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.
Public investment: what you need to know Explainer Everything you wanted to know about UK public investment but were too afraid to ask – including analysis of Labour and Conservative plans. 25 April 2024
New tax year gives Chancellor more ‘headroom’ but doesn’t change the fundamentals Comment The start of a new tax year causes a mechanical boost to the Chancellor’s ‘headroom’, but the post-election fiscal challenge remains daunting. 16 April 2024
Spring Budget 2024: initial IFS response Comment We’ve learned to expect some degree of smoke and mirrors in the Budget. Today was no different. 6 March 2024
The way Chancellors respond to economic news adds to our debt - here's why Explainer Chancellors don’t respond symmetrically to good and bad economic news. The result is higher debt. 1 March 2024
Top-ups to the Scottish Budget for 2024–25 are likely – but huge uncertainty on their scale Comment More funding to top up the Scottish Government’s 2024–25 spending plans is likely to become available – but just how much is highly uncertain. 22 February 2024
IFS response to Labour's announcement on plans for green investment Comment An initial response to Labour's announcement that it will no longer seek to spend £28 billion per year on green investment 8 February 2024
2p cut is welcome but fiscal risks are serious Comment "Whoever is chancellor after the next election, is going to have to face up to some hard truths," Paul Johnson in The Times. 23 November 2023
Autumn Statement 2023 response Comment Higher inflation has boosted tax revenues. Rather than compensate public services, or bank the spoils, the Chancellor decided to cut taxes. 22 November 2023
The Expert Factor: What can be done to fix standards in public life? Podcast The Expert Factor team take a look at how to improve standards in public life. 27 October 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
Outlook for the public finances Report In the current environment of high inflation and rising interest rates, tax cuts at the upcoming Budget would be extremely difficult to justify. 17 October 2023
Public sector net worth as a fiscal target Report We consider the case for and against a fiscal target for public sector net worth. 7 October 2023
This will be the biggest tax-raising parliament on record Explainer This has been the biggest tax-raising parliament since records began, pushing UK tax revenues to historically high levels. 29 September 2023
IFS/OBR event: Fiscal risks and sustainability Event 28 September 2023 at 14:00 via Slido and Youtube This online event, jointly organised by the OBR and IFS, focused on two particular fiscal risks facing the UK.
Chancellors’ responses to economic news Report Chancellors don’t respond symmetrically to good and bad economic news. This represents a risk to the accuracy of official borrowing forecasts. 28 September 2023
Fiscal risks and sustainability Presentation This online event, jointly organised by the OBR and IFS, focused on two particular fiscal risks facing the UK. 28 September 2023
NI’s funding and spending Presentation This presentation looks at the NI Executive’s funding and spending – is it enough and can it be reformed? 19 September 2023
What are the options for devolved funding? Presentation This presentation looks at the issues and options for the Scottish Government’s funding, arguing that radical change requires reform in England too. 19 September 2023
Stubborn inflation puts PM's target in jeopardy Comment In January of this year, the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, set out his five priorities for 2023, one of which was halving inflation. 16 August 2023
Forecasting is hard enough without basing it on fictional assumptions Comment "The power of both the Bank and the OBR is considerable... transparency and reflection are vital." Paul Johnson writes for the Times. 14 August 2023
