Our vision: An end to low wellbeing in the UK
Our mission: through analytical expertise and a close connection with the social sector we help charities, funders, firms and policymakers to collectively tackle, and ultimately end, the causes and consequences of low wellbeing.

What we do
Our analysts, researchers and economists work on a wide range of issues related to low wellbeing, including mental health, education, employment, financial security, poverty, disability, inequality, volunteering and civil society.
We work with economics professionals, because we believe they have a unique role in quantifying the impact of low wellbeing on people’s lives. We are committed to providing all economists with the tools to do good.
What do we mean by ‘wellbeing’?
Wellbeing is how people feel and function in their daily lives – often referred to as their ‘quality of life’. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) definition of wellbeing: “how we are doing as individuals, communities, and as a nation, and how sustainable this is for the future.”
Wellbeing provides a rounded picture of people’s lives. It incorporates both traditional economic factors like work and income, alongside social and environmental factors like mental health, physical health and community connection.
How can wellbeing be measured?
By embedding wellbeing valuation into evaluation frameworks, you can demonstrate the true value of and impact of your work in ways that resonate with both policymakers and funders.
In fact, using wellbeing as an evaluation measure is a game changer for the social sector.
Our values
Rigorous
Our work is grounded in rigorous economic analysis, offering reliable, evidence-based insights that empower charities and policymakers to make more informed decisions. Our reputation and authority ensure that we are trusted and respected, which is crucial when advising on public policy and influencing those with the power to effect change.
Determined
We are relentless in our efforts to bring about the positive change required to create a better Britain. It is not enough to simply be seen and heard. Our determination to make a difference extends to sparking meaningful change through our work by reaching and inspiring action.
Collaborative
We thrive on the strength of our collaborative partnerships, working closely with charities, policymakers, and economists to drive impactful change. By working alongside others with similar goals, we amplify our reach and effectiveness, ensuring that solutions are shaped by diverse voices and co-created for the benefit of society.
Our history
PBE was born in 2009 out of the tumult of the global financial crisis. Economists Andy Haldane and Martin Brookes had discussed the potential to fuse the work of charities supporting society with the work of economists supporting the economy. The fallout from the financial crisis gave the pair the impetus to put their concept to the test.


We also provide charities with data, evidence, analysis and economic insight.
This helps them to:
- Manage economic challenges,
- to plan more effectively,
- to better measure, understand and explain their impact using data
- and to influence and inform policy.
When these organisations are stronger, they make a bigger difference to the people in greatest need.
Find out about our impact



How We Work
As a non-partisan organisation, PBE works with policymakers across all parties, in government and opposition, to build consensus on solutions for social sector challenges and UK wellbeing.
PBE offers volunteering for economists from the civil service, public institutions, and the private sector to raise awareness of the social sector.
Get in touchPBE helps social sector organisations measure, understand, and articulate impact, influence policy, and make best use of their data—primarily pro bono.
The independent analysis that PBE and our volunteers provides is based on economic principles, making it distinctively robust and authoritative.
Get in touchMore information about our long-term, formal partnerships is available here.
As PBE is committed to transparency in all our work, further details on the individuals and organisations which make PBE’s work possible can be found here.
Get in touchMeet our team driving change and making an impact
View all team-
Alexa Sage
Training Facilitator
StaffAlexa SageStaffAlexa Sage is the Director of Inside Impact, an organisation focused on capability-building in impact practice for the public, private, and voluntary sectors through innovative training, coaching, and consultancy.
Working for infrastructure bodies and membership organisations in the not-for-profit sector, she has supported over 100 organisations to become more efficient and effective in their impact practice to secure millions in funding, win awards, influence policy and become sector thought leaders.
Her previous in-house roles include Head of Impact and Evaluation for a national disability charity and Head of Analytics and Impact for The Law Society.
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Anoushka Kenley
Head of Social Sector
StaffAnoushka KenleyStaffAnoushka oversees PBE projects that support groups of charities working together for impact. She has a particular interest in social sector data and leads PBE’s campaign for a civil society satellite account.
