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.
How has the pandemic affected living standards? ExplainerWe look at how household living standards have changed over the course of the pandemic.8 July 2021
Where does the government get its money from? ExplainerHelen Miller explains where the government gets its money from, how it plans to raise more in coming years and how the UK compares to other countries.11 June 2021
What's happening to Scottish taxes and benefits? ExplainerWe analyse Scottish public finances ahead of the elections.28 April 2021
Government spending ExplainerWe analyse Scottish government spending ahead of the elections.16 April 2021
The three things Rishi Sunak needs to address in his March Budget ExplainerSenior Research Economist Jonathan Cribb looks the Chancellor's options for the Budget.25 February 2021
What happens in a Budget? ExplainerTypically, the government holds a Budget every year. What must governments set out? What kinds of policies are announced? How important are Budgets?23 February 2021
How does the government borrow £400 billion? ExplainerIsabel Stockton explains the process behind government borrowing, and assess the long-term impact.22 February 2021
What happened to learning during lockdown? ExplainerAdam Salisbury presents our latest research on the effects of the partial reopenings of schools in June and July 2020 on children's learning.19 February 2021
What has COVID-19 meant for council income and spending? ExplainerLocal government has played a significant role in responding to the coronavirus. Kate Ogden looks at the pressures facing councils in England.23 November 2020
What happens in a Spending Review? ExplainerWhat is a Spending Review? Who started it? How is it different from a Budget? Ben Zaranko explains what happens in a Spending Review.19 November 2020
'Levelling Up' explained ExplainerWe look at what the government should consider when pursuing its 'levelling up' agenda.2 October 2020
Who are the top 1% of income tax payers? ExplainerHow different are the 1% from the rest, how did they get to where they are, and what – if anything – should policy do about it?22 January 2020
Rising in work poverty isn't just about low pay ExplainerWe have identified four key reasons for the rising in-work poverty rate, and it isn’t all just about low pay, as Jonathan Cribb explains.19 June 2019
What can we learn from Sure Start? ExplainerTo what extent has Sure Start benefitted children’s health? Which groups of children benefit the most? How might these benefits have come about?4 June 2019
Universal Credit: Winners and Losers ExplainerWe review the impact of reforms to the benefit system and explain who will gain and who will lose out as a consequence of universal credit.23 May 2019
How are health and economic outcomes linked? ExplainerDavid Sturrock takes us through the latest data on how health and economic incomes are linked.9 January 2019
What are the options for raising taxes? ExplainerIf the Chancellor wants to meet his commitments to eliminate the deficit, and provide extra funding for the NHS, he will need to lower spending elsewh17 October 2018
Poor health, living standards and poverty ExplainerWho's more likely to be in poor health in the working age population? How does their experience in the labour market differ?20 June 2018
Living standards and income inequality ExplainerHow has income growth has differed across the population and what implications this has had for income inequality?20 June 2018
The National Living Wage: What's happened to pay and living standards? ExplainerWe look at how low-paid workers’ pay, and their household living standards, have risen after the introduction of the National Living Wage in 2016.20 June 2018
