Peter Urwin

Peter Urwin is a Professor in the Department of Economics at the University of Westminster, Faculty of Business and Law. He is a leading expert in labour economics, education policy, and econometric evaluation, with over 15 years of experience advising UK government departments including HMRC, DfE, DWP, MoJ, and the Cabinet Office. He leads major research projects funded by the ESRC and Nuffield Foundation, focusing on social mobility, further education, and managerial productivity.

• PhD in Economics, University of London
• MSc in Economics, Birkbeck College
• BA (Hons) Economics, Liverpool University
• Postgraduate Certificate in Education, Worcester College

His research centers on using advanced econometrics to evaluate the causal impact of policy interventions, particularly in education, employment, tax, and equality. His work with large administrative datasets like LEO has informed national spending decisions and reshaped understanding of Further Education’s role in social mobility. He is Principal Investigator on the ESRC-funded Managerial competences, engagement and productivity and Nuffield’s Post-16 Educational Pathways studies.

His recent publications and public engagements reveal a strong focus on workplace diversity, management quality, pandemic labour impacts, gender inequality, and tax policy. He frequently communicates economics to the public through his podcast Economist Questions on Share Radio and media appearances.

• Expert advisor to HMRC, DfE, DWP, Acas, and Number 10
• Invited speaker and panel member on employment and economic policy
• Regular contributor to public debates on work, education, and inequality

Peter Urwin supervises multiple doctoral researchers and has advised on numerous high-impact policy evaluations. He is actively involved in knowledge exchange through the PrOPEL Hub and other academic-practice networks. His work bridges rigorous academic standards with real-world policy relevance, ensuring research directly informs government decision-making.