Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (UK)

Research Problem

What is the most constructive way to address the issue of empty homes – particularly long-term vacants?

Research Problem

What are the gaps between the design performance, and the actual energy usage or other measured performance of buildings?

Research Problem

What are the long-term impacts of housing quality on social cohesion, health, educational attainment, child poverty, life chances, wellbeing and other outcomes? What are our best quantified and monetised estimates of these relationships?

Research Problem

What is the evidence that prevention and early intervention in adult social care, children’s social care and other local services improve outcomes – compared with treating problems – and lead to better value for money for taxpayers? 

Research Problem

What examples are there of local public service reform initiatives that we can learn from?

Research Problem

What are the best examples of local initiatives to reduce child poverty – what levers were used and how can central government provide support?

Research Problem

What are the broader social benefits to individuals from jobs with higher pay, better working conditions and security, and can we link these benefits to wider society e.g. through savings to the Exchequer via reduced healthcare needs?

Research Problem

How can we further quantify the impacts of planned changes to employment law on raising living standards across the UK, as measured by real household disposable income?

Research Problem

What are the impacts from jobs with higher pay, better working conditions and security on affordability and supply in the private rented sector?

Research Problem

How can the evidence base illustrate the extent to which outsourcing and the position on pay and conditions in social care has resulted in a) a greater reliance on foreign workers, b) poorer quality of care and c) inefficiency in public service delivery?

Research Problem

Why do otherwise similar areas experience different health, education and other outcomes?

Research Problem

What can we learn from variations in the performance of different public service providers within each public service (taking account of area cost differences and differences in the characteristics of the population served)? To what extent does devolution, the adoption of best practice, or other interventions reduce such variation and improve overall public service performance?

Research Problem

How different (if at all) are the pressures facing local authorities when welcoming resettlement cohorts? What is the reason for any differences?

Research Problem

What are the long-term impacts/implications of community-based sponsorship?

Research Problem

How have instances and levels of harassment and intimidation in elections changed over time? Who in the electoral process experiences harassment and intimidation, by (1) their role in the electoral process e.g. voter / candidate / staff, (2) their demographics? What are the barriers (if any) to individuals reporting instances of harassment and intimidation to police, and to the police investigating these reports?

Research Problem

Are there any examples of AI tools being used effectively for data gathering from local authorities creating a less burdensome approach to gathering data, analysis or reporting?

Research Problem

What are the key drivers of economic growth and rising living standards, and how do they vary between different parts of the UK – regionally and locally?

Research Problem

What can we learn from recent experiences of planning reform both across the UK and internationally?