Social Research ¦ Market Research ¦ Behavioural Insight ¦ Evaluation ¦ SROI

0121 604 4664 Contact us

Industry Insights

Industry Insights

Article cover image size 324 x 211px Photo Collage 64

Conversations Worth Having: AI in Social Research

April 2026

I will preface this by saying I am old enough – despite looking about 12 – to remember the rise of online surveys, the ‘death’ of face-to-face qual (remember that, after COVID) and ‘Big Data Will Take Your Job’ chat. New tools and approaches emerge all the time and that is something to be celebrated – it pushes us forward. There is a lot of excitement at the moment about AI in research. Some of it is justified. Some of it I am less enamoured with - certainly when factoring in the work we do at M·E·L Research. Used well, AI can save time. It can help with admin. It can help sort, sift, tag and summarise. And yes, there are probably...

Read the full post

Industry Insights

Research on the Edge: Key Takeaways from the MRS Conference 2026

March 2026

Yesterday, I attended the MRS Conference 2026, where this year’s theme was “Research on the Edge: Building Our Futures.” The event brought together researchers, strategists and industry leaders to explore how insight is evolving in a world shaped by rapid technological change, shifting trust and increasingly complex audiences. Across the day’s sessions, several themes came through strongly. AI was a constant presence in the discussion, but so were questions about trust, demographics and the enduring value of human insight.

Read the full post

Industry Insights

Article cover image size 324 x 211px Photo Collage 47

Fertility in the Workplace Research: Statistics, Knowledge Gaps and Workplace Support

March 2026

Fertility awareness in the UK remains surprisingly low, despite fertility problems affecting millions of people. Fertility is often framed as a women’s issue. But the reality is that fertility problems can impact men, women and non-binary people. Yet conversation, and the support available in many workplaces, does not always reflect this. At M·E·L Research, we believe better evidence can help drive more informed conversations and more supportive environments for people experiencing fertility challenges.

Read the full post

Industry Insights

Article cover image size 324 x 211px Photo Collage 34

How trauma-informed practice improves the quality of evidence in Armed Forces community research

February 2026

When people hear the phrase trauma-informed research, they often assume it is primarily about ethics. Being sensitive. Using careful language. Avoiding harm. And that is true. But in Armed Forces community research, trauma-informed practice is not only the right thing to do. It is also one of the most effective ways to improve the quality, credibility and usefulness of evidence. Because when research involves experiences like recovery, mental health, family stress, transition to civilian life, identity change, injury, loss, or barriers to support, we are not just...

Read the full post

Industry Insights

Article cover image size 324 x 211px Photo Collage 35

One Simple Change to Save Lives: Suicide Prevention in Schools

February 2026

Helena was our only child - bright, thoughtful, full of creativity, with a great sense of humour. She was the kind of person who lit up a room without trying. One September morning, Helena had a planned meeting at school to talk about her exam results and what they meant for her future study options. Several weeks before that meeting, she had received her exam results and was feeling disappointed that she hadn’t got better grades. But she had a plan for how she was going to go...

Read the full post

Industry Insights

Article cover image size 324 x 211px Photo Collage 36

Suicide Prevention at Work: What the Data is Telling Employers and How to Respond

January 2026

When we talk about suicide prevention, national mental health statistics often lead the conversation. They matter. They show scale, trends, and where attention is needed. But numbers alone can’t explain how suicide risk shows up in everyday life, or what helps people respond when someone around them is struggling. When we talk about suicide prevention, national mental health statistics often...

Read the full post

Industry Insights

Article cover image size 324 x 211px Photo Collage 37

Consultation, credibility and the future of the Private Rented Sector

January 2026

The Private Rented Sector (PRS) is at a point of significant change. Over the last decade, it has expanded rapidly, providing homes to a growing and increasingly diverse range of households. At the same time, expectations around decent and safe property standards, tenant protections and landlord accountability have risen, particularly with the introduction of the Renters’ Rights Act. Local authorities sit at the centre of this shift, tasked with improving conditions while balancing...

