One year of Labour government: Is mission-driven politics really happening? podcast<article class="text-token-text-primary w-full" dir="auto" data-testid="conversation-turn-8" data-scroll-anchor="true"><div class="text-base my-auto mx-auto pb-10 [--thread-content-margin:--spacing(4)] @[37rem]:[--thread-content-margin:--spacing(6)] @[72rem]:[--thread-content-margin:--spacing(16)] px-(--thread-content-margin)"><div class="[--thread-content-max-width:32rem] @[34rem]:[--thread-content-max-width:40rem] @[64rem]:[--thread-content-max-width:48rem] mx-auto flex max-w-(--thread-content-max-width) flex-1 text-base gap-4 md:gap-5 lg:gap-6 group/turn-messages focus-visible:outline-hidden" tabindex="-1"><div class="group/conversation-turn relative flex w-full min-w-0 flex-col agent-turn"><div class="relative flex-col gap-1 md:gap-3"><div class="flex max-w-full flex-col grow"><div class="min-h-8 text-message relative flex w-full flex-col items-end gap-2 text-start break-words whitespace-normal [.text-message+&]:mt-5" data-message-author-role="assistant" data-message-id="03e37e06-66d3-4aef-942d-d900469b56d7" dir="auto" data-message-model-slug="gpt-4o"><div class="flex w-full flex-col gap-1 empty:hidden first:pt-[3px]"><div class="markdown prose dark:prose-invert w-full break-words dark"><p data-start="0" data-end="161" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">One year into Labour’s government, we assess whether its mission-driven approach has changed how it governs and what progress has been made.</p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></article>18 July 2025
How to fix UK pensions? podcast<p>Can the UK pensions system deliver a decent standard of living in retirement? We explore the challenges and changes needed.</p>4 July 2025
The policy that changed childhood in the UK podcast<p>What was Sure Start, what impact did it have, and why does it still matter? We speak to Christine Farquharson and Ed Balls to find out.</p>26 June 2025
Labour’s first year in power: is this still a mission-driven government? event 15 July 2025 <p>The Institute for Fiscal Studies and the Institute for Government discussed Labour's first year in power at a joint event.</p>
Jobs landing page<p>At IFS, we recruit and train top-quality economists and professional support staff. We aim to foster a respectful and inclusive working environment.</p>20 July 2022
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A response to the government’s Best Start in Life strategy CommentThe government has set itself a target to have 75% of five-year-olds reaching a good level of development by 2028.8 July 2025
A wealth tax would be a poor substitute for properly taxing the sources and uses of wealth CommentThere is growing speculation about whether taxes will go up in the Autumn Budget and – if so – which ones.8 July 2025
Rachel Reeves will need to face up to fantasists on both sides CommentThe chancellor has to somehow reconcile tax and spending, but both her own Labour MPs and the Tory opposition are still living in a dream world 7 July 2025
Changes to the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill mean no savings for the Chancellor in this Parliament CommentThe government’s original reform was set to save £5.5 billion in the short run (by 2029–30) and double that in the long run when fully rolled out.1 July 2025
Changes to benefit reforms reduce saving from bill by £3bn in 2029-30 but create huge difference in support between claimants CommentThese changes more than halve the saving of the package of reforms, making the Chancellor’s already difficult Budget balancing act much harder.27 June 2025
Options for adjustments to the universal credit and personal independence payment bill CommentThere's significant speculation that some of the proposed disability benefit changes will be scaled back: we discuss some of the government's options.26 June 2025
The tax system is making net zero more costly than it has to be CommentThe tax system pushes businesses and households away from electricity towards gas, making net zero more costly to achieve.25 June 2025
An immediate response to Scottish fiscal announcements CommentIFS researchers respond to Scottish fiscal announcements. 25 June 2025
A response to government commitment to spend 5% of GDP on national security CommentA response to the government's announcement that it will commit to spending 5% of national income on national security in 2035.24 June 2025
Treasury must not favour politics over evidence in spending decisions CommentChanges proposed in the fabled Green Book review could end up being highly consequential and tell us how the government is thinking — which worries me23 June 2025
Response to Reform’s Britannia card proposal CommentReform UK's tax plans aim to attract wealthy migrants but raise concerns over revenue impact, domicile rules, and administrative complexity.23 June 2025
Immediate response to the government’s consultation on local government funding reform CommentThe government has today published a long-awaited consultation on reform of the local government funding system in England. 20 June 2025
Council tax hikes will do the heavy lifting CommentIFS Senior Research Economist Kate Ogden writes in Municipal Journal about what the 2025 Spending Review will mean for public services and councils.17 June 2025
What does the Spending Review really mean for FE? CommentThe chancellor has pledged an extra £1.2 billion annually for FE by 2028-29. But will this be enough to reverse a decade of cuts?12 June 2025
What the Spending Review really means for schools CommentThe next few years are going to be very tight for school budgets and forecasting anything more than a real-terms freeze is highly optimistic.12 June 2025
Popularity of new childcare entitlements could leave spending much higher than initially forecast CommentNew childcare entitlements have proven popular – meaning spending from 2026 onwards could be £1 billion higher than originally forecast.12 June 2025
Spending Review 2025 – an initial response CommentWhich public services are the relative winners and losers from Rachel Reeves’ multi-year 2025 Spending Review?11 June 2025
Expanding eligibility for the winter fuel payment CommentThe income threshold below which pensioners will be eligible for the winter fuel payment (WFP) is set to rise.9 June 2025
If the NHS is treated well, other services will feel the squeeze CommentRachel Reeves is to allocate between competing priorities with her spending review, and a 2.5 per cent rise for health could mean cuts elsewhere9 June 2025
Benefits - and costs - of expanding access to free school meals will grow over time CommentExpanded access to free school meals will benefit 1.7 million children in the long run, but existing transitional protections limit effects next year.4 June 2025
Commentary: all content
Showing 1 – 20 of 1314 results
A response to the government’s Best Start in Life strategy
The government has set itself a target to have 75% of five-year-olds reaching a good level of development by 2028.
