Poverty and deprivation - London Metropolitan University

London Met Lab: The Poverty and Deprivation Challenge

Poverty and deprivation

We want to work with our communities to support people into employment, reduce within-work poverty and improve London’s chronic problems around housing and homelessness.

London is a vibrant and exciting city but we face challenges. Our population is growing, our working patterns are changing, and poverty – linked to housing costs, low pay and debt – is rising.

The very rich and the very poor live side-by-side, and the inequality gap is widening every day. The current poverty rate in the UK is 22% and in London this is even higher at 28%. This is especially visible in our local borough of Islington, where 40% of children live in relative poverty, despite its popular image of prosperity and affluence. We want to work with our communities to support people into employment, reduce within-work poverty and improve London’s chronic problems around housing and homelessness.

Research and projects

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Community comes together for launch of Civic University Statement

The London Met Lab-led initiative reaffirms London Metropolitan University’s work in the community and showcase the scale of work taking place across the capital city.

London Met, Lavazza, and Arsenal help Islington residents to Learn To Dream at community event

The ‘Learn To Dream’ event, held in collaboration with the prestigious coffee company and world-renowned football club, was a roaring success.

London Met joins Islington Anchor Institution Network as founding member

The network of employers and key organisations will work together to reduce inequalities and help build a thriving local economy in the Borough.

Interview with Dr Jane Lewis regarding the Islington BAME Employment Project

Our London Met Lab challenge champion, Dr Jane Lewis, was recently featured in an interview with BusinessLDN regarding her role in the Islington BAME Employment project.

Let's Talk Islington: dismantling inequality in Islington

Donna Jones will explore the experiences of inequality among Islington's LGBTQIA+ communities, and elder communities, in two projects with the borough's council.

Homeless people feel the heat

Course leader for the Community Development and Leadership BSc, Patrick Mulrenan comments on the effects the current heatwave is having on unhoused and temporarily housed people.

London Met’s Sofia Akel honoured in The Bookseller’s Rising Stars of 2022

Sofia’s Free Books Campaign, celebrated by the publishing world, earns her a place on the esteemed list. Sofia is Race Equity Lead at London Met’s Centre for Equity and Inclusion.

New £30,000 architecture scholarship made available for disadvantaged students

London Met is one of just 10 universities offering the scholarship to students from low-income households, with applications closing on 8 July 2022.

Five reasons (and 10 numbers) why the Right to Buy for housing association tenants is a bad idea

Patrick Mulrenan, Course Leader for Community Development and Leadership BSc, breaks down the flaws behind the Prime Minister's latest housing policy.

Why I'm taking in Ukrainian refugees

Associate Professor in Journalism, Wendy Sloane, knew that her mother and uncle were evacuated to safety during WWII. Now, despite a strange discomfort, she finally returns the favour.

Celebrating innovation and excellence in Islington education

The University was proud to sponsor the Teacher of the Year category at the third annual Islington Education Awards.

The London Met Lab announces new partnership with Living Under One Sun

The two organisations will work together to promote civic engagement and community connection in Tottenham.

Marcus Rashford collaborates with Free Books Campaign

The Free Books Campaign, founded by London Met’s Sofia Akel, will distribute 400 books in collaboration with Marcus Rashford’s Book Club and Macmillan Kids.

How can we respond to the challenges of homelessness?

A recent conference at London Met explored the causes and consequences of homelessness, and how it has been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Exclusion and belonging in super diverse contexts

London Met staff discuss varied themes including experiences of diversity in North London, social exclusion, symbolic boundaries and 'indifference towards difference.'

The impact of Covid on student parents

Research by London Met academics Jane Lewis, Heather Allison, Patrick Mulrenan and Helen Redd explores the additional pressures the pandemic is having on students with children.

Hungry London: why are more people using food banks?

London Met's 2020 Newsweek has a focus on the rise of foodbank use in the capital.

The shocking normalisation of child homelessness

Recent history has seen things that previously provoked outrage become disturbingly 'normal' says Patrick Mulrenan.

COVID is escalating homelessness - here's what we can do

London Met's Jane Lewis and Patrick Mulrenenan write about the worsening homelessness crisis for the Independent, and the action we take.

Tackling student homelessness

While government policies have made university education more accessible to groups that were previously excluded, those same groups are also most likely to experience homelessness.

Is the age of ownership over?

The capital faces a paradox in its housing market: one in fifty properties are rented on Airbnb, while one in fifty Londoners are homeless.

Social Work Academic Mentor to deliver course on positive father involvement

Kevin Brazant's seminar will reflect a narrative literature review of UK and US studies in social work practice and parenting interventions.

Between a rock and a hard place

Patrick Mulrenan and Jane Lewis use tectonics to explore the nature of gentrification.

A moving target

The challenges of identifying and helping homeless university students.

London Metropolitan University trains Lewisham residents to boost employment in the area

London Met staff work with Lewisham Homes each year to equip members of the community with skills to improve their employability and to give them a voice in improving housing services.

Expert comment: Homeless deaths nine times higher in deprived areas

Patrick Mulrenan, a Housing and Community Development expert at London Met, comments on the recent news that homeless deaths are nine times higher in deprived areas.

Expert to highlight the hidden problem of financial abuse

Dr Nicola Sharp-Jeffs will be presenting her research at Durham University and at Cardiff to raise awareness of financial abuse.

Learning Technology Research Group

The Learning Technology Research Group aims to support research and enterprise activities focused on the adoption, implementation and evaluation of learning technologies in education.

London Met researcher helps to launch Taskforce on Inequality in Islington Final Report

Course Leader Torange Khonsari has helped the Islington Inequality Taskforce to launch the Inequality in Islington Final Report.

London Met and Islington Council launch disability and health conditions employment report

Report identifies employment barriers for people with disability and long-term health conditions, including key recommendations to address them.

London Met Lab researcher publishes employment gap report with Haringey Council

The report highlights the many barriers that young people, people with disabilities, and BAME residents experience in accessing jobs in the Haringey borough.

Students and the community

Get in touch

Reach out to discuss partnering with us to tackle the challenges facing our city and communities. Please include the name of your organisation, explain the challenges you face and any thoughts you have about how we can work together.

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