world's first industrialised country and a former colony to other developed and developing economies. The UK is also considered to be of economic, great military, cultural, scientific and political influence in the world. The main causes of homelessness in the United Kingdom as examined by a number of researches suggest that there are both personal and structural factors that are responsible for homelessness in the country which this research proposal seeks to tackle. Personal factors are like human addictions, while structural factors are like poverty. Additional factors that would also result to homeless housing among the young people in the UK are joblessness, high rental charges and drug abuse.
Rationale:
This topic has been chosen simply because it is a very interesting subject to research on; this is due to the years going by and the numbers still increasing even though there are strategies and also control measures and advice that have been put into place in order to help raise individuals awareness in order to prevent homelessness to increase by a certain percentage every year. However, because of its increase, this makes the topic interesting as I’d like to find out why people still end up on the streets even though there are other options available. This therefore is a growing problem and is of interest to me. Also, it is an issue that is damaging individual’s health which could sadly lead to death in some cases.
Learning outcomes:
The learning outcomes that will be gained are; researching, using online websites, books, journals and media such as the news on the television and radio. Also, by this, it means that the sources of information that will be gathered will be reliable and valid information that are up to date or have been proven to be correct. Also, statistics will be available in order to gain information about increases/decreases in certain topic area of homelessness.
The learning outcomes will also help improve computer and researching skills, as secondary research will be used; this means that information would need to be looked up for and researched that would be depth and recent statistics in order to find out the required information. It will also help develop more knowledge after gaining more information about the certain issue and have a broader outcome about it with recent information that would be up to date. Another advantage is that, the government policy side of things will be researched on and this will mean excess information and knowledge will be gained, especially on strategies and policies that have been put into place in order to help homeless people and overall, how to decrease levels of homelessness from occurring and rising.
Research Question and Objectives:
The aim of this research is to draw together all lessons from the project to maximise opportunities for learning and to inform the development of homeless prevention activities across the United Kingdom. The project will seek to provide an overview of ‘the main issues that emerge from the recent advances in the homelessness debate and its policy responses. Another objective of this project is to evaluate the causes and trend of homeless housing in the United Kingdom’, (Ravenhill, M. 2008). The project will also major on analysing the trends of the UK’s economic, social, and political side that would be leading to the rise of homelessness in the country.
Basically; this project intends to provide an analysis of homelessness in the U.K, then relating it to the country’s economic status, social status, physical location and environmental factors. Though, in Europe there are very few strategic approaches set up to restrain homelessness.
The principal research question that this project seeks to answer is: What are the general causes of homelessness in the United Kingdom, the impacts of homeless housing to the economy of the United kingdom, and what suggestions or recommendations that can be taken in order to reduce the statistics of homelessness from rising.
Study design:
The type of study that will be done is ‘Quantitative research’ as conclusions will be drawn from information which will be gathered that has already been put up and are proven as reliable sources due to it being backed up by facts , figures and statistics. Research will be done online, books, journals, recent news, government policy websites such as HSE, WHO and also the NHS for health occurrence for someone who is living on the streets.
The type of data that will be collected will be secondary data as it someone else’s data and I will not carry it out myself. ‘Secondary data analysis, however, is the use of data that was collected by someone else for some other purpose’ (about.com, 2007). These two types of study designs will help me find recent available information to back up my information which I am trying to look for.
The advantages of this research stratergy are that it can all be done indoors rather than going outdoors to collect results. Also, it can be from sources which are already backed up and proven to be true and valid. Another advantage is that it could be data collected anywhere at any time of the day and isn’t practical. However, disadvantages are that there could be internet problems, laptop/computer problems which could prevent me getting information and sources of information off the internet. Also, the information may not be from a good source, which may not be reliable. Problems to my own health may occur as it will require me to sit in one place and read and take notes and this may cause back problems, eye strains and RSI.
The different types of research methods are surveys, questionnaires, interviews / observations and experiments, (Research methods in health, care and early, 2001). The advantages of doing surveys is that it allows to get a variety result off a large population as all you need to do is observe and take down numbers ; it is easy and reliable results can be collected. It is also; ‘cost-effective, generalizable, reliable & versatile’ (Sociological Inquiry Principles: Qualitative and Quantitative Methods, 2010). However, the disadvantages of surveys are that it could be inflexible and may not be valid. Also, due to it involving a large population; part of the population may not respond or may give information which data won’t be able to be drawn from. This means that it may be a fall down in the results.
The advantages of questionnaires is that the responses are gathered in a standardised way, so questionnaires are more objective, certainly more so than interviews. ‘Generally it is relatively quick to collect information using a questionnaire. However in some situations they can take a long time not only to design but also to apply and analyse, (Evaluation Cookbook, 1999). Potentially information can be collected from a large portion of a group. ‘This potential is not often realised, as returns from questionnaires are usually low. However return rates can be dramatically improved if the questionnaire is delivered and responded to in class time’, (Evaluation Cookbook, 1999). The disadvantages of questionnaires are that questionnaires are standardised so it is not possible to explain any points in the questions that participants might misinterpret.’ This could be partially solved by piloting the questions on a small group of students or at least friends and colleagues. It is advisable to do this anyway’, (Evaluation Cookbook, 1999). Open-ended questions can make large amounts of data that can take a long time to process and analyse. One way of limiting this would be to limit the space available to students so their responses are concise or to sample the students and survey only a portion of them.Respondents may answer rapidly especially if the questionnaire takes a long time to complete, this is another disadvantage. Students may not be willing to answer the questions; this is also a disadvantage of questionnaires.
Interviews/ observations are a good research method as you can ask and observe what you want to find out in live and in front of your eyes. Also, you can ask directly and observe directly too. The disadvantages of this are that the interview and observation can be cancelled, or it probably may not give the information required to the interviewer.