People, Place and Purpose - Understanding and Tackling Economic Inactivity

This report, People, Place and Purpose: Understanding and Tackling Economic Inactivity, shares insights from a partnership between Durham University and believe housing, supported by the Social Science Enterprise Lab. It explores how economic inactivity in County Durham, where around one in four working-age adults are not economically active, is shaped by structural, cultural, and emotional factors rather than individual failings.The insights of the project emphasise people, place, and purpose: focusing on the individuals affected, the local context in which they live, and the meaningful, sustainable outcomes that interventions aim to achieve. Through four co-creation workshops with researchers and practitioners, the team developed a shared understanding of economic inactivity as a complex social ecosystem. Barriers include hidden hardship, stigma, fragmented services, and limited digital or literacy skills. Addressing these challenges requires joined-up, human-centred approaches that recognise volunteering, care, and informal work as valuable contributions.The report proposes creating and maintaining supported, flexible pathways that lead to meaningful, sustainable opportunities in paid work, volunteering, or training. Through these pathways, economically inactive people can become open to participating, connect with support services, start to engage, and ultimately, thrive meaningfully and sustainably. These pathways translate into five key intervention areas: 1) holistic, accessible services, 2) nurturing volunteering options, 3) inclusive work opportunities, 4) enabling policies, and 5) cultural change of mindset. Together, the insights offer a practical framework for collective action between housing associations, employers, volunteer organisations, and policymakers. By reframing economic inactivity as a shared, place-based challenge, this work outlines a potential, scalable way to help residents access meaningful, secure, and well-paid employment. The suggested actions that housing associations can take are further elaborated in this report.