In the great state pension debate, the main political parties have switched sides from where they stood six years ago. In opposition Labour argued that pensioners should no longer be subjected to means-testing, but in government they have extended it. Now it is the Conservatives in opposition who say means-testing should go, despite raising meanstested benefits more than universal support when they were in office.
Press Release details
- Publisher
- IFS
More from IFS
Understand this issue
Cuts to council services likely unless cost pressures abate – even with the biggest council tax increases for 20 years
press release
Cuts to some council services are likely unless spending pressures abate, even with big increases in council tax and especially in more deprived areas
21 June 2024
IFS Deputy Director Carl Emmerson made a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences
announcement
Deputy Director Carl Emmerson has been elected as a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences.
4 March 2024
Statement on Alistair Darling's passing
announcement
Paul Johnson reflects on the death of our Pensions Review Chair Alistair Darling
4 December 2023
Policy analysis
320,000 people pushed into poverty because of mortgage interest rate rises
press release
"Poverty statistics that hide the real scale of increases risk policymakers missing what is truly happening to poverty."
25 July 2024
IFS response to new government's 'fiscal lock'
press release
"The new government’s ‘fiscal lock’ is broadly sensible but largely performative."
18 July 2024
Main parties’ manifestos tell us little about the funding individual public services would actually receive
press release
Labour and the Conservatives' manifestos are continuing a conspiracy of silence when it comes to public service spending plans.
23 June 2024
Academic research
Very weak income growth for poor pensioners has meant rising pensioner poverty since 2011
press release
This report examines the key trends in pensioner incomes and poverty over the past two decades.
19 July 2024
Oxford University Press publishes the IFS Deaton Review of Inequalities
announcement
Multi-year IFS review published by Oxford University Press in special edition of the journal Oxford Open Economics.
17 July 2024
Itay Saporta Eksten visits IFS
announcement
We are pleased to welcome Professor Itay Saporta Eksten as a visitor to the IFS for the next eighteen months.
31 January 2024