This research explores how housing insecurity affects people’s experiences of palliative and end-of-life care.
Background
In the UK, there is a growing policy emphasis on enabling people to die at home. However, this model of care presumes access to stable, secure, and suitable housing — a condition not met by a growing number of people experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity. These individuals often face multiple disadvantages, including poor health, social exclusion, and limited access to services. Despite evidence that housing is a key social determinant of health, research into its impact on palliative and end-of-life care remains limited. This NHS RCF project seeks to address this gap by exploring how housing insecurity affects end-of-life trajectories and what can be done to ensure more inclusive care for marginalised populations.
Project Aims
- To understand how housing insecurity affects access to palliative and end-of-life care
- To work closely with people with lived experience and frontline workers to identify priorities and shape future research
- To build strong partnerships that support the development of a larger research study focused on improving end-of-life care for people in insecure housing
Project Activity
- Conduct a scoping review to explore how housing insecurity is understood in relation to end-of-life care and identify evidence gaps.
- Work with community partners in Luton and Stevenage to gather testimonies from people with lived experience through one-to-one conversations.
- Hold workshops with those with lived experience of housing insecurity and EoL alongside professionals from health, housing, and social care sectors.
- Collaboratively shape the focus and design of a future NIHR research application.
Anticipated or actual outputs
The evidence generated through this project will be used to address a significant gap in research on how housing insecurity affects access to and experiences of palliative and end-of-life care. It will inform the development of a larger NIHR-funded study by identifying research priorities, shaping inclusive methodologies, and building partnerships with communities and services. The findings will also be used to support the co-design of more equitable care models and may contribute to guidance, training, or policy resources aimed at improving service provision for people experiencing housing insecurity at the end of life.
Who is involved?
- Dr Melissa Fielding, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge
- Dr Ben Bowers, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge
- NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Research and Development Office
Contact
Melissa Fielding, mf601@cam.ac.uk
