ReWAGE News Archive

ReWAGE is fortunate in having some of the UK’s foremost thinkers on its Expert Group, drawn from leading universities and research organisations from across the UK. Between them they have a huge breadth of knowledge, covering such subjects as the labour market, job quality, employment relations and the changing nature of work.

This week we are pointing the spotlight onto ReWAGE expert Professor Ashwin Kumar who is Professor of Social Policy and Deputy Director of the Policy Evaluation Research Unit at Manchester Metropolitan University and ReWAGE's expert on analysis and modelling of incomes, poverty and the labour market. He is also the author of ReWAGE's recent policy brief: Eight actions to tackle the impact of the cost-of-living crisis.

Background:

Ashwin has worked as a social policy economist for over 20 years. Prior to joining Manchester Metropolitan University, he was Chief Economist of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. He has worked as an economic adviser to Gordon Brown, and as a Senior Economic Adviser at the Department for Work and Pensions.

Area of expertise:

Ashwin is an expert on analysis and modelling of incomes, poverty, and the labour market.

Why Ashwin became a ReWAGE expert:

The UK labour market suffers from too many people being stuck in low-paid work with little chance of progression. Our recovery from the pandemic should be an opportunity to rethink how we organise work so that we get out of our low-pay low-productivity rut and make a real difference in reducing in-work poverty.

What achievement makes Ashwin most proud:

Building Pensim2, the UK government’s model to predict pensioner incomes over the next 50 years. Setting up and delivering UK Poverty 2017, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation’s state-of-the-nation analysis of poverty in the UK.

Recent achievements:

Ashwin has recently published Idleness with his colleague Dr Katy Jones, which analyses the fact that too many people are stuck in low-paid jobs with little prospect of progression. The book looks at the relationship between productivity and low pay and at how the state unnecessarily undermines the bargaining position of low-paid workers, exacerbating the problem and suggests what it could do differently.

Projects:

Ashwin maintains and develops the Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR) Tax-Benefit Model, used by the IPPR, Resolution Foundation, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, New Economics Foundation and the Legatum Institute to analyse the effects of tax and benefit policy on incomes, poverty and government costs.

Recent projects include an economic evaluation of a Citizens Basic Income for Scotland, and the evaluation of the Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter.

Other interests:

Ashwin is an Advisor to the Health Foundation on dynamic microsimulation modelling, a Member of the National Statistician’s Advisory Panel on Consumer Prices (Stakeholder), and a Member of the Oversight Board of the Health Foundation’s REAL Centre (research and economic analysis for the long term).

Recent publications

Jones, K and Kumar, A (2022) Idleness. Newcastle: Agenda Publishing

Harrison, J., Kumar, A., Congreve, E., Connolly, K., MacGregor, P. (2022) Modelling packages to meet Scotland’s child poverty targets: Scenarios, benefits and trade-offs. Fraser of Allander Institute, University of Strathclyde.

Congreve, E., Connolly, K., Harrison, J., Kumar, A., McGregor, P., Mitchell, M. (2021) A preliminary investigation into modelling the impact of measures to reduce child poverty in Scotland. Glasgow: Fraser of Allander Institute, University of Strathclyde

Connolly, K., Kumar, A., McGregor, P. Roy, G., (2020) Modelling the Economic Impact of a Citizen’s Basic Income in Scotland. Glasgow: Fraser of Allander Institute, University of Strathclyde

Kumar, A., Heykoop, L., Barnard, H. (2018) How could Brexit affect poverty in the UK? York: Joseph Rowntree Foundation

Bailey, G., Wong, K., Morris, S., Kumar, A. Kikit Pathwayz Prevent Local Delivery Impact Evaluation Scoping Report. Manchester Metropolitan University and Ipsos Mori.

Stellmacher, D., Bailey, G., Wong, K., Morris, S., Kumar, A. Empowering Minds Mothers Against Radicalisation Prevent Local Delivery Impact Evaluation Scoping Report. Ipsos MORI and Policy Evaluation and Research Unit, Manchester Metropolitan University.

ReWAGE analyses the latest work and employment research to advise the government on addressing the challenges facing the UK’s productivity and prosperity, such as Covid-19, the cost-of-living crisis and labour shortages.