Social Science: Research

(asked on 14th May 2019) - View Source

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of Government-funded social science research on deprived communities.


This question was answered on 23rd May 2019

Since 2017, the department has commissioned around 20 studies to investigate and understand the needs of deprived communities and communities who face specific integration challenges. Key examples include the update to the Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD), The Integrated Communities Innovation Fund evaluation, a number of studies on reducing homelessness, and the ongoing troubled families evaluation. The results of these projects have provided invaluable insight into the issues and the findings are incorporated into policy development.

For example, the Randomised Control Trial research on community based English Language programmes has informed the development of the current English Language programme of support, providing people who don’t speak English with the skills and confidence to improve their integration outcomes.

Our Integrated Areas evaluation will test the impact of different interventions designed to improve real life social outcomes, including social mixing outcomes across different communities residing in the same place.

The previous 2015 version of the Indices of Multiple Deprivation fed directly into MHCLG and more widely into other Departments’ policy development, particularly where policies have been focused on working with the most deprived communities across the country.

More generally, much of our commissioned research aims to understand and address the needs of communities that most need our support and promote growth. Key examples include the English Housing Survey and European Regional Development Fund.

Reticulating Splines