Podcast

Housing, wealth and inheritance

England is now the most difficult place to find a home in the developed world. Why, and what can be done about it?

streets of houses of different kinds against a blue sky

Rory Coulter from University College London and David Sturrock from the Institute for Fiscal Studies join Catherne to talk about housing, wealth and inheritance – what does research tell us, and what does it mean for government policy?

Findings and impact Informing Policy

What else is Understanding Society doing?

Photo of young child looking over a stair gate

Childcare more common in higher income families

Welsh Government uses Understanding Society to investigate childcare and effects on children

30 Sep 2025

Shot looking up at office blog. Sign outside building reads "Home Office - UK Visas and Immigration"

‘Hostile environment’ damaged ethnic minority mental health

A new case study from Understanding Society says the ‘hostile environment’ policy increased Black people’s psychological distress

27 Jun 2025

People wearing masks in the street during the pandemic

Work and wellbeing during Covid

Comparing data from France, Germany, Italy and the UK shows that social inequalities typically increased during the pandemic

25 Jun 2025

Front cover of 2024 Annual Report showing people walking in a UK street

Understanding Society Annual Report 2024

The latest Annual Report gives a summary of key data on the use of the Study, alongside a selection of research and impact from the year.

25 Jun 2025

Email newsletter

ESRC Institute for Social and Economic Research University of Essex

The Economic and Social Research Council is the primary funder of the study
The Study is led by a team at the Institute for Social and Economic Research (ISER) at the University of Essex.