Poverty, precarity, saving and debt

Centre on Household Assets and Savings Management (CHASM)

Since the Covid-19 pandemic hit the UK in February 2020, unemployment, poverty and debt have all increased significantly and look set to rise still further, while some groups have seen their savings increase.

CHASM’s major contribution to research on poverty and debt was showcased across the nation in the University of Birmingham ‘Heroes’ campaign in 2019, while our work on savings has led to better access to savings opportunities for those on lower incomes.

This theme continues, and extends, our vital work in this area to include research on the fragmentation of poverty, labour market insecurity and precarious work, as well as a greater focus on poverty and precarity among migrant and marginalised groups.

Current Projects

Precarity in the Private Rental Sector: The Consequences for Financial Security  Kristian Fuzi

Workforce Economic Inclusion and Mobility (WEIM) Project: Insights from the United Kingdom
Adele Atkinson, Kristian Fuzi and Louise Overton

Understanding the Financial Lives and Vulnerabilities of Castle Vale Community Housing Tenants
Özlem Ögtem-Young

Displacement and Financial Inclusion: Financial Lives of Ukrainian Women Seeking Protection in the UK
Özlem Ögtem-Young

The gig economy and social protection
Lorenza Antonucci

Furlough and its effects on household finances
Christoph Görtz, Danny McGowan and Mallory Yeromonahos

Mortgage Holidays and Financial Distress during the Covid-19 Crisis
Christoph Görtz, Danny McGowan and Mallory Yeromonahos

Covid Realities: families on low incomes during the pandemic
Kayleigh Garthwaite

Journey to Financial Exclusion and Vulnerability: UK Immigration Policy and the Lives and Livelihoods of Displaced Migrants
Özlem Ögtem-Young