Anoushka has experience in developing theories of change, impact measurement, policy research and quantitative analysis. She joined PBE in 2020 to help deliver the Law Family Commission on Civil Society and is responsible for ensuring the Commission’s recommendations on evidence and effectiveness are put into practice.
Prior to joining PBE, Anoushka managed operations for an arts and homelessness charity, supported charities with impact measurement and held various roles in the Government Economic Service. She has volunteered for lots of different charities in the UK and abroad.
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Becci Fitzjohn
Digital Communications Manager
StaffBecci FitzjohnStaffBecci joined PBE in April 2023 as the Digital Communications Officer. After graduating with a MA in Early Modern English Literature, Becci worked as a Learning Technology Officer at a university, and as a Communications Consultant in the investor relations space, before making the move to charity communications. In their spare time, Becci enjoys making clothes and filming the process for YouTube.
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Ben Gardiner
Economic Associate
EconomistsBen GardinerEconomistsBen has over 30 years’ experience working as an economist in various types of organisations. Most of his career has been spent at Cambridge Econometrics, where he is currently Chief Operating Officer, but he has also led work on European and UK regional and local development, as well as being responsible for running a portfolio of econometrics training courses in the UK and around the world.
Ben spent two years working for the European Commission (JRC-Seville) working on the regional modelling of Cohesion Funds, and from 2012-2019 was a research associate in the University of Cambridge’s Department of Geography, where he completed his PhD. He is also an Associate for the consultancy Human Behaviour Change for Life (HBCL) where he provides economist support for work mostly in the charity/NGO sector, often with a focus on animal welfare.
Last but not least, Ben has been a PBE volunteer for over two years, working mainly on short-term Data First Aid projects.
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Cassia Dingwall
Director of Operations and Finance
StaffCassia DingwallStaffCassia Dingwall is Director of Operations and Finance and has been with PBE since 2018. Cassia is in charge of finance, HR, governance and IT. She works across the organisation to ensure PBE has a thriving culture and strong focus on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), and internal wellbeing.
Cassia also manages PBE’s financial position, processes, audit and risk, and works closely with PBE’s Board of Trustees, sub-committees and Senior Management Team to ensure they have the appropriate information and awareness of the organisational strategic priorities. Cassia is a member of the Think Tank Diversity Network, promoting best practice and encouraging diverse applicants into the think tank sector.
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Charlotte Prothero
External Affairs Manager
StaffCharlotte ProtheroStaffCharlotte joined PBE in December 2023 as External Affairs Manager, focusing on public affairs, influencing, and external relations. Her role involves shaping public perception, influencing policies, and employing strategic thinking to drive meaningful change for the charity sector. Charlotte is enthusiastic about the challenge of convincing policymakers of the charity sector’s importance and unlocking its potential. Before joining PBE, Charlotte worked at Red Tractor, Assured Food Standards, where she managed stakeholder relationships and led events development. With over four years of experience in the Civil Service, she has a background in ministerial visits, policy development, and working for ministers’ private offices.
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Charlotte Stevens
Director of Development
StaffCharlotte StevensStaffAs Director of Development, Charlotte leads the Development Team and is responsible for income generation. Charlotte and her team work in partnership with foundations, corporates and individuals to ensure Pro Bono Economics has the resources it needs to operate sustainably and, ultimately, to achieve its mission.
Originally a solicitor, Charlotte moved into the non-profit sector working in fundraising and partnership development primarily with organisations addressing systemic social justice challenges through policy change and advocacy. Previous roles include those at Fair Trials and Pregnant Then Screwed, and in a freelance capacity for Glitch and Compassion in Politics. Charlotte has also served on the boards of INQUEST, Lawyers for Palestinian Human Rights and Poetry London.
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David Knight
Head of Systems
StaffDavid KnightStaffDavid joined PBE in 2016 after a career break looking after his children and volunteer teaching. Before that he worked for 20 years as an economist and policy adviser in the Civil Service. David enjoys keeping PBE’s Salesforce and business intelligence processes running.
