Louise Overton

Louise Overton is an Associate Professor in Social Policy and Director of the Centre on Household Assets and Savings Management (CHASM) at the University of Birmingham. Her work focuses on older people's financial security, the regulation of consumer financial services, and the role of housing wealth in retirement financing. She holds a PhD in Social Policy from the University of Birmingham (2012), an MA in Social Policy from the same institution (2007), and a BSocSc in Social Policy from the University of Manchester (2004).

Her research explores the interplay between welfare privatization, economic risk, and later-life financial well-being. Key areas include equity release markets, intergenerational justice, and the socio-emotional dimensions of housing wealth utilization. Her work has influenced policy bodies like the Financial Conduct Authority and Age UK, and has been applied in developing advisory services for retirees.

Recent projects include NIHR-funded studies on social care decision-making (£330k), pension decision frameworks (£77k), and self-funding care experiences (£269k). She chairs the Centre on Household Assets and Savings Management (CHASM), and advises the International Longevity Centre (ILC-UK) and the IF Project at the University of York.

Overton’s publications span academic journals (e.g., Journal of Social Policy, Housing Studies), book chapters, and policy reports. Her work critically examines how market forces, individual responsibility, and state intervention shape financial security in later life.