Richard Blundell

Professor Sir Richard Blundell CBE FBA is the David Ricardo Professor of Political Economy at University College London and Co-Director and Senior Research Fellow at the ESRC Centre for the Microeconomic Analysis of Public Policy at the Institute for Fiscal Studies. He is a leading figure in microeconometrics, labor economics, and public policy analysis with extensive contributions to understanding labor supply, taxation, consumption behavior, and inequality dynamics.

His research interests span microeconomics, labor supply, tax policy design, public policy evaluation, income inequality, and consumer behavior. Blundell has developed innovative microeconometric tools for analyzing dynamic panel data models and nonparametric analysis of individual decisions. His work has significantly influenced tax and welfare policy reforms, particularly through the Mirrlees Review and the IFS-Deaton Review of Inequalities in the 21st Century.

Blundell's extensive publication record shows a clear progression from foundational work on labor supply models to contemporary research on inequality dynamics, particularly in the context of the pandemic. His recent work focuses on consumption responses to income shocks, lifecycle earnings volatility, gender wage gaps, and the relationship between innovation and social mobility. The research demonstrates sophisticated econometric approaches combined with policy-relevant insights.

• CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) - 2006
• Knighthood - 2014
• Nemmers Prize

As Principal Investigator on the Nuffield Foundation grant for the IFS Deaton Review, Blundell has led major efforts to understand inequalities in the 21st century. His work bridges academic research and policy impact, with significant contributions to tax system design through the Mirrlees Review. He has supervised numerous researchers and collaborated extensively with leading economists worldwide, shaping generations of empirical microeconomists. Blundell maintains active research programs examining the dynamics of inequality, labor market responses to policy changes, and the microeconomic foundations of public policy.