Established in 2009, Birmingham-based Voluntas focuses on customer intelligence and insight for clients in the social housing sector, including housing providers, maintenance contractors and facilities suppliers.

IFF Research is based in London and works across sectors including learning and skills, employment and benefits, and financial and professional services. Clients include the Department for Education, the National Audit Office and Sport England.

The deal marks IFF Research’s first acquisition and will allow it to expand into the housing sector. The company’s clients will also gain access to Voluntas’ insights and analytics platform.

Financing for the deal was accessed through SME credit firm Caple, in a five-year unsecured loan.

Jan Shury, managing director at IFF Research, said: "IFF Research helps both public and private sector organisations to make more informed decisions. The deal with Caple and the purchase of Voluntas enables us to enhance this capability and provide expertise on the UK housing market."

Shury told Research Live the deal would enable the two companies to service more housing sector clients and develop their services and products.

He added: "Beyond scale and range of services, the housing providers whom we work with will benefit from our complementary specialisms spanning the fields of welfare and benefits, employability, financial capability, regulation and business growth."