Why we need to reform inheritance tax podcastWe discuss the issues with inheritance tax and how to reform it.6 December 2023
The Autumn Statement 2023 explained in 90 seconds explainerPaul Johnson responds to Jeremy Hunt's 2023 Autumn Statement. 22 November 2023
Cake or biscuit? The UK's byzantine VAT system explained podcastThis week, we dive into the oddities of the VAT system.16 November 2023
Education spending: an engine for levelling-up? event 11 December 2023 The launch of the 2023 IFS Annual Report on Education Spending in England, funded by the Nuffield Foundation.
Social mobility and wealth conference 12 December 2023 At this in-person event, IFS researchers will share findings from ESRC-funded research on social mobility and its drivers.
Where next for the state pension? event 13 December 2023 At this online event, IFS researchers will present findings from a major new report on the future of the state pension in the UK.
Centre for the Microeconomic Analysis of Public Policy landing pageThe ESRC has funded a research centre at IFS since 1991, recognised as a global centre of excellence and now with UKRI Research Institute status.15 July 2022
Jobs landing pageAt IFS, we recruit and train top-quality economists and professional support staff. We aim to foster a respectful and inclusive working environment.20 July 2022
Don’t cheer end of earnings squeeze: there is more pain to come Comment Paul Johnson writes for The Times on the pain to come for households and the public finances. 19 June 2023
How progressive is the UK’s £1 trillion in government spending? Explainer Paul Johnson explains how redistributive UK public spending is in 90 seconds. 6 June 2023
Government spending has long been targeted at the poorest in our society Comment Paul Johnson writes for The Times on how taking account of public service spending is critical to assessing the government's redistribution of wealth. 5 June 2023
Public service spending has become significantly more progressive since the 1980s Comment Changes in the composition of spending and rising education participation mean public service spending is more progressive than in the 1980s & 1990s. 31 May 2023
An immediate response to the Scottish Government’s MTFS Comment Updated funding and spending projections show a significant funding gap looming for the Scottish Government – and little sense of how to address it. 25 May 2023
CIOT/IFS debate: Carbon border adjustment – what approach should the UK take? Presentation The government is consulting on how to prevent UK taxes on greenhouse gas emissions simply leading to emissions-generating activities moving abroad. 24 May 2023
As the state gets bigger, taxes will rise. It’s time to be honest about that Comment Winston Churchill, a man of famously expensive habits, believed that income should always be adjusted to meet expenses, and never the other way around 28 April 2023
Why politicians need to think long-term about pensions Podcast We talk through the challenges facing the UK pensions system and future generations of pensioners. 26 April 2023
How does school spending per pupil differ across the UK? Report This short report compares the level of school spending per pupil across the four nations of the UK. 21 April 2023
A reduced discount rate for public sector pensions will add billions to employer costs Comment A reduction in the UK’s long-term growth prospects means that public service pension promises will be costlier to meet in future. 6 April 2023
The stealth tax rise Podcast We look at the impact that freezing tax thresholds has on the tax people pay. 6 April 2023
Lower oil and gas prices set to hit Scotland’s underlying public finances Comment Scotland’s underlying fiscal position is set to improve by much less than expected last year, as oil and gas prices fall back. 3 April 2023
What has happened to college teacher pay in England? Report This report examines how pay and retention levels among college teachers in England have changed over time and compared with school teachers. 30 March 2023
The Spring Budget explained Podcast We provide our analysis on the Chancellor's Spring Budget. 16 March 2023
Spring Budget 2023 Collection Our analysis on the choices facing the Chancellor leading up, during and after the 2023 Spring Budget. 15 March 2023
Spring Budget 2023 response Comment An initial response to the Spring Budget 2023 from IFS researchers 15 March 2023
At last, we are back to a normal budget, but don’t expect many treats Comment "A stagnant economy leaves little room for either more spending or less tax." Paul Johnson writes for the Times ahead of Wednesday's Spring Budget. 13 March 2023
Freeports and Investment Zones – what sorts of things should we consider when assessing whether they are good policy? Comment We discuss the economic issues central to whether Freeports and Investment Zones are a good idea. 10 March 2023
Freeports: What are they? What do we know? And what will we know? Report This report analyses the rationale for Freeports and what we can learn about their potential impact from past policies and a planned evaluation. 10 March 2023
Are high energy prices here to stay? Podcast As we leave winter and enter spring, we ask whether high energy prices are here to stay 8 March 2023