Insecure lives and the policy disconnect: overview of the literature on measures, trends, impact and mechanisms for six dimensions of insecurity

Irene Bucelli and Stuart Henderson

Published 2 July 2025

The Insecure Lives project developed a novel understanding of the concept of ‘multiple insecurities’. Understood as both objective or subjective downside risks for people’s quality of life, multiple insecurities encompass several dimensions of people’s lives, from financial insecurity, to work, housing, care or area insecurity. This report explores the current evidence base on six key dimensions of insecurity: financial insecurity, housing insecurity, food insecurity, work insecurity, health insecurity and care insecurity. We review the evidence around each dimension, focusing on: how the particular form of insecurity is defined; the measures found in the literature to capture it; the trends and prevalences related to this type of insecurity in the UK; the mechanisms underpinning it and its impacts. The final section of the report brings together cross-cutting lessons drawn from each in-depth exploration. The review provides a useful overview of the current knowledge base that the broader project contributes to – highlighting common themes, trends, differences and gaps in our understanding across the insecurities.