The UK labour market and labour market policies

Understand this issue

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

comment

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

14 April 2025

Minimum wages in the UK – how high can they go?

comment

In the UK today, earnings inequality is substantially higher than it used to be.

30 October 2024

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

Policy analysis

Combined impact of minimum wage and tax increases may reduce opportunities for young people

comment

Upcoming increases in the minimum wage and employer NICs could make it harder for young people entering the labour force.

1 April 2025

Here’s a pension tweak for nudging civil servants to work past 60

comment

Public sector pension rules are a mess that helps neither workers nor the government. Fixing them could be a win-win.

28 April 2025

Scottish public sector employment and pay

report

How have public sector pay and employment changed in Scotland in recent years and what are the implications of those changes?

18 February 2025

Academic research

The impact of labour demand shocks when occupational labour supplies are heterogeneous

working paper

We develop a tractable equilibrium model of the labour market with heterogeneous labour supply elasticities by occupation and across occupation pairs.

8 April 2025

The menopause "penalty"

working paper

We show that a menopause diagnosis leads to lasting drops in earnings and employment, alongside greater reliance on social transfers.

21 March 2025

Firm quality and health maintenance

working paper

We estimate the impact of firm quality – primarily measured by firm productivity – on the health maintenance of employees.

18 December 2024