Why is the UK so geographically unequal? podcast<p>We ask why the UK has such large regional divides, how they emerged, and what policymakers can realistically do to fix them.</p>18 June 2026
What does Britain think about inequality? podcast<p class="p1">Why do people care about inequality, and what do they want government to do about it?</p>11 June 2026
How unequal is Britain? podcast<p class="p1">We set out the facts on UK inequality, from income and wealth to opportunity, health and place.</p>4 June 2026
5th Workshop on the Economics of Crime for Junior Scholars workshop 22 June 2026 <p><em><span data-teams="true">This two-day conference brings together junior researchers on topics related to the economics of crime and criminal justice</span></em></p>
LSE-IFS-UCL-CEPR-Imperial Business School workshop on household finance workshop 30 June 2026 <p><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);color:rgb(37, 61, 64);display:inline !important;float:none;font-family:"DM Serif Text", serif;font-size:20px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">The IFS, in association with LSE, UCL, CEPR, and Imperial Business School, are organising a workshop on household finance.</span></p>
Increasing pension contributions: what would higher employer minimums mean? event 21 July 2026 <p>Join us as IFS researchers present findings on employer pension contributions and explore how higher minimum rates could affect workers and employers.</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
Centre for the Microeconomic Analysis of Public Policy The Research Centre at the heart of IFS is the CPP.
None of Scotland’s parties has fully faced up to the fiscal reality facing the next Scottish GovernmentcommentAll parties’ plans would add to the fiscal challenges facing the next Scottish Government – albeit to very different extents27 April 2026
Initial response to the SNP’s manifestocommentA manifesto pledging a bigger welfare state with or without independence, but which fails to properly confront the fiscal implications of its plans16 April 2026
Initial response to the Scottish Greens’ manifestocommentA manifesto with big tax and bigger spending increases – and a mixed bag of tax reforms.14 April 2026
Initial response to the Scottish Labour manifestocommentA focus on improving existing services rather than new entitlements or tax cuts13 April 2026
Initial response to the Scottish Conservatives’ manifestocommentA plan for big tax cuts that is costed on paper, but which may not survive contact with reality.8 April 2026
Initial response to Reform UK’s Scottish manifestocommentA plan bold in ambition, but lacking in fiscal credibility20 March 2026
Analysis of Reform UK proposal for income tax cuts in ScotlandcommentReform UK says it would cut income tax in Scotland if it wins the Scottish Parliament election in May.27 January 2026
Scottish Elections 2026: What are the parties’ plans on tax, spending and the economy?event 27 April 2026 at 13:30 A joint webinar with the Centre for Public Policy and the Institute for Fiscal Studies on the Scottish party manifestos and spending plans.
Scottish Elections 2026: Tax, spending and the economy (Aberdeen)event 28 April 2026 at 17:30 Join us and Aberdeen University ahead of the Scottish elections for expert analysis of fiscal policy and the parties' plans for the next five years.
Scottish Elections 2026: Tax, spending and the economy (Edinburgh)event 29 April 2026 at 18:00 Join us and the University of Edinburgh ahead of the Scottish elections for analysis of fiscal policy and the parties' plans for the next five years.
What does this election mean for Scotland’s future?podcastScotland has more funding and more powers, but the next Holyrood government still faces tough choices on tax, spending and public services.8 April 2026
The Scottish Government faces a fiscal reckoning – with spending cuts or tax rises on the way commentScottish Government funding likely to fall in 2027–28, meaning manifesto pledges could force spending cuts or increases to devolved taxes.27 May 2026
Labour market, living standards and poverty trends in ScotlandreportScotland’s child poverty rate is lower than in the rest of the UK – but ambitious 2030 targets are set to be missed2 April 2026
Scotland’s child poverty rate lower than in the rest of the UK – but ambitious 2030 targets set to be missedpress releaseScotland's ambitious 10% child poverty target by 2030 looks highly unlikely to be met despite significant devolved spending.2 April 2026
English hospitals are outperforming those in Scotland and WalescommentEnglish hospital services are in a relatively poor state - yet still look substantially better on many measures than those in Scotland and Wales20 March 2026
The Scottish Government’s record on tax and benefit policyreportScotland has made its tax and benefit system more progressive than the rest of the UK’s, but unnecessarily complex and distortionary.18 March 2026
Scotland’s devolved tax and benefit system is more progressive – but unnecessarily complex and distortionarypress releaseScotland has made its tax and benefit system more progressive than the rest of the UK’s, but unnecessarily complex and distortionary.18 March 2026
Public service spending and performance in ScotlandreportScottish public services are struggling to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, and cuts to some services loom.7 March 2026
Despite recent progress, Scottish public services are still performing substantially worse than before COVIDpress releaseFive years on from COVID, Scotland's public services are still struggling to recover7 March 2026
Recent changes and the future outlook for Scottish Government fundingreportAfter a period of growth, Scottish Government funding is set to flatline, forcing tough trade-offs on taxes, benefits and public service spending.17 February 2026
What is devolved to the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Senedd?explainerPoliticians in Holyrood and Cardiff Bay make decisions on some but not all public policies, taxes and areas of public spending.10 February 2026
How are the Scottish and Welsh Governments funded?explainerFunding from the UK government is the largest source of funding for both the Scottish and Welsh Governments.10 February 2026
The Barnett formulaexplainerAn explanation of the 'Barnett formula' used in funding arrangements for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.10 February 2026
Block grant adjustmentsexplainerWhat are block grant adjustments and how are they calculated?10 February 2026
Devolved borrowing and reservesexplainerWhat borrowing and reserves powers do the Scottish and Welsh Governments have?10 February 2026
Scottish Elections 2026: Tax, spending and the economy (Edinburgh) event 29 April 2026 at 18:00 Join us and the University of Edinburgh ahead of the Scottish elections for analysis of fiscal policy and the parties' plans for the next five years.
Scottish Elections 2026: Tax, spending and the economy (Aberdeen) event 28 April 2026 at 17:30 Join us and Aberdeen University ahead of the Scottish elections for expert analysis of fiscal policy and the parties' plans for the next five years.
Scottish Elections 2026: What are the parties’ plans on tax, spending and the economy? event 27 April 2026 at 13:30 A joint webinar with the Centre for Public Policy and the Institute for Fiscal Studies on the Scottish party manifestos and spending plans.
The Scottish Government faces a fiscal reckoning – with spending cuts or tax rises on the way comment Scottish Government funding likely to fall in 2027–28, meaning manifesto pledges could force spending cuts or increases to devolved taxes. 27 May 2026
None of Scotland’s parties has fully faced up to the fiscal reality facing the next Scottish Government comment All parties’ plans would add to the fiscal challenges facing the next Scottish Government – albeit to very different extents 27 April 2026
Initial response to the SNP’s manifesto comment A manifesto pledging a bigger welfare state with or without independence, but which fails to properly confront the fiscal implications of its plans 16 April 2026
Discretion versus algorithms: bureaucrats, tax equity and acceptability working paper We study how replacing bureaucrats’ discretion with algorithmic assessment affects the accuracy, equity, and public acceptance of tax decisions. 11 May 2026
Incentives for dwelling renovations: evidence from a large fiscal programme journal article We use counterfactual analysis to evaluate the economic impact of two tax credits for dwelling renovations. 11 May 2026
Evaluating the impact of the UK job retention scheme on mental health and well-being using matched difference-in-differences journal article In March 2020, the UK government implemented the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, otherwise known as furlough, to minimise the impact of job losses. 11 May 2026
