| CHASM Autumn e-Bulletin 2019 |
Welcome to the CHASM e-bulletin, bringing together all the latest news and events from the Centre over the last four months.
Let us know what you think via twitter, email or find out more about the work that we do on the CHASM website.
|
|
|
|
|
e-Bulletin Round-up
|
From CHASM Director Andy Lymer
|
We are very excited to have launched the 7th annual CHASM Financial Inclusion Monitor in October – with enhanced online visuals to make the content of the report even more useful. The update of the Monitor continues to paint a less than positive picture of the state of the personal finances of so many in the UK. But we hope it continues to be an important contribution to help draw attention to the areas where work is still very much needed to address improving people’s personal financial wellbeing.
In September we were pleased to host the Help to Save team from HMRC to celebrate the one year anniversary of the launch of this national saving scheme for those working on low incomes. The Economic Secretary to the Treasury and City Minister, John Glen MP, keynoted this event and highlighted how our work is playing an ongoing role in aiding the development of this scheme.
I am also pleased to announce two new opportunities to engage directly with the Centre - to join our team as a Research Fellow, or to come and visit us as an International Research Fellow during 2020 – see more details below.
Read on for more news and details of how our work is making impact at local and national level.
Thanks,
Andy Lymer
CHASM Director
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
News
|
Financial Inclusion Monitor 2019
|
CHASM has launched this year’s monitor, building on six years of financial inclusion data in Britain. Based on research from Professor Karen Rowlingson, Professor Steven McKay and Dr Louise Overton, the monitor highlights that in work poverty is continuing to grow and millions of people are struggling to pay council tax and other essential bills.
|
|
|
CHASM welcomes City Minister at Help to Save Event
|
On 17 September CHASM welcomed key players from HMRC and the savings sector to explore ways to increase uptake of the Help to Save Scheme to encourage working families on low incomes to build their savings. John Glen MP, Economic Secretary to the Treasury and City Minister, gave the keynote speech and thanked CHASM for the rigorous research that has underpinned the scheme. He used the event to announce the funding for the next phase of development of the scheme.
|
|
|
Tackling homelessness in Birmingham
|
| CHASM Director Andy Lymer chaired a roundtable on the subject of homelessness in Birmingham with experts from academia, local government, the NHS and civil society on 4 October. Recommendations from the group included taking specific steps linked to the Commonwealth Games to increase affordable homes and reduce housing costs and investing in homelessness prevention services. |
|
|
Tax education work endorsed in new report from the OTS
|
The Office for Tax Simplification (OTS) have published their ‘Tax and Life Events’ report in which CHASM is featured as an example of best practice. The report highlights the CHASM financial capability seminars used to educate graduating students on useful tax and finance topics in order to equip them for life after graduation.
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
People
|
Join the CHASM Team
|
We are currently advertising to recruit a talented research fellow to join our Research Team. The successful applicant will possess excellent quantitative research skills and work across a range of exciting projects across the Centre. For more information and to apply please go to the Job Description.
|
|
|
2020 CHASM International Research Fellowships
|
After two successful years of the operation of this scheme (see details of our 2018 and 2019 Fellows), we are pleased to invite applicants to become CHASM International Research Fellows for 2020. Would you like to come and visit us and work with CHASM members? This could be a scheme that will support you to do just this if you are a non-UK based researcher. Deadline for applications is 13 December.
|
|
|
Outstanding Honorary Research Fellows Announced
|
Dr Richard Lang and Thea Raisbeck have been re-appointed as Honorary CHASM Research Fellows by the University of Birmingham through recognition for their impactful work with the Housing and Communities Research Group (HCRG) in CHASM.
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Research
|
The Impact of Housing Quality on Wellbeing
|
| Vivid Housing have commissioned further work from CHASM on the role that quality of build and environment plays in personal wellbeing and the experience of the home. The project is led by Dr Halima Sacranie with Dr James Gregory and Professor Andy Lymer and will run for 20 months, concluding in August 2021. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Events |
|
Upcoming events
|
|
Ten Year Anniversary CHASM Conference 2020
|
| Save the date! Our next CHASM Annual Conference will be held at Friends House, Euston, London on Thursday 2 July 2020. As 2020 marks our 10th anniversary as a research centre, this conference will a chance to review ten years of rigorous and insightful research in the financial wellbeing, inclusion and capability sectors but will also look to the future – what are the research agendas that need to be explored over the next 10 years? |
|
Exempt Accommodation in Birmingham
|
| Join us for the launch of the latest research on exempt accommodation by CHASM’s Honorary Research Fellow Thea Raisbeck with Spring Housing, supported by Commonweal Housing on Tuesday 19th November at The Bond Company, Birmingham. |
|
|
| ‘The Bank Culture Debate’ |
| Drawing on interviews with 150 individuals working in financial services as well as regulators, politicians, and lawyers, The Bank Culture Debate examines what has and has not changed in the culture of banking in the US and UK. Dr Huw Macartney’s book launch and roundtable discussion will be held on Wednesday 13 November 13.00-15.00, Muirhead Tower, Room 715, with panel experts CHASM’s Professor Andy Mullineux and Professor Magnus Ryner from Kings College London. |
|
Our next CHASM Seminar
|
| The next CHASM Seminar will feature Will Brambley, Behavioural Economist and Research Associate from Open University. Will researches how people behave in retail financial markets and tests ways of improving outcomes through policy and education. The seminar will take place on Tuesday 7 January. To register, please email Helen Harris. |
| |
|
|
|
|
| | |