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Deniece Anderson-Dow
Finance and HR Manager
StaffDeniece Anderson-DowStaffDeniece joined PBE in May 2021 having worked for over 10 years with Providence Row, a homeless charity based in east London. Deniece joined PBE’s Operations team following a period of growth within the organisation. As PBE’s Finance and HR Manager, Deniece’s main responsibilities are spread across day-to-day finance, HR, IT, office management, and governance functions. She enjoys the varied nature of her role as she finds no two days are the same. In her spare time, Deniece enjoys volunteering in a local church, as well as gardening.
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Disha Mitra
Economic Associate
EconomistsDisha MitraEconomistsDisha is an economist with international experience in policy and strategy projects focused on health and wellbeing. She is passionate about being able to help organisations to improve the subjective wellbeing of populations. Her work has included big data analysis, evaluation of population health interventions and business case evaluation. She has worked in a range of settings, including the NHS, global consultancies and non-profits.
She also has a master’s in economics with specialisations in economics of subjective wellbeing and behavioural health. She now works independently, advising clients on economic evaluation and healthcare strategy.
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Dr Becky Lawton
Senior Events Manager
StaffDr Becky LawtonStaffBecky is PBE’s Senior Events Manager, responsible for designing and delivering the organisation’s programme of public events. She enjoys creating opportunities for audiences to engage with PBE’s mission, discover new ideas, and make impactful connections.
Becky joined PBE in August 2023 following her role at the Royal Society of Arts (RSA). She brings over seven years of experience in delivering a wide range of events, including commercial conferences, stakeholder roundtables, public talks and tours, and museum exhibitions.
Before moving into events, Becky completed a PhD in Medieval History.
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Dr Beth Kitson
Research and Policy Analyst
StaffDr Beth KitsonStaffBefore joining PBE, Beth worked in engagement at the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). At IPSO, she led the training programme on editorial standards, working with media outlets, policy officials and social sector organisations.
Beth received her PhD from the University of Oxford in 2022. Her thesis analysed the histories of wellbeing, gender and immigration. Alongside her research, Beth was the Coordinator for the Centre of Gender, Identity and Subjectivity, and taught gender and economic history. Beth also has a MPhil in Economic and Social History from the University of Cambridge.
Outside of work, Beth spends her time practising yoga, learning French and exploring London.
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Dr Mark Graham
Economic Associate
EconomistsDr Mark GrahamEconomistsEconomic Associate
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Dr Matthew Jay
Training Facilitator
StaffDr Matthew JayStaffMatt is a quantitative researcher at the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, where his current research focuses on the health of parents and children involved in family court cases. He was previously an advisor at Citizens Advice Camden’s outreach at Great Ormond Street Hospital where he helped families with children at the hospital navigate the benefits system and access other forms of support. In his spare time, Matt enjoys learning languages and is a budding musician, writing and recording his first album.
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Hannah Corbett
Head of Communications
StaffHannah CorbettStaffHannah leads PBE’s communications team, overseeing external communications, digital marketing, public affairs, and media.
With over 15 years of senior marketing experience, she transitioned from a creative director role in the commercial sector to focus on tackling social, economic, and environmental inequality.
Hannah has led communications at Power to Change and the School for Social Entrepreneurs, championing community business and social enterprise. Her award-winning career spans research, advocacy, and policy communications for non-profits, government agencies, and international NGOs.
Achievements include establishing a marketing communications team for a New Deal for Communities regeneration programme, which she transformed into the UK’s first social enterprise marketing agency. She’s won industry accolades, including best community campaign and best use of design.
Hannah holds a History degree from Cambridge University, is a chartered marketer, and has been a trustee for Age UK and a visiting lecturer and ‘social entrepreneur in residence’ at Brighton University.
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Helen Hughson
Economic Associate
EconomistsHelen HughsonEconomistsHelen is a Research Officer at the London School of Economics (LSE), where she has contributed to research on tax policy, inequality and migration, including the work of the UK Wealth Tax Commission. Previously, she worked for five years at the Reserve Bank of Australia on labour market and international developments, and co-authored working papers on household responses to monetary policy and the market for overnight cash in Australia. Helen has an MSc Economics from University College London (UCL) and was a PBE volunteer economist prior to becoming an Economic Associate.
