Stratifying areas at risk of housing insecurity among families with children: a multidimensional index for the improvement of policy interventions in England

Background Housing insecurity resulting from multiple, involuntary residential moves is detrimental to the health and wellbeing of families with children. Policy makers seeking to mitigate these negative effects require a measure of risk of housing insecurity. Here we present the development of a novel risk index for England. Methods We undertook a literature review to select drivers of housing insecurity and identify relevant metrics. We recruited an expert panel to rank and weight these metrics using a Likert survey. The weighted metrics were summed for each small area (Lower Super Output Area) in England to produce the overall risk score. The score was then stratified into five levels, from very low to very high, linked to geographical units for data mapping. The final index (called the “Families at Risk of Housing Insecurity Index”) was made available on a public data platform. Results Eight drivers of housing insecurity were identified from the literature review as follows, (variable type and weight shown in brackets): primary school pupils eligible for free school meals (%, 0.5); income deprivation affecting children (%, 0.5); residential mobility (decile, 0.4); lone parent households (%, 0.3); pre-1919 properties (%, 0.3); households in fuel poverty (%, 0.3); households with dependent children by ethnic group (%, 0.2); mental health (Small Area Mental Health Index; decile, 0.2). Analysis of the index indicated a highly varied distribution of risk across England. Two noteworthy findings were the lower level of very high risk areas in Greater London, possibly indicating that higher living costs force households away from the capital city region. The index also suggested there were areas at higher risk in generally more affluent settings, possibly due to a greater proportion of older housing stock in these locations. Conclusion The Families at Risk of Housing Insecurity Index (FRoHII) was composed of metrics from public datasets at the small area level. The index provides a public resource to help identify areas where families with children might be at risk of housing insecurity. The index constitutes a tool and resource for professionals seeking to provide support to families within their catchment areas.