Trade Wars: The end of globalisation? podcast<p>Rising tariffs and trade wars are reshaping global trade. Is this the end of globalisation—and what does it mean for the UK and the world economy?</p>4 June 2025
Why is the government reforming health-related benefits? podcast<p>We discuss the government's welfare reforms aimed at helping sick and disabled people into work, and what the changes mean for health-related benefits</p>14 May 2025
What's the future of corporation tax? podcast<p><span style="color:black;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;">Corporation tax was introduced 60 years ago. Despite many predictions of its decline, it is now forecast to raise record amounts. </span></p>10 April 2025
CIOT/IFS Debate: What next for international tax co-operation? event 16 June 2025 <p>At this online event <span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);display:inline !important;float:none;font-family:"Open Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;font-size:16px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">an expert panel will debate the future of international tax co-operation.</span></p>
Scaling early childhood development programmes and policies in low- and middle-income countries conference 24 June 2025 <p><span data-teams="true">Thrive, on behalf of IFS and OPM, is hosting a two-day international interdisciplinary conference.</span></p>
IFS Deaton Review: Inequalities in the 21st Century special session at the RES 2025 Annual Conference announcement<p>This year's RES Conference features a special session on the IFS Deaton Review of Inequalities with key IFS contributors to the review.</p>16 June 2025
Jobs landing page<p>At IFS, we recruit and train top-quality economists and professional support staff. We aim to foster a respectful and inclusive working environment.</p>20 July 2022
Centre for the Microeconomic Analysis of Public Policy The Research Centre at the heart of IFS is the CPP.
Two-child limit mitigation in Scotland would help larger poor families but policy design could harm work incentivescommentMitigating the two-child limit policy would be an effective way to reduce child poverty, but designing an effective policy is not straightforward. 14 March 2025
The IFS Scottish Budget Report – 2025–26reportThis report analyses the Scottish Government’s Budget for 2025–26, with chapters on tax strategy, school spending, public sector pay and more.25 February 2025
Scottish Budget 2025-26: IFS analysisevent 20 February 2025 at 10:00 At this online event, IFS researchers presented their analysis of the Scottish Budget proposals and the wider Scottish tax and spending context.
Scottish Budget: the overall fiscal and spending outlookreportFunding and spending growth are set to slow. Without a top-up, health spending will be flat in 2025–26 and tricky trade-offs elsewhere loom too.20 February 2025
After a bumper top-up this year, current plans imply a real-terms freeze in day-to-day Scottish health and social care spending in 2025–26press releaseAfter £1.5 billion of in-year top-ups in 2024-25, the plans for day-to-day health and social care spending in 2025-26 represent a real-terms freeze.20 February 2025
Scottish public sector employment and payreportHow have public sector pay and employment changed in Scotland in recent years and what are the implications of those changes?18 February 2025
Public sector pay up by 5% in Scotland since 2019, in contrast to no UK-wide increasepress releaseAs a result, public sector workers in Scotland now enjoy a considerable pay premium relative to their counterparts in the rest of the UK.18 February 2025
Scottish school spending, teachers and pupil numbersreportScotland’s schools are relatively well funded. Falling pupil rolls and workforce planning represent both challenges and opportunities going forwards. 14 February 2025
Scottish Government and Scottish councils need a long-term plan for a schools system set to lose 90,000 pupilspress releaseBy 2040, the number of pupils in Scotland is projected to be 90,000 lower than in 2024. Policymakers face a major choice over how to respond.14 February 2025
Scottish council tax: ripe for reform reportCouncil tax in Scotland – as in England – is out of date, regressive and distortionary. How should it be reformed, and what would the effects be?12 February 2025
Scottish Government should grasp the nettle of council tax reformpress releaseBroader reform alongside a council tax revaluation could improve the fairness and efficiency of the Scottish tax system.12 February 2025
Assessing Scottish tax strategy and policyreportScotland’s Tax Strategy is welcome but says little concrete about tax policy. And some actual tax policy is divorced from any sensible strategy. 6 February 2025
Scottish Government boosts NHS spending – and holds £350 million in reservecommentIn-year top-ups mean big increases in Scottish NHS spending this year – but that means plans for 2025–26 now look relatively less generous.31 January 2025
Initial response to the Scottish Government’s 2024–25 Spring Budget Revision commentHow will the latest plans for spending in 2024–25 boost the amount that the Scottish Government has to spend next year and beyond?30 January 2025
SNP’s tax strategy is a missed opportunitycommentShona Robison’s budget speech failed to set out a long-term plan for growth-enhancing reforms5 December 2024
An initial response to the Scottish Budget commentOur initial response to the Scottish Government’s Budget for 2025-26.4 December 2024
NHS recovery in Scotland is lagging behind England’scommentHow is the NHS in Scotland performing, and what does this mean for the Scottish Budget?27 November 2024
The UK Budget has improved the Scottish funding outlook, but tough choices loom down the line commentThe UK Budget has improved the Scottish funding outlook, but tough choices loom down the line 26 November 2024
A decline in foreign students and higher costs create a perfect storm for Scottish universitiescommentFalls in funding for home students, a decline in international enrolments and higher labour costs put Scottish university finances under pressure.19 November 2024
The increases in Scotland’s top rate of income tax may have reduced revenues – although significant uncertainty remainscommentScotland’s income tax rises have likely increased tax avoidance and migration – but the size of the effects is uncertain.15 November 2024
What's gone wrong in the Crown Courts? podcast Delays in serious court cases are at record highs. We ask why the Crown Court backlog is growing—and if more money alone can solve it. 19 June 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
Spring Statement 2025: IFS Zooms In podcast What were the decisions and trade-offs made by Chancellor Reeves? 27 March 2025
Treasury must not favour politics over evidence in spending decisions comment Changes proposed in the fabled Green Book review could end up being highly consequential and tell us how the government is thinking — which worries me 23 June 2025
Council tax hikes will do the heavy lifting comment IFS Senior Research Economist Kate Ogden writes in Municipal Journal about what the 2025 Spending Review will mean for public services and councils. 17 June 2025
Popularity of new childcare entitlements could leave spending much higher than initially forecast comment New childcare entitlements have proven popular – meaning spending from 2026 onwards could be £1 billion higher than originally forecast. 12 June 2025
Future challenges for health and social care provision in the UK journal article We consider recent trends in health and social care productivity and the scope for future improvements. 6 June 2025
The future of public pension provision in the UK: challenges and trade-offs journal article The UK state pension system faces significant challenges given the country’s ageing population, but it is crucial for retirement finances. 6 June 2025
Do work search requirements work? Evidence from a UK reform targeting single parents working paper We assess whether work search requirements for out-of-work welfare claimants are effective in inducing individuals to work & delivering fiscal savings 1 February 2023
