Finance

IFS is non-profit and non-political and receives funding from a range of sources

How we are funded

IFS is non-profit and non-political and receives funding from a range of sources, including the Economic and Social Research Council, UK government departments, foundations, the European Research Council, international organisations, companies and other non-profit organisations. 

Funding is received either for specific research projects and via our ESRC research institute, the Centre for the Microeconomic Analysis of Public Policy Research. We also have funding through a competitively awarded UKRI/ESRC Impact Acceleration Account (IAA). Councils award funding for academic research independently of government; funding is awarded on the basis of scientific excellence, through a process of peer-review. IFS never accepts funding for a research project - or indeed funding of any kind - that relies on a specific result being found or that compromises our independence and neutrality.

IFS operates to December year-end. As such, full independently audited figures are only available later in the year - normally June/July.

All of our own publications are available free of charge for the public to read.

IFS received the highest rating for transparency in information made public about funding from Who Funds You? (rated A - last rating in 2024).

The majority of IFS income goes directly to specific research projects. Below is a list showing income from individual funders for projects current in 2025. See the attached spreadsheet for details of individual projects and notes about funders.

Project funding (2025)

Funder nameIncome 2025 (£)
Aberdeen Group Charitable Trust, funded under the Trust's prior charitable name, abrdn Financial Fairness Trust386,547 
Arnold Ventures18,635
British Academy151,668 
Cabinet Office47,257
Consortium (LFG)37,610
Consortium funding (ELSA)151,428 
Consortium funding (RSC)305,746 
Consortium funding (TLRC)10,301 
Department for Education180,663 
Department for Work and Pensions92,381 
Economic and Social Research Council4,026,166
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office2,177,809
HM Treasury22,860
Homes England37,164
Inter-American Development Bank33,149
Jacobs Foundation21,666 
Joseph Rowntree Foundation162,189 
Leverhulme Trust123,684 
Medical Research Council322,835
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government9,927
National Institute for Health Research722,113 
Nesta90,698 
Nuffield Foundation840,149 
Office for National Statistics36,714 
Rockwool Foundation Research Unit198,288 
Scottish Government49,750
Social Mobility Commission84,750 
The Health Foundation176,305 
UK Research and Innovation92,633 
USAID78,570 
Welsh Government6,241
World Bank22,487
Youth Endowment Fund425,760 

The Institute also generates a small contribution to its overall costs from its members (1.4%) including corporate members (1%), publication of the Institute’s quarterly journal, Fiscal Studies (0.6%), and its events programme (1.3%).

 

Corporate members (2025)

We are grateful to all of our members for helping to support the work that we do. Please note that none of our publications necessarily reflect the views of any of the below members.

RCM£16,000.00
Standard Life£12,000.00
Amazon£12,000.00
Brevan Howard£12,000.00
Elliot Advisors (UK) Ltd£12,000.00
Fusion 21£12,000.00
HM Revenue and Customs£12,000.00
Indepen£12,000.00
Homes England£12,000.00
Royal London Group£12,000.00
Deloitte LLP£12,000.00
Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT)£6,000.00
BUFDG£6,000.00
Utmost£6,000.00
Frontier Economics£6,000.00
HM Treasury£6,000.00
KPMG£6,000.00
Lane Clark & Peacock£6,000.00
National Audit Office£6,000.00
THFC£6,000.00
RELX Group£6,000.00
Bank of England£5,000.00
House of Commons Library£500.00
Instituto de Estudios Fiscale£150.00

The above list shows only income recognised on corporate membership in 2025, under UK accounting rules. For the full list of corporate members, visit our Corporate Members page.

Annual reports and accounts

Accounts for 2025
Accounts for 2024 
Accounts for 2023
Accounts for 2022
Accounts for 2021
Accounts for 2020
Accounts for 2019
Accounts for 2018
Accounts for 2017
Accounts for 2016
Accounts for 2015
Accounts for 2014
Accounts for 2013
Accounts for 2012
Accounts for 2011
Accounts for 2010
Accounts for 2009
Accounts for 2008
Accounts for 2007
Accounts for 2006
Accounts for 2005
Accounts for 2004
Accounts for 2003
Accounts for 2002
Accounts for 2001
Accounts for 2000
Accounts for 1999