Dr Andrew Harding is a Lecturer in Health Inequalities at Lancaster University whose research examines how health, social care and housing systems shape people’s lives. His work explores how and why individuals navigate mixed economies of welfare and fragmented service landscapes, and the conditions under which these systems improve – or undermine – equity and wellbeing. Much of his research focuses on older adults and people living with dementia, with particular attention to how information, options and support influence decision-making and care trajectories.

Andrew specialises in qualitative, mixed-methods and realist approaches, drawing on theory to understand what works, for whom, in what circumstances, and why. His research investigates how policies, services and local contexts interact to produce different outcomes across populations and places.

His work is funded by national and international research funders and he has published widely on health inequalities, welfare reform, and decision-making within mixed economies of welfare.

Andrew is Lancaster University Operational Lead for the National Institute for Health  and Care Research (NIHR) Blackpool Health Determinants Research Collaborative, Deputy co-lead for the cross-cuting Evidence4Impact Theme in the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration North West Coast (2026-2031), and co-lead of the Evidence for Equitable Decision-Making sub-theme. The objective of these collaborations is to focus on developing an integrated programme of engagement, knowledge mobilisation, and collaboration to support equity-sensitive research, implementation, and evidence-informed decision-making across themes and partner organisations. They also aim to strengthen regional research capacity and impact through training, evidence synthesis, implementation support, shared planning structures, and collaborative grant development.

He regularly presents at national and international conferences and contributes to the wider research community through peer review and editorial roles. Andrew is a member of the Economic & Social Research Council Peer Review College, undertakes reviews for NIHR and provides methodological and subject expertise to researchers through the NIHR Research Support Service.

Andrew’s research explores how health, social care and housing systems shape people’s lives, investigating how and why individuals navigate mixed economies of welfare and fragmented service landscapes, when and why these approaches improve – or undermine – equity and wellbeing. He mostly utilise qualitative, mixed-methods and realist approaches.