Anna Browning

Profile

Thesis supervisors

• Dr Carolyn Snell
• Dr Julie Rugg

Research topic

What is the social impact on the end of tenancies for life and the meaning of ‘home’.

Summary of thesis

The changes made by the coalition government will have far reaching impact in almost every area of housing. The area which has presented itself as being particularly dichotomous is the proposals to end ‘tenancies for life’, but the introduction of the ‘Big Society’ as an ideal community model.

This problem has four strands:

• Fixed-term or limited tenure as a new housing policy and the end of tenancies for life - what are the positive and negative implications of this policy and its delivery (both expected delivery and actual delivery). 
• How has the policy on tenure for life changed and adapted? What is its place in the history of social housing?
• How this will work with the idea of the ‘Big Society’ within communities, ie why would people invest in a community they knew they couldn’t stay in? Why would they take care of or have pride in their house as an asset? 
• What makes a home? Is it just a place to stay, which is the innate assumption behind flexible tenure?

Research interests

• The concept of home
• Supported and retirement housing
• The role housing plays in society
• UK and comparative housing policy
• Faith-based housing providers

Brief biography

I am a part time PhD student in the school, as I spend the other half of my week working for a housing association in their Supported Compliance department. Being able to study and work in the area I am interested in has been really helpful, actually getting to see how the policies are implemented in particular.