Dr Emma Bimpson BA (Hons), MA, PhD
Research Associate, BA (Hons), MA, PhD
Summary
Dr Emma Bimpson is a research associate at the Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research. Emma has both academic and practice-based expertise in local housing welfare systems, specifically in the social and private rented sectors. Emma's research is largely qualitative and focuses on housing and disadvantage, women and family homelessness, and the intersections between housing, care and support services. Emma’s research at CRESR has included government-commissioned research and evaluations, such as housing enforcement, and homelessness and health care interventions for people with complex social support needs. Other recent funders include Welsh Government, Age UK, and the Nuffield Foundation. Emma’s publications include a range of policy-focused evaluations, and academic publication based on a recent research project exploring motherhood and homelessness.
About
Emma completed her PhD in 2018 and built on several years’ experience as a practitioner in a large housing association. Her thesis explored the restructuring of local housing welfare systems under austerity and financialisation, through the accounts of housing and support providers within a city-based case study.
Emma has expertise and research interests in shifting housing welfare provision within the social and private rented sectors, homelessness, and local housing and support provider networks. Emma also has experience working within supported housing services for people experiencing mental ill health and substance addiction. She has led an evaluation of a Housing First project for sex working women (Basis Yorkshire), been part of a large number of research projects exploring housing and exclusion, and undertaken government commissioned research and evaluations including Local Authority enforcement of the PRS and Rough Sleeper Initiatives.
Research co-delivered by CaCHE and CRESR has explored the experience of homelessness for women, mothers and those separated from their children, and the ways that policies construct maternal identities. This project involved research with women living in temporary accommodation and provided a deeper understanding of the interaction between housing and children's social services, and the impact of housing policies on women who have experienced violence.
Emma is a co-editor of the People, Place and Policy journal.
- Housing and financialisation
- Welfare governance
- Social and Private Rented Sector
- Homelessness
- Housing and marginalised groups
- Qualitative research
Teaching
Housing Subject Group.
Research
- Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research
- Social and Economic Research Institute
2022-2024 Holding onto Home: Tenancy Sustainment in Social Housing, Nuffield Foundation. Role: Member of research team.
2019-2021 Social Impact Audit. Man GPM. Role, Member of research team.
2020- 2021 Research into local authority enforcement in the private rented sector and property guardianship, DLHUC. Role: Member of research team.
2020 Rough Sleeping and Complex Needs: A Process Evaluation, DLHUC. Role: Member of research team.
2020 Evaluation of Welsh Government’s Innovative Housing Programme, Welsh Government. Role: Member of research team.
2019-2021 Leeds Neighbourhood Network Evaluation, Centre for Ageing Better. Role: Member of research team.
2019-2020 Rough Sleeping Grant Evaluation, Public Health England. Role: Member of research team.
2018-2019 Motherhood and homelessness – Intersectional challenges of parenting, health and identity. Role: Member of research team.
Selected research reports
Preece, J. and Bimpson, E. (2019) Forms and mechanisms of exclusion in contemporary housing systems. CACHE.
Preece, J. and Bimpson, E. (2019) Housing insecurity and mental health in Wales. Mind Cymru and CaCHE.
Preece, J. and Bimpson, E. (2019) Policy briefing: Housing insecurity and mental health in Wales. Mind Cymru and CaCHE.
Bimpson, E. and Young, G. (2019) OVO Foundation’s Future Builders Programme. CaCHE.
Bimpson, E. (2018) An Evaluation of Basis Yorkshire’s Housing First Pilot. Leeds Social Sciences Institute.
Public engagement
Bimpson, E. (2020) Co-ordinated Motherhood and Homelessness networking event.
Bimpson, E. (2020) Festival of the Mind. Motherhood and Homelessness- in conversation event.
Bimpson, E. (2021) Crisis. Women’s Homelessness Event, presentation.
