The fiscal crisis and welfare benefits in the UK: big cuts and radical reforms

Understand this issue

Election Special: Your questions answered

podcast

In the final run up to the election, we answer your questions about everything from borrowing to AI to the part that luck plays in the economy.

27 June 2024

What is the two-child limit in benefits?

explainer

IFS Associate Director Tom Waters explains.

27 June 2024

Election Special: The Labour manifesto explained

podcast

We discuss the Labour manifesto launched on Thursday and give our reaction to the policies and pledges within it.

14 June 2024

Policy analysis

What are the parties’ plans for benefits and taxes?

calculator

Use our simple interactive tool to see how the parties’ plans for benefits and taxes would impact household incomes over the next five years.

24 June 2024

How would the parties’ tax and spending plans affect Scotland and Wales?

report

This ‘explainer’ looks at how the parties’ proposals would affect Scotland and Wales, covering tax, spending, public finances and the constitution.

28 June 2024

The two-child limit: poverty, incentives and cost

comment

What impact has the ‘two-child limit’ in universal credit had, and what policy choices does the next government face?

17 June 2024

Academic research

The labor market effects of disability benefit loss

working paper

Leveraging age and health cutoffs in the reassessment, the paper estimates employment responses to loss or reduction of benefits.

29 September 2023

Is it time to reboot welfare economics? Overview

journal article

The articles in this Fiscal Studies symposium engage with the question of how to revive normative questions as a central issue in economic scholarship

5 September 2023

The menopause "penalty"

working paper

We estimate the effect of menopause diagnosis on employment and earnings, reliance on social safety net programs, and demand for medical care.

18 March 2024