Consumption and prices

Conflict in the Middle East and the subsequent energy price shock will squeeze households and make the economic backdrop to the Budget more difficult.

Why is electricity so expensive? We explore the role of renewables, the costs of decarbonisation and the future of Britain's energy system.

We explore why UK electricity prices are so high and what reforms can be made to improve the efficiency of the market for and taxation of electricity.

Unlike most taxes, land value tax doesn’t discourage people from working, investing or building. So why don’t we use it more?

Business rates are blamed for killing the high street. But would cutting them actually help shops and pubs - or simply make landlords richer?

We highlight the key theoretical predictions about rent controls and summarise what empirical research reveals about their effects in practice. 

New evidence shows the current energy crisis has affected fewer firms than in 2022; two months in, exposed firms responded mainly by raising prices.

Why UK electricity prices are so high, how renewables affect costs, and what government can do to protect households from shocks.

The delay announced today will have a one-off cost to the exchequer of about £200 million

Planned reforms to the Soft Drinks Industry Levy will have little impact on the government’s efforts to tackle obesity. 

Conflict in the Middle East has pushed up energy prices. We examine how this compares to past shocks and the government's options going forward. 

Inflation is down from its peak, but prices still feel high. What caused the spike, are we near 2%, and what happens next?

How much protection does the benefit system afford the newly unemployed? We use UK bank account data to track financial impacts of job loss.