
At this online event, IFS researchers outlined some of the constraints facing the Chancellor ahead of the Spring Budget.
Downloads

Download the event slides
PDF | 208.73 KB
The Spring Budget on 6 March could be the last fiscal set-piece before the next general election, and may end up defining the campaign. Despite pressure to cut taxes, the outlook for the public finances remains weak, with the Chancellor's own forecasts suggesting he is only just on course to meet his fiscal targets after November's Autumn Statement.
At this online event, IFS researchers outlined some of the constraints facing the Chancellor ahead of the Spring Budget. They covered the current state of the public finances (and in particular how it might have changed since the Autumn Statement), some of the spending pressures on the government, and what this might mean for the Budget.
Authors

Deputy Director
Carl, a Deputy Director, is an editor of the IFS Green Budget, an expert on the UK pension system and sits on the Social Security Advisory Committee.
Presentation details
- DOI
- 10.1920/ps.ifs.2024.0005
- Publisher
- Institute for Fiscal Studies
Suggested citation
Emmerson, C. (2024). 'Spring Budget 2024: the Chancellor’s options' [Presentation]. Online: Institute for Fiscal Studies. Available at: https://ifs.org.uk/publications/spring-budget-2024-chancellors-options (accessed: 15 February 2025).
More from IFS
Understand this issue

What is this government’s ‘theory of growth’? Nobody knows
"Shifting the performance of an entire economy requires a long-term, consistent and persistent direction." Paul Johnson writes for the Times.
20 January 2025

How important is the OBR forecast?
The OBR forecast will underpin the Chancellor’s decisions at the next Spring Forecast.
12 February 2025

Change in selected departmental capital budgets since 2007–08
The Ministry of Justice saw the biggest cuts to its capital budget over the 2010s, but then has seen the largest relative increases since.
11 February 2025
Policy analysis

Scottish school spending, teachers and pupil numbers
Scotland’s schools are relatively well funded. Falling pupil rolls and workforce planning represent both challenges and opportunities going forwards.
14 February 2025

How can policy boost productivity growth?
At this policy conference, four panels of experts will give their perspectives and recommendations on four key areas of the UK’s productivity problem.

Scottish Government should grasp the nettle of council tax reform
Broader reform alongside a council tax revaluation could improve the fairness and efficiency of the Scottish tax system.
12 February 2025
Academic research

Tax evasion and the contribution-benefit link: the case of maternity benefits
This paper studies tax evasion and the contribution-benefit link in the context of maternity benefits in Hungary.
18 December 2024

Survey of the Ghanaian Tax System
This edition of the Survey of Ghana’s Tax System provides a comprehensive overview of the tax system as of the start of 2024.
18 November 2024
