Comment

English councils’ core spending power set to increase 3.8% in real-terms next year, but increases will vary hugely across the country.

How can the UK achieve an 80% employment rate? What lessons can we learn from history and other countries?

2024/25 childcare funding rates offer real-terms protection for the early years budget, with a boost to the funding top-up for disadvantaged children

The prime minister’s rhetoric on housebuilding is welcome, but it won’t be enough without a complete overhaul of the planning system.

Shona Robison’s budget speech failed to set out a long-term plan for growth-enhancing reforms

Our initial response to the Scottish Government’s Budget for 2025-26.

The government has today published a policy statement outlining its plans for local government funding in England.

How is the NHS in Scotland performing, and what does this mean for the Scottish Budget?

The UK Budget has improved the Scottish funding outlook, but tough choices loom down the line 

Foregoing a degree for an apprenticeship, saving during Covid and being born and bred in the capital have helped. With sky-high rents, others are not.

The Autumn 2024 Budget brought some agricultural property into inheritance tax. What are the changes? Who will be affected? Were they a good idea?

Falls in funding for home students, a decline in international enrolments and higher labour costs put Scottish university finances under pressure.

Scotland’s income tax rises have likely increased tax avoidance and migration – but the size of the effects is uncertain.

Teenagers affected by austerity-induced youth club closures performed 4% worse in exams at age 16 and became 14% more likely to commit crimes. 

After a post-pandemic fall-off, NHS hospital productivity has increased over the last year, with hospital activity growing faster than staffing.

Tax and spending will increase by a huge 5% of national income this decade, but most of that increase occurred under the last government.

Following a bulge in claims, recent figures suggest new disability benefits may not pose as big a cost to the Scottish Budget 2024 as first feared.

We respond to government plans to increase the cap on tuition fees for England-domiciled undergraduate students.

Why might the government be justified in trying to influence what we eat, and how effective have these interventions been?

Increases in taxes and borrowing are not costless and the spending plans after 2025-26 are unlikely to survive contact with reality.