Nicholas Barr

Selected Publications

Economics of the Welfare State

Pension Design and the Failed Economics of Squirrels, LSE Public Policy Review, 2021; 2(1): 5, pp. 1-8

Young people are paying for social care with little in return, Financial Times, 14 September 2021

The welfare state after the crisis, April 2020

The Economics of the Welfare State, 6th edition, Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 2020

(with Peter Diamond), Refining the choice architecture in the Swedish Premium Pension: Response to the consultation on Ett bättre premiepensionssystem SOU 2019:44, 12 February 2020

(with Peter Diamond), Designing a default structure: Submission to the Inquiry into Superannuation: Assessing Efficiency and Competitiveness, Australia Productivity Commission, September 2017

(with Peter Diamond), Reforming pensions in Chile, Polityka Spoleczna, No. 1, 2016, pp. 4-9

The Pension System in Sweden, Report to the Expert Group on Public Economics (ESO), 2013:7, Stockholm: Ministry of Finance, 2013

The pension system in Finland: Adequacy, sustainability and system design, Evaluation of the Finnish Pension System Part 1, Helsinki: Finnish Centre for Pensions, Eläketurvakeskus, 2013

Long-term Care: A Suitable Case for Social Insurance, Social Policy and Administration, Vol. 44, No.4, August 2010, pp.359-374

Pension Reform in China: Issues, Options and Recommendations with Peter Diamond, February 2010

Pension Reform: A Short Guide with Peter Diamond, New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010

‘Reforming pensions: Principles, analytical errors and policy directions’, with Peter Diamond, International Social Security Review, Vol. 62, No. 2, 2009, pp. 5-29 (also in French, German and Spanish).

(with Peter Diamond) Reforming pensions: Principles and Policy Choices, New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008, ISBN 978-0-19-531130-3

Pensions: Overview of the Issues, Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Vol. 22. No. 1, Spring 2006, pp. 1-14

(with Peter Diamond) 'The Economics of Pensions', Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Vol. 22. No. 1, Spring 2006, pp. 15-39

The Welfare State as Piggy Bank, Oxford University Press, 2001

(Editor) Economic Theory and the Welfare State, Edward Elgar Library in Critical Writings in Economics, Edward Elgar, 2001

'Reforming Pensions: Myths, Truths, and Policy Choices', Working Paper WP/00/139, Washington DC: International Monetary Fund, 2000.

'Genetic Screening and Insurance', in Third Report: Human Genetics: The Science and Its Consequences, Volume II Minutes of Evidence, House of Commons Science and Technology Committee, Session 1994-95, HC 41-IV, HMSO, 1995, pp. 242-247.

'Economic Theory and the Welfare State: A Survey and Interpretation', Journal of Economic Literature, Vol. 30, No. 2, June 1992, pp. 741-803.

Higher Education Finance

Strategic policy directions for tertiary education, Submission to the Review of Post-18 Education and Funding, April 2018

(with Bruce Chapman, Lorraine Dearden and Susan Dynarski), ‘Reflections on the US College Loans System: Lessons from Australia and England’, IZA Discussion Paper No. 11422, March 2018

Funding post-compulsory education. In: Johnes, Geraint, Johnes, Jill, Agasisti, Tommaso and López-Torres, Laura, (eds.) Handbook on the Economics of Education. Edward Elgar, 2017.

Milton Friedman and the finance of higher education. In: In: Cord, Robert and Hammond, J. Daniel , (eds.) Milton Friedman: Contributions to Economics and Public Policy. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK, 2016, pp. 436-463. ISBN 9780198704324

(Editor) Shaping Higher Education: 50 years after Robbins, London: London School of Economics

(with Alison Johnston) 'Student loan reform, interest subsidies and costly technicalities: lessons from the UK experience' Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 2013, Vol. 35. No. 2, pp. 166-177.

The Higher Education White Paper: The good, the bad, the unspeakable - and the next White Paper Social Policy and Administration, Vol. 46. No. 5, October 2012, pp. 438-508.

Financing higher education: tax, graduate tax or loans?, in Hills, John, Le Grand, Julian, and Piachaud, David (eds) (2007), Making Social Policy Work: Essays in honour of Howard Glennerster, Bristol: Policy Press, pp. 109-130.

Financing Higher Education: Answers from the UK, with Iain Crawford, London and New York: Routledge, 2005, ISBN 0-415-34857-9.

