Rachel works on housing policy at JRF, developing credible solutions and partnerships to ensure more people live in a decent, affordable home. Rachel’s interests are in housing, health, social justice and grounding solutions in lived experience. Rachel has worked on housing and homelessness policy within the charity and public sector. Prior to this, Rachel worked for several years as a case worker in a Youth Offending Service, and has worked in Children’s Social Care. Rachel completed a Masters in Social Work in 2017.
Email: rachel.casey@jrf.org.uk
Twitter: @Rachel_Casey85
As hardship deepens, a supportive local state and national government is what neighbourhoods and communities need to thrive.
Social connections and networks need to be sustainable and resilient to help people weather economic and social uncertainties. Policy, funding and service design all have a crucial role to play in scaffolding community power and building resilience.
The knowledge and experience of marginalised communities needs to be central to how the state responds to hardship. Social connections are vital in providing practical and emotional help to people and stop their situation worsening.
The Carers Co-design Project is a joint piece of work between JRF and London Unemployed Strategies (LUS) to co-design policy recommendations that address poverty and/or its related issues facing unpaid carers. These recommendations are evidence based, credible and underpinned by the voices of people with lived experience.
This new research sets out a clear plan to support renters struggling to stay afloat as we approach winter and continue to navigate the coronavirus crisis.
This response offers JRF’s view on the Government’s consultation on reform to the planning system, Planning for the Future.
Investing in social housing will help low-income households escape poverty in the current economic downturn, and change the unaffordability and unsuitability of the current housing market.
Coronavirus is exposing growing health inequality in our society, but we can help people weather the storm, now and in the future.
Resetting Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates to cover at least the bottom third of rents, and providing more social rent homes, would reduce two of the main causes of homelessness and rough sleeping.