The outlook for living standards

Understand this issue

Drastic times need drastic action: breaking the 50-year tax taboo

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Rachel Reeves should consider increasing the basic rate, just as Denis Healey did in 1975 

14 April 2025

Average household consumption spending before and after housing costs, and mean weekly per-capita income, in different local authorities, 2018–2019

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Londoners may have the highest average incomes, but their household spending once you account for housing costs is lower than other regions.

11 April 2025

Rank of local authorities by average household income compared to rank by average consumption after housing costs

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On average, London local authorities rank at the top of the income distribution, but are bottom of the net-of-housing consumption distribution.

11 April 2025

Policy analysis

Where and how does the government spend its money?

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

10 April 2025

Which places have the highest standard of living?

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Measuring living standards using average household spending gives a starkly different picture of regional inequalities than using average income.

11 April 2025

Scottish Fiscal Sustainability Report – immediate response

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Today’s SFC report highlights the fiscal challenges facing the Scottish and UK governments over coming decades.

8 April 2025

Academic research

Tax evasion and the contribution-benefit link: the case of maternity benefits

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This paper studies tax evasion and the contribution-benefit link in the context of maternity benefits in Hungary.

18 December 2024

Wage effects of means-tested transfers: Incidence implications of using firms as intermediaries

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We show that how countries disburse tax credits matters for economic incidence by exploiting reform to the disbursement of child benefits in Argentina

22 October 2024

Tax preferences and housing affordability: Exploration using a life-cycle model

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We present a dynamic life-cycle model of demand for housing, including owner occupied housing, investment property and liquid assets.

21 October 2024