Zoopla data shapes housing policy

Analysis of smart data from Zoopla informs research on the social impact of housing

Affordable housing and homelessness are major social issues affecting communities across the UK. The national homelessness charity, Crisis, has reported that over half a million renting households have experienced homelessness in recent years. The organisation’s frontline services have seen demand soar by 25% across Britain. One service in London saw a rise in the number of people seeking support by 44% in one year.

The government, local authorities and charities are all exploring ways to tackle the housing crisis. Smart data is also playing a role in informing policy.

Since 2017, researchers at the Urban Big Data Centre (UBDC) have been collecting daily updates from property listings company Zoopla. The data, held under licence by UBDC, has shaped two research projects focussed on housing. The findings of these studies have also helped to inform housing research and influence policy decisions.

The Homelessness Monitor

The Homelessness Monitor is a longitudinal study. Its funders are Crisis and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. It provides analysis of homelessness and the impacts of economic and policy developments across the UK.

The monitor adopts a broad definition of homelessness, considering the impacts of relevant policy and economic changes on the following:

People sleeping rough
Single homeless people living in hostels, shelters and temporary accommodation
Statutorily homeless households – those seeking housing assistance from local authorities on the grounds of being currently or imminently without accommodation
‘Hidden homeless’ households – those considered homeless but whose situation is not ‘visible’ either on the streets or in official statistics

Housing Requirements for Lower-Income Households

The Housing Requirements for Lower-Income Households study was produced with support from Crisis and the National Housing Federation. It analysed housing needs for marginalised populations, with a specific focus on low-income households and people experiencing homelessness.

The report provided an assessment of the scale of housing requirements at national level for Wales and Scotland. It also considered national and regional levels in England.

The findings suggested England required more ambitious targets across the board. They indicated Wales would benefit from more investment in affordable housing. For Scotland, there were more nuanced findings, indicating that care should be exercised about the total housing volume target because of issues of low demand and housing surplus in some areas.

Subsequent updates have provided insights into housing supply requirements.

Leveraging Zoopla data

Zoopla data was identified as valuable to both these projects. Because Zoopla listings offer ‘real-time’ insights into market rent levels and sector scale, they provide researchers with a better understanding of the private rental housing sector and these can be used alongside official statistics to give an overall picture of the housing situation. By introducing Zoopla data into their modelling, researchers have been able to gain a more comprehensive understanding of rental affordability and policy impacts.

Impact of the research

Glen Bramley, Professor of Urban Studies at Heriot-Watt University, has overseen both studies. By incorporating real-time, smart data insights into analysis, Professor Bramley and his colleagues at the Institute for Social Policy, Housing, Equalities Research (I-SPHERE) can provide valuable insights to policymakers and housing organisations exploring homelessness and the availability of affordable housing.

“I believed that Zoopla listings could give a fuller and more live picture of actual market rent levels and scale of the sector than the official Valuation Office Agency published statistics, so I combined the two sources for these variables within my modelling work.”
Professor Glen Bramley, Heriot-Watt University

Professor Bramley’s research, informed by Zoopla data, has been credited with influencing policy changes that could benefit many people facing housing insecurity. A House of Commons Select Committee commended the research, and it has demonstrably shaped policy decisions in England, Scotland, and Wales.

In 2023, the Chancellor of the Exchequer cited Institute of Fiscal Studies analysis of Zoopla data as influencing his decision-making in his annual Autumn Statement.

“If there is an example of a higher education research group impacting on and shaping policy responses, it is I-SPHERE’s impact on homelessness policy and direction in England, Scotland and Wales…the group has led or been a leading player in key projects that have directly shaped our direction.”
Jon Sparkes, CEO, Crisis

As a company, Zoopla welcomes the use of its data in aiding academic research and helping to inform policy.

“We are pleased to support the Urban Big Data Centre and their partners with further analysis of the housing market to shape and inform better policies at a country and localised level.”
Richard Donnell, Executive Director at Zoopla

About Urban Big Data Centre

The Urban Big Data Centre is supported by the University of Glasgow and Smart Data Research UK. It is a national research hub and data service. Its team champions the use of smart data to inform policymaking and enhance the quality of urban life.

Smart Data Research UK research themes

One of the themes underpinning the Smart Data Research UK programme is productivity and prosperity for all. The advent of smart data sources provides a unique opportunity to study the factors that influence both these areas. The insights gained from smart data can help us to: 

understand the causes of regional disparities 
identify effective interventions to boost productivity 
promote equity of access and outcomes in education 
support economic growth in towns and cities

Discover more about our research themes.