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Background
Katherine joined CRSP as a Research Associate in October 2001. She has experience of predominantly qualitative research including longitudinal studies and policy evaluations. Katherine has a range of research interests, her most recent work being around older people and welfare policy, with a particular interest in the client or claimant perspective.
Current and recent projects
Living on a Low Income in Later Life
CRSP was commissioned by Age UK to conduct a qualitative research project which aims to gain a detailed understanding of older people's experiences of living on a low income. This provided evidence to inform Age UK's campaign work on reducing pensioner poverty and will be used to guide further research. The study aimed to illuminate the decisions and choices that older people may face in managing their finances and the practical and emotional impact of living in constrained circumstances. The research explored through individual interviews and focus groups key aspects of living on a low income from older people's own perspectives and experiences.
Sponsor: Age UK
Publication
Hill, K., Sutton, L. and Hirsch, D. (2012) Living on a Low Income in Later Life, London: Age UK.
Evaluation of DWP Financial Inclusion Champions Initiative
CRSP was commissioned an evaluation of the Department for Work and Pension’s Financial Inclusion Champions Initiative. The aim was to establish the effectiveness of the Financial Inclusion Champions Initiative looking at both the impact and processes of the Initiative.
Sponsor: HM Treasury
Publication
Signoretta, P., Smith, N., Holmes, L., Beckhelling, J., Hartfree, Y., Hill, K., Manful, E., Padley, M., Perren, K. and Waring, A. (2011) Evaluation of DWP Financial Inclusion Champions Initiative: Final Report and Appendices. London: HM Treasury.
Experiences of using the Pension, Disability and Carers Service (PDCS)
As part of promoting greater independence and well-being in later life, the government wants to make sure that everyone who is entitled to certain benefits actually receives them, and that they are delivered in the most effective way. At present, not all of those who are entitled to benefits for older people are claiming them and little is known about how people find out information about their entitlements. This research looked at what kind of events in people’s lives may prompt contact with the Pensions, Disability and Carers Service (PDCS), and what people’s experience of service delivery has been. The PDCS hopes this research will help them to make the process easier and more effective for its customers in the future.
Publication
Whitfield, G., Waring, A., Goode, J., Phung, VH., Hill, K. and Sutton, L. (2011) Customers' Experiences of Contact with the Pension, Disability and Carers Service. PDCS.
Evaluation of the Older Workers Face-to-Face Guidance Pilot
The Government’s Green Paper: A New Deal for Welfare: Empowering people to work includes a commitment to increasing employment among people aged 50 and over. As part of the process, the DWP is funding a pilot study whereby independent advisors offer guidance to people of older working age about a range of issues related to work and retirement. CRSP has been contracted to evaluate this pilot. The study aims to establish what information older working people need, and how they an access it, in order to make an informed decision about work and retirement in later life. The evaluation started in December 2007 and has a completion date of March 2010.
Sponsor: Department for Work and Pensions
Planning and Deploying Resources in Later Life: aspirations, attitudes and behaviour - a qualitative study
Katherine is leading this project which explored how older people plan, use and value the resources available to them during and for later life. Resources are widely defined to include health, social networks, housing, transport as well as financial resources. The central aim of this project was to examine how resources and needs change over time using a longitudinal approach through a series of qualitative in-depth interviews. This project was funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation as part of the 'Resources in Later Life' Programme.
Publications
Hill, K. and Sutton, L. (2010) Housing Transitions: Older people's changing housing needs. Loughborough: Centre for Research in Social Policy.
Hill, K. and Sutton, L. (2010) Managing Finances in Later Life. Loughborough: Centre for Research in Social Policy.
Sutton, L. and Hill, K. (2010) Transport and Getting Around in Later Life. Loughborough: Centre for Research in Social Policy.
Hill, K., Sutton, L., and Cox, L. (2009), Managing Resources in Later Life, York: Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
Hill, K., Kellard, K., Middleton, S., Cox, L. and Pound, E. (2007), Understanding Resources in Later Life: views and experiences of older people, York: Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
Local Housing Allowance
CRSP was part of a consortium evaluating the introduction of the Local Housing Allowance (LHA), a new system of paying Housing Benefit to tenants in the private rented sector - part of the Government’s wider strategy for Housing Benefit reform. Katherine was involved in two waves of qualitative interviews which explored claimants’ experiences and views.
Further information about the policy, the evaluation and published reports are available on the DWP LHA website. This project is funded by the Department for Work and Pensions.
Related Publications
Hill, K., Harvey, J., Phung, V-H., Sandu, A. and Roberts, S. (2007), Local Housing Allowance Final Evaluation: the qualitative evidence of claimants' experience in the nine Pathfinder areas. Local Housing Allowance Evaluation Report 13, Department for Work and Pensions, Corporate Document Services, Leeds.
Roberts, S., Beckhelling, J., Hill, K., Phung, V-H. and Stafford, B. (CRSP), Stratford, N. and Anderson, T. (NatCen), (2005), Receiving the Local Housing Allowance: claimants’ early experiences of the LHA in the nine pathfinder areas. Local Housing Allowance Evaluation Report 6, Department for Work and Pensions, Corporate Document Services, Leeds.
New Deal for Disabled People National Extension
CRSP led the consortium undertaking th is a large scale evaluation of the NDDP Job Broker service. Katherine worked on the longitudinal qualitative element which involved two waves of in-depth interviews and analysis to explore the views and experiences of NDDP clients, Job Brokers and Jobcentre Plus staff. The project was funded by the Department for Work and Pensions.
Related Publications
Lewis, J., Corden, A., Dillon, L., Hill, K., Kellard, K., Sainsbury, R. and Thornton, P. (2005) New Deal for Disabled People: An In-Depth Study of Job Broker Service Delivery, DWP Research Report 246, Sheffield: DWP.
www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/rports2005-2006/rrep246.pdf
Corden, A., Harries, T., Hill, K., Kellard, K., Lewis, J., Sainsbury, R. and Thornton, P. (2003) New Deal for Disabled People National Extension: Findings from the First Wave of Qualitative Research with Clients, Job Brokers and Jobcentre Plus Staff, DWP Research Report 169, Sheffield: DWP.
www.dwp.gov.uk/jad/2003/169rep.pdf
Articles
Hill, K. (2011) More than just a free ride ... in Public Servant January 2011. p.35.
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