The Open University and Community Action: MK have been undertaking research to understand challenges of living on a low income in Milton Keynes and attitudes to problems of poverty in the city, and gathering ideas for how to make things better. The research has a special focus on new housing areas.

With the city of Milton Keynes continuing to grow and the national Government focused on building more than a million new homes and developing New Towns across the country, it is vital to get insight into the benefits and struggles of living in newly established areas when money is tight. New housing estates tend to focus on the better off while the establishment of services and public transport often lags behind. 

What is it like to live in a New Town, and especially its newly established neighbourhoods, when income is low? How do the city's residents think about the problem of poverty and the need for welfare in a city like Milton Keynes? And what lessons can be learned for how we address the housing crisis across the country?

Check out the findings and let us know what you think!