The £600 billion problem awaiting the next government podcastWe speak to David Gauke and Giles Wilkes, two experts who have been at the heart of the spending review process.25 April 2024
Be the Chancellor Our interactive tool lets you be the Chancellor. Change spending plans, set tax policies and see how your choices impact borrowing and debt.
Should we worry about government debt? podcastDavid Miles joins us to discuss high government debt and its impact on the economy. 11 April 2024
IFS Annual Lecture - Innovation and productivity policies: a budgetary perspective event 15 May 2024 Professor Heidi Williams (Dartmouth College) will deliver the 2024 IFS Annual Lecture on innovation and productivity policies.
Higher Education Access and Funding: challenges and policy options conference 14 May 2024 This one-day academic conference will look at access to and funding of Higher Education systems.
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
Centre for the Microeconomic Analysis of Public Policy The Research Centre at the heart of IFS is the CPP.
Empty defence spending promises are a shot in the dark Comment "The government’s announcement was misleading and opaque and does nobody any favours." Paul Johnson writes for the Times. 29 April 2024
Sure Start achieved its aims, then we threw it away Comment "We know that poor children grow up with poor life chances. We know how to ameliorate that. The choice is ours." Paul Johnson writes for the Times. 15 April 2024
It's time to stamp on a tax that penalises landlords and renters Comment Stamp duty land tax, the tax paid on the purchase of a property, is among our worst and most damaging taxes. 22 January 2024
Tax changes could point to a policy shift ahead of the election Comment "Peeking through the broader fog and obfuscation, some new distributional priorities are beginning to emerge." Paul Johnson writes in The Times. 8 January 2024
Pensions are far from broken but could still use a fix Comment Paul Johnson writes for The Times on the 'simple steps' get us to a 'stable, simple, affordable' pensions system. 18 December 2023
Talk of a ‘doom loop’ in the public finances is for very good reasons Comment "Wishful thinking will not keep us out of a debt-interest-fuelled doom loop. Only hard choices will do that." Paul Johnson writes in The Times. 5 December 2023
Cutting inheritance tax isn’t quite as simple as its proponents suggest Comment "There are dozens of tax cuts that would be some combination of more equitable and better designed to promote economic efficiency and growth." 20 November 2023
Retirement is not always a choice that workers can afford to make Comment "More of us may feel little choice but to work a year or two longer than planned." Paul Johnson writes for The Times. 6 November 2023
Debt can be redefined but it won’t disappear. Hard decisions are needed Comment "The bind is a real one. Both we and our political leaders need to face up to it." Paul Johnson writes for The Times. 23 October 2023
Big changes to HS2 and education will prove a real test for Rishi Sunak Comment "Too many announcements, not enough evident strategy." Paul Johnson in The Times on the announcements in last week's Conservative Party Conference. 9 October 2023
Sunak’s weak intervention may prompt a climate change revolution Comment "We need some light shone on what needs doing and on how far away we are from doing it." Paul Johnson writes for The Times on our net zero targets. 25 September 2023
Persevering with the autumn statement just generates confusion Comment Bi-annual fiscal events "have become an engine for an over-proliferation of measures, generating instability and confusion." Paul Johnson in the Times 11 September 2023