The economic, fiscal and funding outlook

Understand this issue

Is Labour's inheritance really worse than expected?

podcast

We assess the Chancellor's statement on Monday about the state of the public finances.

30 July 2024

Can the new government fix the NHS?

podcast

We look at the key challenges facing the NHS, and what the new government could do to tackle them.

14 August 2024

Rachel Reeves' speech might set the tone for the rest of her time as Chancellor

comment

Ben Zaranko writes for The Sun.

28 July 2024

Policy analysis

Devolution may be sexier, but updating the local government finance system is vital

comment

Any plans for devolution need to be accompanied by updates to English councils’ hideously outdated funding allocations.

3 September 2024

Lower oil and gas prices hit Scotland’s underlying public finances in 2023-24

comment

Scotland’s notional fiscal deficit rose by £4.7 billion (2% of GDP) in 2023–24, as lower oil and gas prices hit North Sea revenues.

14 August 2024

Definitions of debt and the new government’s fiscal rules

comment

The new government has an ‘ironclad’ commitment to reduce government debt. It matters which definition of debt is used for the fiscal rule.

7 August 2024

Academic research

6th World Bank/IFS/ODI Public Finance Conference | Driving Progress: Public Finance and Structural Transformation

conference 26 September 2024

We invite researchers from both academic and policy institutions to submit a paper or an extended abstract of two or more pages by April.

The unintended consequences of infrastructure development

working paper

Focusing on the period from 2005 to 2015 in Peru, I investigate the social costs imposed by poor implementation of public infrastructure.

8 May 2024

Unfunded mandates and taxation

journal article

In 2006, the Chinese central government increased civil servant salaries and pensions and used either unfunded and funded mandates in different areas.

14 March 2024