Public Policy: Using Market-Based Approaches - Department for ...

Public Policy: Using Market-Based Approaches
Support to the disadvantaged also included:
● home visits to explain the system and determine the amount of support
required;
● the mailing of advertising materials and bidding coupons to those unable to
access materials through other channels;
● telephoning applicants to alert them of relevant vacancies about to be
advertised;
● talking through advertised properties with applicants to determine whether
they wished to bid and if bidding would be advisable;
● allowing proxy bidders to be nominated; and
● arranging for applicants to be accompanied by an advocate or social worker
when visiting a property.
Performance in practice
Greater inequality between individuals as a result of introducing user choice
would be apparent if vulnerable users participated less in the bidding process
and as a result secured less than their share of advertised vacancies. There is
some evidence that the more vulnerable submitted fewer bids but in general
housing outcome inequality does not appear to have increased.
One pilot recorded the percentages of different ethnic groups applying, bidding
and securing lettings over the course of 506 lettings. These results are given in
the table below. The table suggests the small proportion of Caribbean
households are rather more active in bidding and successful in securing a
property than others. In contrast Asian communities are active but relatively less
successful in securing properties. These figures however, need to be interpreted
in the light of the significant proportion of activity associated with households
where ethnic origins are not known.
Table 10.5
Participation in one pilot scheme by ethnic group
Notes: Based on 506 lettings.
Source: p.147, Marsh et al (2004).
Applicants Bidding Lettings
African 20% 23% 22%
Asian 22% 25% 21%
Caribbean 6% 9% 10.5%
Irish 1% 1% 1%
Other European 3% 3% 2.5%
British 20% 19% 23%
Other 4% 4% 4%
Not Known 24% 16% 16%
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