Dr Michael Orton

Research interests

Michael's primary focus in recent years has been social security (welfare benefits), using approaches that are solutions focused, participatory and based on consensus building, with three key outputs:

• The Plan: for a decent social security system (2022)Link opens in a new window
• Affordable, simple, popular: updating our social security system (2023)Link opens in a new window
• How to grow support for a decent social security system: the messaging that works (2026)Link opens in a new window

The most recent output is from Together for Social SecurityLink opens in a new window, an ongoing project funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation for which Michael is the Coordinator.

The earlier two outputs are from the Commission on Social Security project, with the research report hereLink opens in a new window and a technical note hereLink opens in a new window.

Academic profile

Michael joined IER in 2002. Prior to that he worked for over 15 years in the voluntary sector and local government. This included Citizens Advice Bureau (from being a volunteer through to Bureau Manager), an anti-poverty policy role in a local authority Finance Department, and being an Investigator for the Local Government Ombudsman - with the latter including a year working for the New South Wales Ombudsman, Sydney.

While Michael's current work focuses on social security, other research areas have included active labour market policy, personal debt, taxation/fiscal welfare, public attitudes to economic inequality and Sen's Capabilities Approach.

Michael's work has been published widely in journal articles, research reports and book chapters. He has appeared as an expert witness before a Parliamentary Committee Inquiry, and his work has featured in Parliamentary Questions and attracted a variety of media coverage.

All publicationsLink opens in a new window

All projects