Real-terms departmental spending growth, 2024–25 to 2028–29, day-to-day spending and capital spending, plans at Spring Budget 2024 and Autumn Budget 2024

Understand this issue

Biggest welfare saving fiscal events (policy measures targeted at working-age and children)

data item

Today it was confirmed that the changes to welfare represent a £4.2bn net saving by 2029-30 (2025-26 prices). 

26 March 2025

How important is the OBR forecast?

podcast

The OBR forecast will underpin the Chancellor’s decisions at the next Spring Forecast.

12 February 2025

Change in selected departmental capital budgets since 2007–08

data item

The Ministry of Justice saw the biggest cuts to its capital budget over the 2010s, but then has seen the largest relative increases since.

11 February 2025

Policy analysis

Spring Statement 2025: initial IFS response

comment

In response to deteriorating global economic conditions, Rachel Reeves chose to fine-tune her spending plans to continue to meet her fiscal rules. 

26 March 2025

Spending & revenues as a share of national income: out-turn and March 2025 forecast

data item

Government spending in 2029-30 is set to remain 4% of national income above its pre-pandemic level.
 

26 March 2025

Current budget as a share of national income: out-turn and October 2024 forecast

data item

There has not been a sizeable current budget surplus for over twenty years.

24 March 2025

Academic research

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

The impact of area level mental health interventions on outcomes for secondary school pupils: Evidence from the HeadStart programme in England

working paper

This paper provides the first robust evaluation of the impacts on school outcomes of HeadStart for area-level mental health interventions.

13 October 2022

Prioritization, risk selection, and illness severity in a mixed health care system

working paper

We study the link between illness severity and the use of public health care services by the privately insured under a public health system.

16 June 2022