In housing terms, my principal areas of interests are in the operation of the private rented sector, as a market - locally and nationally - and in terms of the roles the sector plays in housing biographies. An associated area of research is the delivery of financial support through the welfare system to low-income households in the private rented sector. Much of this research is qualitative, and is complemented by expertise in the use of housing biographies to understand movement around the housing market. In particular, I have published on the early housing pathways of younger people.

I also have expertise in cemetery research both nationally and internationally. In the UK, the study of changing burial practice has recognised the need to understand developments at a local level since a great deal of burial legislation is permissive. In the UK it remains the case that burial space is provided by denominations - principally the Church of England - and local authorities operating at parish, district and unitary levels. As the leading national expert on policy relating to the supply of burial space, I was lead advisor to the Parliamentary Inquiry into cemeteries in 2000/1 and also sit on the Ministry of Justice Burial and Cemeteries Advisory Group.