The £600 billion problem awaiting the next government podcastWe speak to David Gauke and Giles Wilkes, two experts who have been at the heart of the spending review process.25 April 2024
Be the Chancellor Our interactive tool lets you be the Chancellor. Change spending plans, set tax policies and see how your choices impact borrowing and debt.
Should we worry about government debt? podcastDavid Miles joins us to discuss high government debt and its impact on the economy. 11 April 2024
IFS Annual Lecture - Innovation and productivity policies: a budgetary perspective event 15 May 2024 Professor Heidi Williams (Dartmouth College) will deliver the 2024 IFS Annual Lecture on innovation and productivity policies.
Higher Education Access and Funding: challenges and policy options conference 14 May 2024 This one-day academic conference will look at access to and funding of Higher Education systems.
Jobs landing pageAt IFS, we recruit and train top-quality economists and professional support staff. We aim to foster a respectful and inclusive working environment.20 July 2022
Centre for the Microeconomic Analysis of Public Policy The Research Centre at the heart of IFS is the CPP.
Persevering with the autumn statement just generates confusion CommentBi-annual fiscal events "have become an engine for an over-proliferation of measures, generating instability and confusion." Paul Johnson in the Times11 September 2023
A look under the hood of Labour’s investment plans CommentLabour have promised £28 billion of green investment per year by the second half of the next parliament. £20 billion of this would be ‘additional’.5 September 2023
IFS responds to changes to DWP work capability assessments CommentWe respond to proposed changes by the government to reform the work capability assessment used to determine entitlement to incapacity benefits.5 September 2023
The decline in spending on school buildings CommentWe analyse trends in school capital spending in England, both in historical terms and compared with levels of need.4 September 2023
Three challenges facing the newest Children’s Minister CommentWe consider the challenges facing the newest Children’s Minister in delivering a huge expansion of funded childcare over the next two years.31 August 2023
Disability, illness and pain are real problems for the entire economy Comment"Tackling them should be near the top of any list of social and economic priorities." Paul Johnson writes in the Times.28 August 2023
Taxes will probably be increased; they must be improved CommentPick a tax, any tax. That tax almost certainly needs serious reform.24 August 2023
Stubborn inflation puts PM's target in jeopardy CommentIn January of this year, the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, set out his five priorities for 2023, one of which was halving inflation. 16 August 2023
Higher oil & gas revenues boost Scotland’s underlying fiscal position – but a big deficit remains CommentScotland’s notional fiscal deficit fell by £6 billion (3.8% of GDP) in 2022–23, but was – and is set to remain – much higher than the UK’s. 16 August 2023
Forecasting is hard enough without basing it on fictional assumptions Comment"The power of both the Bank and the OBR is considerable... transparency and reflection are vital." Paul Johnson writes for the Times.14 August 2023
Amidst confusion, there’s widespread pessimism about future standards of living in retirement CommentWe have found only very limited understanding of pensions in the UK10 August 2023
Why take-up of the two-year-old offer has really fallen CommentTake-up of the funded two-year-old offer might be at an all-time high – but eligibility for the benefit is lower than ever9 August 2023
An immediate response to the Scottish Fiscal Framework review CommentThe revised Scottish Fiscal Framework will continue to redistribute income tax revenues from England and provides a little more financial flexibility.2 August 2023
Pay growth for London’s top earners has driven up geographical inequality in mean earnings CommentStrong pay growth in business services has pushed up top earnings in London, widening geographical inequalities in mean earnings.25 July 2023
Government publishes new evidence on impacts of income and job protection schemes during the pandemic CommentRobert Joyce discusses some of the main takeaways from the government’s evaluations of the income and job protection schemes during the pandemic.17 July 2023
Abolishing inheritance tax would leave the country a terrible legacy Comment"I despair." Paul Johnson writes for the Times on the recent debate around abolishing inheritance tax. 17 July 2023
Recent changes to universal credit have much smaller effect on poverty than £20 uplift CommentAbsolute poverty fell from 17.9% to 16.8% in the first year of the pandemic, due to rising benefit receipts.9 July 2023
Things go swimmingly for those generations who shout the loudest Comment"Right now, it is younger generations who are again bearing the brunt of economic failure." Paul Johnson writes for The Times.3 July 2023
The impact of junior doctor strikes on patient outcomes CommentA recent study looks at the impact of junior doctor strikes in the English NHS.27 June 2023
Interest rate hikes could see 1.4 million people lose 20% of their disposable income CommentWith the Bank of England’s base rate expected to increase on 22nd June, how are rising interest rates affecting households with mortgages?21 June 2023
Commentary: all content
Showing 61 – 80 of 1159 results
Persevering with the autumn statement just generates confusion
11 September 2023
A look under the hood of Labour’s investment plans
5 September 2023
IFS responds to changes to DWP work capability assessments
5 September 2023
The decline in spending on school buildings
4 September 2023
Three challenges facing the newest Children’s Minister
31 August 2023
Disability, illness and pain are real problems for the entire economy
28 August 2023
Taxes will probably be increased; they must be improved
24 August 2023
Stubborn inflation puts PM's target in jeopardy
16 August 2023
Higher oil & gas revenues boost Scotland’s underlying fiscal position – but a big deficit remains
16 August 2023
Forecasting is hard enough without basing it on fictional assumptions
14 August 2023
Amidst confusion, there’s widespread pessimism about future standards of living in retirement
10 August 2023
Why take-up of the two-year-old offer has really fallen
9 August 2023
An immediate response to the Scottish Fiscal Framework review
2 August 2023
Pay growth for London’s top earners has driven up geographical inequality in mean earnings
25 July 2023
Government publishes new evidence on impacts of income and job protection schemes during the pandemic
17 July 2023
Abolishing inheritance tax would leave the country a terrible legacy
17 July 2023
Recent changes to universal credit have much smaller effect on poverty than £20 uplift
9 July 2023
Things go swimmingly for those generations who shout the loudest
3 July 2023
The impact of junior doctor strikes on patient outcomes
27 June 2023
Interest rate hikes could see 1.4 million people lose 20% of their disposable income
21 June 2023