Public finance

The Reform UK proposals represent a substantially different vision of what the benefit system should be doing.

How will a temporary cut to VAT on household electricity bills affect households, the tax system and the public finances?

New ONS data show that higher-than-expected inflation pushed up government spending more than revenues between April and June.

Andy Burnham enters Downing Street with no shortage of ambition.

Andy Burnham faces difficult choices over tax, borrowing and public spending. How much room will the new Prime Minister have to act?

How does going to university affect earnings over people’s lifetimes? How much do individuals and taxpayers benefit from people going to university?

Britain faces high debt, high borrowing costs, rising taxes and stretched public services. We explain the fiscal reality facing any government.

Scottish Government funding likely to fall in 2027–28, meaning manifesto pledges could force spending cuts or increases to devolved taxes.

The new Plaid Cymru government faces a difficult fiscal outlook – and the need to find common ground with other parties.

What does local government do, why are councils under financial pressure, and how might reform change the future of local services?

A new crop of councillors will face the same challenges – constrained funding, limited revenue-raising powers, and spending pressures and restrictions

A manifesto pledging a bigger welfare state with or without independence, but which fails to properly confront the fiscal implications of its plans

A focus on improving existing services rather than new entitlements or tax cuts

A plan for big tax cuts that is costed on paper, but which may not survive contact with reality.

A plan bold in ambition, but lacking in fiscal credibility

Welsh health and education systems are underperforming – with cuts to spending on some public services likely post-election.

Scottish public services are struggling to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, and cuts to some services loom.

Reform UK's Welsh manifesto echoes Conservative proposals while leaving the spending cuts needed to fund its tax ambitions unspecified.

At this online event IFS researchers presented their initial analysis of the Chancellor's spring forecast.