Ben Zaranko

Unlike most taxes, land value tax doesn’t discourage people from working, investing or building. So why don’t we use it more?

Business rates are blamed for killing the high street. But would cutting them actually help shops and pubs - or simply make landlords richer?

Explore how and where the government spends money, and how this has changed over time, in all regions and nations of the UK

Spring Forecast: headline numbers look steady but higher energy prices could lift UK inflation, rates and borrowing faster than expected.

IFS researchers respond to the Chancellor’s Spring Forecast, which was presented against an uncertain global backdrop with little new policy.

The Spring Forecast is unlikely to feature policy changes but could highlight risks to the public finances for the year ahead.

ONS figures released today show borrowing in the first 10 months of the year is £15 billion below the same months last year.

An assessment of the UK's fiscal framework and the case for reform

The UK’s approach to fiscal policy needs a rethink. The current framework, based around a set of pass–fail fiscal rules, isn’t working well. 

Why UK fiscal rules drive “headroom” politics, policy churn and rising debt, and how a dashboard approach could improve sustainability and debate.

Short-staffed and less experienced nursing teams deliver worse outcomes in NHS hospitals – with some patient groups particularly affected.    

The adult social care sector in England faces long-standing and well-documented workforce challenges.

We unpack the Budget’s quieter tax changes, from EV policy to savings and investment reforms, and explore what these small shifts really mean.

From tax rises to new spending pressures, we break down the major decisions in a packed Autumn Budget and what they mean for the UK.

IFS researchers provide a response to the new economic forecast and major policy announcements contained in the 2025 Budget.

New figures from the ONS show that borrowing is overshooting the official forecast for the first seven months of the year by £9.9 billion. 

Where does the government spend its money, why are cuts challenging, and what options does the Chancellor really have to reduce the size of the state.