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Jack Larkham
Senior Research and Policy Analyst
StaffJack LarkhamStaffJack joined PBE as a Research and Policy Analyst in October 2020 and was heavily involved with the two-year Law Family Commission on Civil Society, exploring themes such as levelling up, charity sector productivity and the impact of the pandemic on civil society. He specialises in qualitative research and especially enjoys data visualisation. Jack leads PBE’s research work in a number of key areas, including PBE’s collaboration with the National VCSE Data and Insights Observatory on the VCSE Barometer Survey, our response to fiscal events, such as the Budget, and our local election commentary.
Outside of work he has a young family, runs a small amateur football club and enjoys cycling.
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Jake Eliot
Director of Research, Policy and Communications
StaffJake EliotStaffJake Eliot has twenty years’ experience putting evidence into action to achieve change in policy and practice. Jake is currently Head of Policy and Public Affairs at the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the largest single funder for heritage in the UK.
He was Head of Policy and Propositions at the government-backed Money and Pensions Service, working on collective impact across private, public and charity sectors to improve financial wellbeing. Prior to this, Jake spent several years leading policy influencing on housing, health, social care and support for the National Housing Federation, the trade body for social housing providers in England.
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Jon Franklin
Chief Economist
StaffJon FranklinStaffJon oversees the development of services provided by PBE to support social sector organisations and funders to measure their economic impact, as well as supporting the organisation’s wider research and policy programme. He has supervised or directly delivered more than 30 reports for charities and co-authored a report examining the challenges of measuring the value of the non-profit sector. He helped to develop the content for a training course and advice programme that has now been delivered to more than 130 charities, receiving an average recommendation score of 9.8 out of 10.
Prior to working with PBE, Jon worked for the Government Economic Service for 13 years, focusing on policy appraisal, evaluation and forecasting in the taxation, property and aviation sectors.
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Josh Martin
Economist
EconomistsJosh MartinEconomistsJosh Martin is an economic advisor for Jonathan Haskel at the Bank of England. He worked at the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in a range of roles between 2016 and 2022, most recently as Head of Productivity statistics.
Josh’s research relates to measuring capital, especially intangible assets, measuring the productivity of hard-to-measure activities, and analysis of productivity. His work on the productivity of the UK non-profit sector (with PBE Chief Economist, Jon Franklin) is published in the International Productivity Monitor, and he previously worked with PBE on a feasibility study for a civil society satellite account.
He holds a BSc in Economics, an MSc in Data Analytics for Government, and is currently studying a part-time PhD in Economic Measurement at King’s College London.
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Karol Rodriguez Cabrera
Economist
StaffKarol Rodriguez CabreraStaffKarol has experience in research and the public sector. Her background includes engaging in research collaboration projects at institutions such as the Institute of Development Studies in the UK and the United Nations University in the Netherlands. Additionally, she has undertaken consultancy projects with the World Bank and the OECD and previously worked as a public servant at the Department of Planning in Colombia and the Ministry of Education.
Karol’s primary research interests revolve around public policy, household dynamics and children’s wellbeing, specifically focusing on development interventions. She is passionate about the mechanisms behind poverty and the role of interventions in tackling it. She holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in economics and is reading a PhD in Economics of Development.
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Marie Horton
Head of Analysis
StaffMarie HortonStaffMarie passionately believes in the power of data to tell stories, creating statistics that influence evidence-based decisions. She has a Masters in Applied Statistics and has worked as an analyst for over 15 years. Marie has experience both in central government and the charity sector, previously working at Public Health England as the lead analyst for smoking statistics, as well as undertaking research exploring the wider determinants of health including wellbeing.
More recently, Marie worked at the Local Government Association where her most impactful work raised awareness of adult social care data, leading to better understanding for use in sector led improvement.
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Matt Whittaker
Chief Executive Officer
StaffMatt WhittakerStaffAs CEO, Matt works closely with the board of Trustees and with the senior management team to oversee PBE’s strategic direction. He joined PBE at the end of 2019 and helped to drive an expansion in the organisation’s remit and reach. As part of this, he served as a founding member of the Law Family Commission on Civil Society, the research and policy programme run by PBE through 2021 and 2022 to bring together experts from across the public, private and social sectors to help “unleash the potential” of civil society over the next decade.