8 July 2025
A wealth tax would be a poor substitute for properly taxing the sources and uses of wealth
There is growing speculation about whether taxes will go up in the Autumn Budget and – if so – which ones.
8 July 2025
Rachel Reeves will need to face up to fantasists on both sides
The chancellor has to somehow reconcile tax and spending, but both her own Labour MPs and the Tory opposition are still living in a dream world
7 July 2025
Changes to the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill mean no savings for the Chancellor in this Parliament
The government’s original reform was set to save £5.5 billion in the short run (by 2029–30) and double that in the long run when fully rolled out.
1 July 2025
Changes to benefit reforms reduce saving from bill by £3bn in 2029-30 but create huge difference in support between claimants
These changes more than halve the saving of the package of reforms, making the Chancellor’s already difficult Budget balancing act much harder.
27 June 2025
Options for adjustments to the universal credit and personal independence payment bill
There's significant speculation that some of the proposed disability benefit changes will be scaled back: we discuss some of the government's options.
26 June 2025
The tax system is making net zero more costly than it has to be
The tax system pushes businesses and households away from electricity towards gas, making net zero more costly to achieve.
25 June 2025
An immediate response to Scottish fiscal announcements
IFS researchers respond to Scottish fiscal announcements.
25 June 2025
A response to government commitment to spend 5% of GDP on national security
A response to the government's announcement that it will commit to spending 5% of national income on national security in 2035.
24 June 2025
Treasury must not favour politics over evidence in spending decisions
Changes proposed in the fabled Green Book review could end up being highly consequential and tell us how the government is thinking — which worries me
23 June 2025
Response to Reform’s Britannia card proposal
Reform UK's tax plans aim to attract wealthy migrants but raise concerns over revenue impact, domicile rules, and administrative complexity.
23 June 2025
Immediate response to the government’s consultation on local government funding reform
The government has today published a long-awaited consultation on reform of the local government funding system in England.
20 June 2025
Council tax hikes will do the heavy lifting
IFS Senior Research Economist Kate Ogden writes in Municipal Journal about what the 2025 Spending Review will mean for public services and councils.
17 June 2025
What does the Spending Review really mean for FE?
The chancellor has pledged an extra £1.2 billion annually for FE by 2028-29. But will this be enough to reverse a decade of cuts?
12 June 2025
What the Spending Review really means for schools
The next few years are going to be very tight for school budgets and forecasting anything more than a real-terms freeze is highly optimistic.
12 June 2025
Popularity of new childcare entitlements could leave spending much higher than initially forecast
New childcare entitlements have proven popular – meaning spending from 2026 onwards could be £1 billion higher than originally forecast.
12 June 2025
Spending Review 2025 – an initial response
Which public services are the relative winners and losers from Rachel Reeves’ multi-year 2025 Spending Review?
11 June 2025
Expanding eligibility for the winter fuel payment
The income threshold below which pensioners will be eligible for the winter fuel payment (WFP) is set to rise.
9 June 2025
If the NHS is treated well, other services will feel the squeeze
Rachel Reeves is to allocate between competing priorities with her spending review, and a 2.5 per cent rise for health could mean cuts elsewhere
9 June 2025
Benefits - and costs - of expanding access to free school meals will grow over time
Expanded access to free school meals will benefit 1.7 million children in the long run, but existing transitional protections limit effects next year.
4 June 2025