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

Paul Johnson’s final episode: big challenges ahead for the UK economy

podcast

In Paul's final episode, he speaks with incoming IFS Director Helen Miller about the big economic pressures facing the UK.

9 July 2025

How to fix UK pensions?

podcast

Can the UK pensions system deliver a decent standard of living in retirement? We explore the challenges and changes needed.

4 July 2025

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

Policy analysis

Rachel Reeves will need to face up to fantasists on both sides

comment

The chancellor has to somehow reconcile tax and spending, but both her own Labour MPs and the Tory opposition are still living in a dream world 

7 July 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

The Pensions Review: final recommendations

report

We provide concrete recommendations to improve the UK pension system to secure better standards of living for future pensioners.

2 July 2025

Academic research

The fiscal contract up close: Experimental evidence from Mexico City

working paper

We analyse the impact of local public infrastructure on tax compliance, leveraging a large public investment experiment and property tax records. 

14 August 2024

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