Matt is an economist by training and was previously instrumental in establishing the Resolution Foundation as a major economic think tank. He spent 11 years at Resolution Foundation, serving as Chief Economist and Deputy CEO, and earning a reputation as a leading expert on the subject of income inequality and UK living standards.
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Nadine Cameron
Senior Project Manager
StaffNadine CameronStaffAfter working in the events sector for a number of years, Nadine joined PBE in 2022 as Project Manager. She enjoys engaging with charities through managing and delivering PBE’s project reports, Unlocking Impact Workshops and Data First Aid service. As part of the team responsible for being the first point of contact for charity enquiries, she also works closely with other members of staff and charities to triage requests to the right service. In her spare time, she likes to cook and try new recipes and foods.
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Rachel Gomez
Senior Economist
StaffRachel GomezStaffAs PBE’s Senior Economist, Rachel is focused on the economic impact of social sector organisations, as well as issues of interest to them. Prior to joining PBE in 2021, she worked as an economist in the UK Civil Service. She has carried out several economic evaluations while at PBE, including Place2Be’s one-to-one counselling service in UK primary schools: An updated cost-benefit analysis and White goods and wellbeing: Measuring the benefits of grants for fridge-freezers and washing machines.
Rachel is particularly interested in building and using data to evidence the lived experiences of people living in deprivation; the impact of the issues they face; and the efficacy of solutions to improve their wellbeing. In her spare time, Rachel likes to knit, play chess, and is learning how to play guitar.
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Sadia Sheikh
Economic Associate
EconomistsSadia SheikhEconomistsSadia has 20 years’ experience as a professional economist working at some of the UK’s top-ranked economic consultancies. In her current role, she is a leading member of the Economics Group at a FTSE 100 company. Sadia works extensively with clients from the public sector, financial services, retail, construction, utilities, spatial planning and residential real estate across the UK and Europe, advising them in periods of significant economic uncertainty, such as during the 2008 financial crisis, Brexit and, more recently, the Covid pandemic.
Sadia specialises in analysis of the UK macroeconomy, its sectors and local area performance, with a particular interest in labour, skills and housing trends. She is highly experienced in working with large, detailed datasets and in applying advanced econometric techniques, statistical analytics and data visualisation techniques to derive insight, forecast economic trends and establish an evidence base for decision-making. Sadia holds a master’s degree in Economics from the University of Oxford.
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Sara MacLennan
Economic Associate
EconomistsSara MacLennanEconomistsSara is a Visiting Senior Research Fellow at the London School of Economics, working in the Centre for Economic Performance on the Wellbeing Value for Money of Government policies. Prior to this Sara spent over 10 years Government Economic Service where she authored the Wellbeing Guidance for Appraisal: Supplementary Green Book Guidance (2021) the UK HM-Treasury guidance for incorporating wellbeing in policy appraisal. Sara was also Head of Evidence at the What Works Centre for Wellbeing where she supported UK government departments to incorporate wellbeing in policy analysis and development.
Economic Associate
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Will De La Cruz
Director of Services
StaffWill De La CruzStaffWill leads the Services team at PBE. Since joining in 2021, Will has been instrumental in driving forward PBE’s services and internal processes. With a strong background in project management, he ensures that the organisation’s internal operations run smoothly and efficiently. Will and his team serve as the crucial link between PBE, its partner charities and PBE’s invaluable volunteers. The Services team manage requests for support and coordinate the delivery of PBE’s suite of services. By providing project management administrative support, Will equips PBE teams with the necessary information and insights to make informed decisions.
Collaboration is at the heart of what PBE does, and Will works across teams to support various areas of the organisation. From supporting reporting and income-generation to the development of new services and communication resources. Prior to joining PBE, Will served as the Deputy Director of Operations at charity Tempo Time Credits, overseeing the expansion of their programmes across England.
Will is Brazilian, he has a deep love for plants and enjoys spending his leisure moments on long walks in nature.