Higher education funding, Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Vol. 20, No. 2, 2004, pp. 264-283

Financing Higher Education in the UK: The 2003 White Paper, House of Commons Education and Skills Committee, Post-16 student support, Session 2002-03, March 2003

House of Commons Education and Skills Committee, Post-16 student support, Session 2002-03, March 2003

Funding Higher Education: Policies for Access and Quality, House of Commons Education and Skills Committee, Post-16 student support, Session 2001-02, 24 April 2002

Higher Education in Australia and Britain: What Lessons?, Australian Economic Review, Vol. 31, No. 2, June 1998, pp. 179-88.

Education Funding, Equity and the Life Cycle in Falkingham, Jane and Hills, John (eds), The Dynamic of Welfare: The Welfare State and the Life Cycle, Prentice-Hall/Harvester Wheatsheaf, 1995, pp. 137-149 (with Jane Falkingham and Howard Glennerster).

Alternative Funding Resources for Higher Education, Economic Journal, Vol 103, No 418, May 1993, pp. 718-28.

Post-Communist Reform

(Editor) Labor Markets and Social Policy in Central and Eastern Europe: The Accession and Beyond, Washington DC: The World Bank, 2005, ISBN 0-8213-6119-8

'Reforming welfare states in post-communist countries', in Orlowski, Lucjan T. (ed.), Transition and Growth in Post-Communist Countries: The Ten-Year Experience, Edward Elgar, 2001, pp. 169-218.

'Investing People and Growth' in World Development Report 1996: From Plan to Market, New York: Oxford University Press for the World Bank, 1996, pp. 123-31.

'People and Transition' in World Development Report 1996: From Plan to Market, New York: Oxford University Press for the World Bank, 1996, pp. 66-84.

Labor Markets and Social Policy in Central and Eastern Europe: The Transition and Beyond, New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1994 (also in Hungarian, Romanian and Russian)

Positions

Successively Lecturer, Senior Lecturer and Reader Lecturer in Economics, London School of Economics and Political Science

2002- Professor of Public Economics, European Institute, London School of Economics and Political Science

1990-92 Long-term Consultant, World Bank, Europe and Central Asia Region, Central and Southern European Departments, Human Resources Operations Division.

1995-96 World Bank, Principal Author, World Development Report.

1999 R.I. Downing Fellow, Melbourne University.

2000 Visiting Scholar, Fiscal Affairs Department, International Monetary Fund.

2004-12 Trustee, HelpAge International

2008-15 Governor and Member of Council, Pensions Policy Institute

2012-present Global Ambassador, HelpAge International

2015-present Governor, Pensions Policy Institute

Other Professional Activities

1992-93 UK/Russia Social Security and Social Policy Advisory Group.

1995-96 Advisory group, Joseph Rowntree Foundation project on Private Alternatives to Social Security.

1996 Adviser, Lund Committee on Child and Family Support, Republic of South Africa.

1998 Adviser, Review of Higher Education Financing and Policy (the West Committee), Australia.

1998- Editorial Advisory Board International Social Security Review.

1999-2001Academic Director, Republic of Hungary: Higher Education Reform Project: Consulting Services for a Student Loan Programme.

1999-2002 Advisory Board, International Social Security Association Initiative on Social Security.

2000-01 Expert Panel, Funding Options Review Group of the UK Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals.

2001- Associate Editor, CESifo Economic Studies.

2004 China Economic Research and Advisory Programme, Member of team advising the government of China on pension reform.

2004-05 Working Group to Consider Age Restrictions on Higher Education Student Loans, UK Department for Education and Skills.

2006- Associate Editor, Australian Economic Review

2007 External Reviewer, Extending Working Lives Strategy, Department for Work and Pensions.

2007-20 Policy Advisory Board, Social Market Foundation.

2008-09 World Economic Forum, Global Agenda Council on Demographic Shifts.

2009-10 Advisory Panel on New Industry, New Jobs, Universities and Skills, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

2009-10 World Economic Forum, Global Agenda Council on Ageing Society.

2009-10 Scientific Committee, International Social Security Association 6th International Research Conference on Social Security, 29 September – 1 October 2010, Luxembourg.

2010 Higher Education Strategy Review, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

2010-11 Academic Director, Feasibility study to examine the potential need for a student lending facility at European level, conducted for DG EAC, European Commission.

