Ian Thomas

Mr. Ian Thomas is a Research Fellow at the School of Social Sciences, Cardiff University, specializing in homelessness, housing policy, and data-driven research. He leads a program of data-linkage research related to homelessness and housing under a Wales Administrative Data Research grant. As data linkage lead for the PHaCT study—a pilot Randomized Control Trial targeting prison leavers at risk of homelessness—he collaborates extensively with third-sector organizations and government bodies to improve data collection and policy design.

His research employs administrative data (e.g., healthcare records, local authority housing data) and advanced quantitative methods such as sequence analysis, network analysis (using tools like Gephi), and longitudinal panel regression. Key areas include evaluating policy effectiveness, assessing public health interventions among homeless populations, and developing ideal administrative data systems for homelessness tracking.

Publications highlight trends in homelessness-vaccine coverage correlations, typologies of multiple exclusion homelessness, and methodological innovations in data linkage. His work bridges academic research with practical policy implementation, emphasizing the intersection of technology and social welfare.

Contact: ThomasIR2@cardiff.ac.uk