AN ANALYSIS OF THE CURRENT LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR SOCIAL HOUSING IN ENGLAND AND WALES AND THE APPLICATION OF MORAL DESERT

Hood-Fredriksen, Malavai (2020) AN ANALYSIS OF THE CURRENT LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR SOCIAL HOUSING IN ENGLAND AND WALES AND THE APPLICATION OF MORAL DESERT. Doctor of Philosophy thesis, University of Liverpool.

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Abstract

The central contention of this thesis is the current method used by the legal framework uses the concept of a philosophical, moral desert in order to determine eligibility for social housing. It will argue that using such a concept to classify social housing eligibility is flawed for three reasons. Firstly, because it introduces the idea that housing is a reward. Secondly, because where housing is being used as a reward for the deserving, there will be questions about an applicant’s worth that takes such judgements beyond the idea of eligibility and into areas of morality. This has allowed the development of increasingly sophisticated tools used to determine a candidate’s worth that are continuously assessed throughout the lifetime of the tenancy. Thirdly, because of its intrinsic links to ideas of fairness and of societal notions of right and wrong, where people getting what they deserve is seen as a form of justice, there is a sense that this system is also just. In other words, when someone who is unworthy is potentially made homeless by refusal of the greatest housing duty, this is somehow justice. In order to support this argument, this thesis will present a case study that aims highlight the impact of the changes to the legal framework by examining vulnerable tenants. The aim is to paint a more complete picture for this group, demonstrating the issues of using housing as a reward, and a detailed assessment of a candidate’s worth.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctor of Philosophy)
Divisions:	Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences > School of Law and Social Justice
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	04 Aug 2022 09:41
Last Modified:	18 Jan 2023 21:01
DOI:	10.17638/03155164
Supervisors:	Barr, Warren Stokes, Rob
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3155164