2010-11 Reference Group, Independent Public Service Pensions Commission (The Hutton Review).

2010-11 Academic Panel, Commission on Funding of Care Support (The Dilnot Review).

2011- 15 Ministerial Group on Data Sharing, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

2011 Advisory Panel on long-term fiscal sustainability, Institute for Public Policy Research.

2011 Expert Panel, National Audit Office study on Government support for future retirement incomes

2012-16 Quality Assurance Agency Research Advisory Group.

2012- Associate Editor, Journal of the Economics of Ageing

2013- Editorial Board, Journal of Higher Education and Finance

2014-15 Presidential Advisory Commission on the Pension System (Comisión Asesora Presidencial sobre el Sistema de Pensiones), Chile.

2016-17 Advisory Board, Network for Pensions in Latin America and the Caribbean (PLAC), Project on Pension Indicators, Inter-American Development Bank.

2017-18 Specialist Adviser, House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee, Inquiry into the Economics of Higher, Further and Technical Education.

2017-19 Adviser, World Bank White Paper on social protection.

2018-19 Member, consultative group on developing the IMF strategic framework on social protection.

Refereeing

American Economic Review, British Tax Review, Economica, Education Economics, European Journal of Social Policy, International Social Security Review, Journal of Current Chinese Affairs, Journal of Health Economics, Journal of Human Resources, Journal of Public Economics, Journal of Social Policy, Oxford Economic Papers, Review of Economic Studies

Invited Evidence

UK Parliamentary Committees and Royal Commissions: Select Committee on Tax-Credit, Select Committee on Wealth Tax, Treasury and Civil Service Committee, Social Services Committee, Science and Technology Committee, Education and Employment Committee, Education and Skills Committee, Work and Pensions Committee, House of Lords Select Committee on Economic Affairs, Business, Innovation and Skills Committee, House of Lords Committee on Public Service and Demographic Change, Royal Commission on the Distribution of Income and Wealth, National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education, Independent Committee of Inquiry into Student Finance (Scotland), Independent Review of Higher Education Funding and Student Finance, Royal Commission on Long-term Care

Research Grants

1986-87 £6,960 from the Suntory-Toyota International Centre for Economics and Related Disciplines to investigate the finance of undergraduate students.

1987-88 £5,600 from the Suntory-Toyota International Centre for Economics and Related Disciplines to restore one of A. W. H. Phillips’ hydraulic macroeconomic models.

1989 DM 9,800 from the International Academy of Education to investigate systems of student support in developed economies.

1989-90 (with John Barnes) £20,000 from the Esmee Fairbairn Charitable Trust to study the funding of higher education in a European context.

1990-92 (with Howard Glennerster and Robert Bennett), £99,394 from British Petroleum to study methods of widening access to post-sixteen education and training in the UK.

1993 (with Ralph W. Harbison), $38,940 from the World Bank Research Committee towards the costs of a book on the labour markets and social policy in central and eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union.

1996 £4,958 from the Nuffield Foundation (ref. no. SOC/100(1526)) to conduct research into the finance of higher education.

1998 £4,912 from the Nuffield Foundation (ref. no. SGS/LB/0007) to conduct research into the finance of further and higher education.

1999-2000 $99,735 Lead consultant, Republic of Hungary: Higher Education Reform Project: Consulting Services for Student Loan Programme, through Enterprise LSE.

2000-02 $654,944 Academic Director, Republic of Hungary: Higher Education Reform Project: Consulting Services for Student Loan Programme, through Enterprise LSE.

2004 £25,000 China Economic Research and Advisory Programme, Social Security Reform in China: Issues and Options, with Mukul Asher, Peter Diamond, Edwin Lim and James Mirrlees.

2006 £7,475 from the Inter-American Development Bank for research for and advice on pension reform to the Chile Presidential Advisory Council.

2009 £25,000 China Economic Research and Advisory Programme, Pension Reform in China: Issues, Options and Recommendations, with Peter Diamond.

2010 €239,300 from the European Commission Directorate-General for Education and Culture, Feasibility Study to Examine the Potential Need for a Student Lending Facility at European Level, Contract number EAC/47//2009, published as: European Commission, Directorate-General for Education and Culture

2011 Feasibility study on student lending, Final report, Ref:EAC/47/2009

Awards

1997 Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts