Nicola is a mixed methods researcher whose research focuses on improving support for unpaid carers including young carers, housing and care, and unmet need, inequalities in care, and the wider determinants of care need and care use. She joined the LSE in 2012 and currently leads studies on young carers and whole family support, integrated support for carers, and housing and care. Previous projects include a study of unmet need for support and unpaid carers, another on the support needs of young carers and their families, a review of the evidence on support for carers, an exploration of attitudes to providing unpaid care, and two interlinked studies on unpaid care and paid employment. Nicola is also part of the NIHR Adult Social Care Research Unit (ASCRU) and an NIHR SSCR Fellow.

Previous work includes research at the charity Maternity Alliance into health-related issues affecting pregnant women and new parents, particularly those in vulnerable situations, and research at the University of Bristol investigating patterns of and reasons behind geographical health inequalities in Britain looking in particular at housing, wealth and income and the impact of social policy and social changes.