Empty homes in the UK: Systemic drivers, impacts, and opportunities to reconcile social and ecological targets.

About the Project

The Department of Engineering invites applications from home and international students for a fully funded 3.5-years interdisciplinary PhD project examining the critical issue of empty homes in the UK. The selected candidate will work at the intersection of fields including housing justice, systems thinking and degrowth.

Empty homes in the UK represent a critical systemic challenge. Current estimates suggest that between 1 and 1.5 million homes in England (including second homes not in residential use) stand empty, a figure comparable to the government’s targets for new housing construction. The social, economic, and environmental consequences are substantial. Rising fuel poverty and rough sleeping, and the tragic deaths of children living in temporary accommodation are paralleled by high financial costs for local councils and the NHS. Moreover, new-build housing targets set in response to this crisis have considerable impacts on the remaining carbon budget and on biodiversity, generating tensions between social and environmental goals.

This project will critically and creatively mobilise diverse research approaches to investigate the structural drivers driving behind the rise in empty homes and their wider systemic effects. The research will combine policy reviews, spatial analysis, qualitative approaches (interviews, workshops, surveys) and system dynamics modelling, to build a systemic understanding of the challenge and identify effective leverage points. Ultimately, the project aims to support reflection on a theory of change for the housing sector.

Broader impact:

The candidate’s research will have the potential to generate long-term sectoral impact. The research also aligns with large UK funders’ themes such as EPSRC “Manufacturing and the circular economy”, and “Energy and decarbonisation”.

Throughout the PhD, the candidate will engage in knowledge exchange and knowledge transfer through participatory research activities and outputs such as scientific publications and public presentations.

Possible collaborations:

The student will collaborate with a range of stakeholders, including Action on Empty Homes, a leading organisation working for decades to bring empty homes back into residential use, and other community-led housing groups. They will additionally play an active role in developing new collaborations. The research will be based in the Engineering Department. The candidate will also have the chance to engage with The Net Zero Centre, a world-leading centre in science and technology research for decarbonising our economy and society, and addressing key environmental issues. The Centre nurtures the next generation of King’s change-makers by educating scientists and engineers on the holistic context of these challenges and developing technologically aware social scientists, lawyers, and policy makers.

Eligibility Criteria

The position is open to students with a background in engineering (such as system dynamics, environmental, civil, or general engineering), social sciences (such as geography, architecture, planning), or other relevant subjects with interdisciplinary focus.

Further requirements:

• Eagerness to work in interdisciplinary environments, combining qualitative, quantitative, modelling approaches
• Passion for participatory research and impact
• Knowledge of systems thinking and system dynamics or willingness to learn it
• Strong English oral and written communication skills
• Familiarity with UK housing sector (desirable, but not essential).

Application Details

To be considered for the position candidates must apply via King’s Apply online application system. Details are available at https://www.kcl.ac.uk/engineering/postgraduate/research-degrees

Please apply for Engineering Research (MPhil/PhD) and indicate Dr Anna Pagani as the supervisor and quote the project title in your application and all correspondence.

Please ensure to add the following code [*677*] in the Funding section of the application form.

Please select option 5 ‘I am applying for a funding award or scholarship administered by King’s College London’ and type the code into the ‘Award Scheme Code or Name’ box. Please copy and paste the code exactly.

The selection process will involve a pre-selection on documents and, if selected, will be followed by an invitation to an interview. If successful at the interview, an offer will be provided in due course.

Further information can be found at https://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-research/how-to-apply

Please contact Dr Anna Pagani for queries about the project.

Funding Notes

Funding is available for 3.5 years and covers tuition fees, tax-free stipend and bench fees.

Stipend: For 26/27 a tax-free stipend of approximately £23,805 p.a. with possible inflationary increases after the first year.

Tuition fees: Home tuition fees 26/27 £8,000 p.a. or international tuition fees 26/27 £34,700 p.a.

Bench fees: £1,000-£4,500 p.a.