Mike is Chief Economist and the Deputy Chief Executive of the Resolution Foundation, which is an independent think-tank, based in London, that is focused on improving the living standards of those living in the UK on low-to-middle incomes. The Foundation works across across a wide range of economic and social policy, combining its core purpose with a commitment to analytical rigour. These twin pillars of rigour and purpose make Resolution Foundation the leading UK authority on securing widely-shared economic growth. At the Foundation, Mike oversees the research programme, and has written reports on welfare policy, living standards, inequality and intergenerational issues. His work is widely featured in the media.  

Mike has a long history of working on all aspects of inequality in income and wealth, including the role of the labour market and the tax and benefit system, and also issues relating to measurement. He has examined welfare reforms and active labour market policies in the UK, including various policies to encourage lone parents to work, and cuts to Local Housing Allowance. He also has a long background in using microsimulation methods. He is the author of a book, What Do We Know And What Should We Do About Inequality?, published by SAGE in 2019.  

Between 2011 and 2020, Mike was Professor of Economics at the University of Essex. He has also worked at the Institute for Fiscal Studies and HM Treasury. Mike has a PhD in Economics from the University of Essex.