We are pleased to announce that Professor Heikki Hiilamo has joined the Institute for Policy Research (IPR) as a new Visiting Fellow.

Professor Hiilamo is Professor of Social Policy at the University of Helsinki and Research Professor at the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare. His current research interests include the economy of wellbeing, poverty, inequality, welfare state research and tobacco control.

During his three months with the IPR, he will conduct research comparing recent changes in social assistance and guaranteed minimum income programmes in the UK (Universal Credit), Denmark (Nyttejob), the Netherlands (Participation Act) and Finland (Universal Basic Benefit). The goal is to understand how these reforms aim to reduce poverty and how their key features compare to the concept of universal basic income (UBI).

His research will analyse the conditionality of these benefits – whether recipients must meet specific requirements like job searches or participation in training programmes – and assess how incentives are used to encourage self-sufficiency. Another key focus will be whether these reforms aim to create uniform solutions or if they are tailored to the individual needs of claimants. By examining how each country has adjusted its systems, the research will evaluate what works best in reducing poverty and whether these reforms move towards or away from UBI.

Professor Hiilamo will work alongside IPR colleagues Professor Nick Pearce (IPR Director and Professor of Public Policy), Dr Joe Chrisp (Research Associate) and Professor Jane Millar (Emeritus Professor of Social Policy).

On the appointment, Dr Chrisp said: “Professor Hiilamo is a very experienced and prolific researcher of social policy, and we are excited to work with him on his research comparing reforms to social assistance across European countries, with a particular focus on Universal Credit. The IPR's longstanding expertise in Universal Credit and UBI research make this an excellent fit for collaboration.”

To arrange a meeting with Professor Hiilamo, or to find out more about our Visiting Fellows programme, please contact Claudia Torres-Cervantes, IPR Co-ordinator: ctc46@bath.ac.uk