Living standards

These two reports form the latest in a series of IFS studies on poverty and low incomes in the United Kingdom.

This commentary concentrates on the particular issues raised by environmental taxation, in the form of the additional tax burden and its distribution accross households.

In the ten year period of Mrs Thatcher's government, and especially over the last few years, there have been many changes to the tax and benefit system.

Before joining the European Commmunity, Britain supported its farmers by a system of 'deficiency payments'.