Welcome to IFS

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) is the UK’s leading independent economics research institute. Our world-class research helps policymakers – and those who hold them accountable – understand the impact that policy decisions have on individuals, households and businesses.

IFS is supported by ESRC

We are recognised as a global centre of excellence and have been granted official ESRC Research Institute status. The Research Centre at the heart of IFS is the CPP.

Find out more

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IFS Annual Lecture: Trade Wars and the Future of Globalisation

conference 20 May 2025 at 18:30

Professor Meredith Crowley will deliver the 2025 IFS Annual Lecture.

Where and how does the government spend its money?

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Explore how and where the government spends money, and how this has changed over time, in all regions and nations of the UK

10 April 2025

Drastic times need drastic action: breaking the 50-year tax taboo

comment

Rachel Reeves should consider increasing the basic rate, just as Denis Healey did in 1975

14 April 2025

Which places have the highest standard of living?

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Measuring living standards using average household spending gives a starkly different picture of regional inequalities than using average income.

11 April 2025

What's the future of corporation tax?

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Corporation tax was introduced 60 years ago. Despite many predictions of its decline, it is now forecast to raise record amounts.

10 April 2025

Exploring regional differences in public spending across England

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How much does the government spend in each region of England and how does that compare with regional economic activity?

10 April 2025

Browse all our research and analysis

Rigorous, trusted economic analysis and commentary is needed now more than ever

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Our impact stats

71: working papers written by IFS authors in 2024
102: journal articles published by IFS authors in 2024. Over the past decade we have had 47 articles in the top five economics journals
71,967: mentions in the UK media in 2024
270: mentions in parliamentary debates in 2024
368: UK government policy documents that cited IFS and its research in 2024

Latest working papers

Our IFS working paper series publishes academic papers by staff and IFS associates.

Small area consumption estimates for local authorities in Great Britain

working paper

In this paper, we estimate average equivalised consumption measures across local authority districts in Great Britain.

11 April 2025

Subjective expectations and demand for contraception

working paper

We collect data on the subjective beliefs of married, adult women not wanting a pregnancy and estimate a structural model of contraceptive choices.

9 April 2025

The impact of labour demand shocks when occupational labour supplies are heterogeneous

working paper

We develop a tractable equilibrium model of the labour market with heterogeneous labour supply elasticities by occupation and across occupation pairs.

8 April 2025

Browse all our working papers

Journal articles

Our staff and associates contribute papers to leading academic journals.

Complementarities in the production of child health

journal articleJournal of Human Capital

We show that water, sanitation and hygiene practices (WASH) and nutrition are complements in the formation of child height and weight.

2 April 2025

Why do couples and singles save during retirement? Household heterogeneity and its aggregate implications

journal articleJournal of Political Economy

We find that most households save more for medical expenses than for bequests but that richer households and couples save more for bequests.

1 March 2025

Does the reference period matter when evaluating the effect of SNAP on food insecurity?

journal articleApplied Economic Perspectives and Policy

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the cornerstone food assistance program in the United States.

1 December 2024

See all journal articles

Featured researchers

IFS has a strong record in training excellent social scientists, some of whom continue to work at IFS for many years; others go on to use the skills they have acquired in academia, policymaking, business or the media.

See all our researchers here