Read the full post

Industry Insights

Article cover image size 324 x 211px Photo Collage 38

Too High Risk to Talk, Too Well to Treat: The Erosion of Male Resilience

January 2026

The referral lands in the inbox at 4:30 p.m., marked URGENT. The word, framed by asterisks, feels hollow in a system where urgency has become routine. Triage mode takes over. Thresholds, criteria, and capacity pressures all compete in the background, each one another reminder of how overstretched community mental health services have become. Expecting the usual referral...

Read the full post

Industry Insights

Article cover image size 324 x 211px Photo Collage 39

SPARK Report Autumn 2025: What the Latest Evidence Tells Us About Suicide Prevention in the UK

January 2026

M·E·L Research is publishing the Autumn 2025 findings from SPARK (Suicide Prevention: Attitudes, Risk and Knowledge), our Research with a Purpose programme designed to strengthen the evidence base for suicide prevention across the UK. SPARK tracks public attitudes, lived exposure, and confidence in suicide prevention knowledge over time. In doing so, it complements the official statistics on deaths by suicide and self-harm related harm, by highlighting..

Read the full post

Industry Insights

Article cover image size 324 x 211px Photo Collage 33

Why Responsible AI Use in the Workplace Can’t Be Optional

January 2026

During the last 12 months, the M·E·L Research team have been considering deeply the opportunities and risk of utilising AI in our day-to-day work, as well as the ethics of its use. Our position on the use of AI/GenAI in social research is one of ‘cautious optimism,’ using it where this is appropriate and proportionate. For many of the audiences we work with and given the sensitivity of the subjects we explore, we know that a human led approach will be essential. But where there is an opportunity to use AI, we will only do so in a way that ensures transparency, fully protects respondent privacy and...

Read the full post

Industry Insights

Article cover image size 324 x 211px 60

Towards a Zero Suicide Society: Lessons from the SPARK Suicide Survey and the New BS30480 Standard

October 2025

It was exciting to work with M·E·L Research in designing and launching the SPARK Report — a suicide attempts and suicidal thoughts tracking survey — in 2022 covering the key issues of suicide and suicide prevention because it plugged an important gap in ‘the evidence base’ and created opportunities for many people and organisations to utilise the valuable data it generates...

Read the full post

Industry Insights

Article cover image size 324 x 211px 59

How to Be Flexible in Group‑Based Evaluations

October 2025

In 2024, M·E·L Research was commissioned by the Welsh Government to evaluate the Culture, Heritage and Sport Anti-racist Wales Action Plan (ArWAP) Grants Programme. In this article we explore how to be flexible and truly listen in group-based evaluation interviews...

Read the full post

Industry Insights

Article cover image size 324 x 211px 58

Awaab’s Law: What It Means for Social Housing Providers

October 2025

Yesterday marked a major milestone for social housing in England, as Awaab’s Law officially came into force. This legislation represents a fundamental change in how housing associations and local authorities must respond to damp, mould and other serious hazards in tenants’ homes. It is a moment that underscores the responsibility of all housing providers to protect residents’ health and wellbeing – and to demonstrate that lessons have truly been learned.

Read the full post

Industry Insights

Article cover image size 324 x 211px 56

You Have To See It For Yourself: Why We Know Our SPARK Survey Isn’t Good Enough

October 2025

I would wager that most people who work in social research do so because they want to make a difference - at some level. We are curious about people - about what they think, how they live, and why they make the choices they do. We also believe that understanding people can help shape better policies, services, and communities - or at least, if we are being realistic...

Read the full post

Industry Insights

Article cover image size 324 x 211px 53

Conversations About Suicide Prevention: It’s Not Just About Numbers. It’s About Confidence

October 2025

When I first read the SPARK data, one thing hit me hard: how many people don’t feel confident asking someone if they might be suicidal. At CALM, we know that being able to spot the signs that someone might be having suicidal thoughts, and asking them directly if they are feeling suicidal, can cut through a spiral of thoughts and ultimately protect that individual. That’s why this...

Read the full post