The author explores the extent to which labour-market insecurity affects be
haviour in the owner-occupied housing market. Drawing on related qualitativ
e and quantitative survey evidence, the author first argues that owner-occu
piers have experienced and also perceive considerable labour-market insecur
ity. However, analysis of the large-scale survey suggests only weak Linkage
s between indicators of insecurity and the choices that owners make in the
housing market. This apparent inconsistency is explored with the aid of the
qualitative data which suggest that perception of insecurity and attitude
to risk intersect to create strategies that may not bear any direct connect
ion to measurable and objective labour-market characteristics or risks. The
author concludes by arguing that this evidence suggests that the current p
olicy aim of leaving owners to insure themselves against labour-market risk
will leave some owners unprotected, and that this gap is likely to persist
in the long term.