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.
Saving after retirement and preferences for residual wealth Working Paper We use administrative data for Norway to estimate an incomplete-market life-cycle model of retired singles and couples. 18 January 2024
The future of the state pension Podcast We discuss the current challenges facing the state pension - and options for reform. 21 December 2023
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
The future of the state pension Report This IFS Pensions Review report sets out key challenges for the UK’s state pension system and suggests a way forward for the future 13 December 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
Understanding retirement in the UK Report We comprehensively examine the changing patterns of retirement in the UK for different groups in society. 1 November 2023
Inheritance tax raises £7bn a year. It needs reform. Explainer We lay out issues with the inheritance tax system and examine options for reform. 10 October 2023
The triple lock: uncertainty for pension incomes and the public finances Report The pensions triple lock has increased state pension spending and creates uncertainty for current and future generations of pensioners. 8 September 2023
Amidst confusion, there’s widespread pessimism about future standards of living in retirement Comment We have found only very limited understanding of pensions in the UK 10 August 2023
How important are defined contribution pensions for financing retirement? Report We provide new evidence on the importance of defined contribution pensions in financing the retirement of those currently approaching retirement. 30 June 2023
What do pensions freedoms mean for financing retirement? Presentation At this online event we presented the findings of a new report looking at how people access their defined contribution pension wealth. 30 June 2023
Should we abolish inheritance tax? Explainer Recently there have been calls to abolish inheritance tax. Paul Johnson takes us through the facts in 90 seconds. 7 June 2023
Why saving for a pension has become more risky Comment "Many working-age people may not realise just how much risk they are facing when it comes to ensuring financial security in retirement." 5 June 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
We must act now to prevent a real pensions crisis developing in future Comment "If we are to avoid sleepwalking into a future much worse than the present, we need to start acting now." Paul Johnson writes for the Times. 24 April 2023
Challenges for the UK pension system: the case for a pensions review Report This report makes the case that economic and policy changes in the last two decades necessitate a comprehensive review of the UK pension system. 20 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
Private pensions explained Explainer How do private pensions work? How are defined benefit and defined contribution pensions different? And what about 'pension freedoms'? 23 March 2023
Old age risks, consumption, and insurance Working Paper We measure the effects of income and health shocks on consumption among U.S. households over age 65. 21 March 2023
Data on private pension saving in UK surveys Report This report documents the quality of private pension saving data collected in UK household surveys. 8 March 2023