A member of the public, supported by one of our community partners said, “I can now put my heating on for longer and afford taxis to the doctors. I can now manage my bills with less worry and afford to eat a bit better.” This is real-world evidential experience of how social support can improve health and wellbeing. Older people are less likely to use foodbanks and apply for fuel vouchers to the detriment of their health, nutritional status and wellbeing. This PhD will help build evidence so those in greatest need can be better supported and services tailored appropriately.
The PhD aims to understand the trade-offs that older people in fuel and food poverty make in their daily lives and the structural systems that may prevent them getting appropriate support.
To do this, it is expected that the student will conduct exploratory work including a scoping review and background co-production work, which is likely to include short placements with our community partners. Using in-depth qualitative methods, the student will then complete two lines of enquiry: An exploration of older people’s experiences and perceptions of the trade-offs between fuel and food poverty that they make in their daily lives and how this affects their health, wellbeing and social circumstances. Secondly, a study with community organisations who support people with debt and benefits advice; emergency food and fuel vouchers and offer general support to older people. This will be to understand structural barriers that may prevent people receiving targeted and tailored health, wellbeing, social support and government benefits and entitlements.
The student will work with community organisations and members of the public with lived experience, to co-design the qualitative studies appropriately. The candidate will need to demonstrate the necessary skills to undertake co-production work and innovative in-depth qualitative methods.
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