Bimpson, E. (2019) The Social Responsibilities of Landlords – HSA Symposium, Housing Studies Association blog. Available at: https://housing-studies-association.org/2019/07/blog-the-social-responsibilities-of-landlords-hsa-symposium/
McKee, K., Bimpson, E. and Simcock, T. (2019) ‘Greedy landlord’ stereotype is not true for all in private sector – some use power responsibly. The Conversation. Available at: https://theconversation.com/greedy-landlord-stereotype-is-not-true-for-all-in-private-sector-some-use-power-responsibly-119067
Bimpson, E. (2018) ‘No DSS’: how private landlords and letting agents exclude tenants on benefits. The Conversation. Available at: https://theconversation.com/no-dss-how-private-landlords-and-letting-agents-exclude-tenants-on-benefits-102118
Bimpson, E. (2018) Recognising the social responsibility of the Private Rented Sector within local welfare systems. Crisis blog. Available at: https://www.crisis.org.uk/ending-homelessness/resources-for-practitioners/crisis-help-to-rent-forum/housing-forum-topics/recognising-the-social-responsibilities-of-the-private-rented-sector-within-local-welfare-systems/
Publications
Journal articles
Dayson, C., Bimpson, E., Ellis-Paine, A., Gilbertson, J., & Kara, H. (2021). The ‘resilience’ of community organisations during the COVID 19 pandemic: absorptive, adaptive and transformational capacity during a crisis response. Voluntary Sector Review. http://doi.org/10.1332/204080521X16190270778389
Bimpson, E., Parr, S., & Reeve, K. (2020). Governing homeless mothers: the unmaking of home and family. Housing Studies. http://doi.org/10.1080/02673037.2020.1853069
Book chapters
Dayson, C., Bimpson, E., Ellis Paine, A., Gilbertson, J., & Kara, H. (2022). Voluntary Sector Organisations, Older People and Healthy Ageing During the COVID-19 Pandemic. In Rees, J., Macmillan, R., Dayson, C., Damm, C., & Bynner, C. (Eds.) COVID-19 and the Voluntary and Community Sector in the UK: Responses, Impacts and Adaptation. Policy Press: https://policy.bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/covid-19-and-the-voluntary-and-community-sector-in-the-uk
Reports
Bimpson, E., & Manzi, T. (2022). Drivers of rent arrears in social housing: an evidence review. Nuffield Foundation. https://www.shu.ac.uk/centre-regional-economic-social-research/publications/drivers-of-rent-arrears-in-social-housing
Bimpson, E., Reeve, K., Batty, E., Chambers, J., Goodchild, B., Mccarthy, L., ... Wilson, I. (2022). Local authority enforcement in the private rented sector: headline report. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-authority-enforcement-in-the-private-rented-sector-headline-report/local-authority-enforcement-in-the-private-rented-sector-headline-report
Bimpson, E., Green, H., & Reeve, K. (2021). Women, homelessness and violence: what works? Centre for Homelessness Impact. https://www.shu.ac.uk/centre-regional-economic-social-research/projects/all-projects/women-homelessness-and-violence-what-works
Ambrose, A., Gilbertson, J., Speake, B., Bimpson, E., Mccarthy, L., & Ramsden, S. (2021). Cross-sector review of affordability support: an evidence review for the Consumer Council for Water. Sheffield Hallam University, Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research. http://doi.org/10.7190/cresr.2021.6894611266
Gore, A., Bimpson, E., Dobson, J., & Parkes, S. (2021). Local Government Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic in the UK: A Thematic Review. Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research, Sheffield Hallam University. https://www4.shu.ac.uk/research/cresr/sites/shu.ac.uk/files/local-government-responses-to-COVID.pdf
Dayson, C., Bimpson, E., Ellis-Paine, A., Gilbertson, J., & Kara, H. (2020). The role of the Leeds Neighbourhood Networks during the COVID-19 pandemic. Centre for Ageing Better. https://www4.shu.ac.uk/research/cresr/sites/shu.ac.uk/files/leeds-neighbourhood-networks-COVID19-pandemic.pdf
Dayson, C., Bimpson, E., Ellis-Paine, A., Gilbertson, J., & Kara, H. (2020). Ever more needed? The role of the Leeds Neighbourhood Networks during the COVID-19 pandemic. Centre for Ageing Better. https://www.shu.ac.uk/centre-regional-economic-social-research/publications/the-role-of-the-leeds-neighbourhood-networks-during-the-covid-19-pandemic
Reeve, K., & Bimpson, E. (2020). Forgotten mothers: the case for a policy focus on the experiences of motherhood and homelessness. Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research, Sheffield Hallam University. https://www.shu.ac.uk/centre-regional-economic-social-research/publications/forgotten-mothers-the-case-for-a-policy-focus-on-the-experiences-of-motherhood-and-homelessness
Ambrose, A., Archer, T., & Bimpson, E. (2020). Research to identify early lessons emerging from the Innovative Housing Programme: Summary. Welsh Government. https://www.shu.ac.uk/centre-regional-economic-social-research/publications/research-to-identify-early-lessons-emerging-from-the-innovative-housing-programme-summary
Ambrose, A., Archer, T., & Bimpson, E. (2020). Research to identify early lessons emerging from the Innovative Housing Programme. Welsh Government. https://www.shu.ac.uk/centre-regional-economic-social-research/publications/research-to-identify-early-lessons-emerging-from-the-innovative-housing-programme
Bimpson, E., Reeve, K., & Parr, S. (2020). Homeless mothers: Key research findings. UK Collaborative Centre for Housing Evidence (CaCHE). https://www.shu.ac.uk/centre-regional-economic-social-research/publications/homeless-mothers-key-research-findings