The £600 billion problem awaiting the next governmentpodcastWe speak to David Gauke and Giles Wilkes, two experts who have been at the heart of the spending review process.25 April 2024
Public investment: what you need to knowexplainerEverything you wanted to know about UK public investment but were too afraid to ask – including analysis of Labour and Conservative plans.25 April 2024
The way Chancellors respond to economic news adds to our debt - here's whyexplainerChancellors don’t respond symmetrically to good and bad economic news. The result is higher debt. 1 March 2024
The Spring Budget 2024 explained in 90 secondsexplainerIFS Director Paul Johnson gives an initial response to Jeremy Hunt's Spring Budget.6 March 2024
How tight public finances will shape the 2024 electionexplainerBen Zaranko explains how the next general election will be shaped by the fiscal challenges facing the political parties.13 February 2024
The changes to Labour's green investment plan explainedexplainerBen Zaranko explains Labour's latest announcement that it will no longer seek to spend £28 billion per year on green investment.9 February 2024
The economic stories that will shape 2024podcastAs we enter the new year, we take a look ahead at what to expect in 2024.5 January 2024
The NHS waiting list: when will it come down?podcastWe discuss all things waiting list - What is it? How big is it? Is there a credible plan to get it back down?29 February 2024
Should we abolish the triple lock?explainerPaul Johnson talks us through the triple lock and whether it is still a useful policy tool. 18 December 2023
This will be the biggest tax-raising parliament on recordexplainerThis has been the biggest tax-raising parliament since records began, pushing UK tax revenues to historically high levels.29 September 2023
Why we need to reform inheritance taxpodcastWe discuss the issues with inheritance tax and how to reform it.6 December 2023
Income and wealth inequality explained in 5 chartsexplainerWe document how economic inequalities have changed over the last sixty years, and how experiences have varied for different groups.9 November 2022
What's wrong with inflation?podcastInflation continues to affect the UK economy - we speak to two experts on inflation who explain the bigger picture.10 May 2023
Why politicians need to think long-term about pensionspodcastWe talk through the challenges facing the UK pensions system and future generations of pensioners.26 April 2023
The future of the state pensionpodcastWe discuss the current challenges facing the state pension - and options for reform. 21 December 2023
Should the government levy VAT on private school fees?explainerLabour have proposed levying VAT at the main rate of 20% on private school fees. Paul Johnson lays out the facts in 90 seconds.9 November 2023
Inheritance tax raises £7bn a year. It needs reform.explainerWe lay out issues with the inheritance tax system and examine options for reform.10 October 2023
Student loans in England explained and options for reformexplainerHow does the student loan system currently work in England, what will change for new students in 2023, and what are some of the options for reform?20 July 2023
The housing crisis for low-income private renters explainedexplainerTom Waters explains how the freezes in housing benefit are affecting low-income renters.29 June 2023
Should we abolish inheritance tax?explainerRecently there have been calls to abolish inheritance tax. Paul Johnson takes us through the facts in 90 seconds.7 June 2023
Why are more and more people paying the higher rate of tax?explainerIn recent decades, the amount of adults paying the higher rate of tax has increased enormously. In this explainer, we explain the reasons why.17 May 2023
How are private pensions taxed?explainerPrivate pensions form a key part of retirement saving. We explore how they are taxed.3 April 2023
Where does the government get its money? The Government raises around £1 trillion in revenue each year. Most comes from the three biggest taxes: income tax, NICs and VAT.Election 2024
How have government revenues changed over time? UK tax revenue is forecast to reach its highest ever level. One major trend since the 1970s has been a shift towards VAT.Election 2024
How do UK tax revenues compare internationally? UK tax revenue is below the average of other developed economies. The UK stands out as raising less from social security contributions.Election 2024
What does the government spend money on? In 2022–23, government spending was almost £1,200 billion, or around 45% of GDP. Health spending is a growing share of the total.Election 2024
