Southampton Dean recognised in King’s Birthday Honours

Professor Jo Swaffield has been awarded an OBE for services to economics in the King’s Birthday Honour’s 2026.

Professor Swaffield is a distinguished economist and has served as Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences since joining the University of Southampton in 2022.

She is being recognised for her research into the UK labour market. As an applied micro labour economist, her research focuses on critical socio-economic issues, including low wages (minimum wages and living wages), the gender wage gap and in-work poverty.

Commenting on the award, Professor Swaffield said: “I am delighted to receive this honour and for my work to be recognised in this way. I’m also grateful to the outstanding and generous colleagues I’ve been fortunate enough to work with and for their support throughout my career.

“Good public policy starts with having a solid, reliable evidence to base decisions on. I feel very privileged to have had to the opportunity to contribute to policy areas that I care deeply about and that are critical to creating a fairer society and economy.”

Professor Swaffield’s research has been published in leading economics journals and has played a key role in shaping public policy, including forming part of the evidence base for the Low Pay Commission’s recommendations on the UK’s National Minimum Wage and through her contributions as a member of the Home Office’s Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) since 2018.

As Chair of the Royal Economic Society's Women's Committee, Professor Swaffield has been deeply involved in initiatives to promote the status of women in the discipline.

Jo is also a Trustee of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF), member of the Campaign for Social Sciences and Governor at the National Institute of Economic, Social Research (NIESR).