The Institute for Fiscal Studies

Could the government increase defence spending without either cutting other departments or raising taxes? @maxwarner.bsky.social discusses the UK's planned increases in defence spending in our latest podcast on the UK's fiscal situation. 🎧️ Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/tou...

'The wholesale cost of electricity and gas are not much higher for the UK than they are elsewhere. What really makes a difference is actually the way we tax these things' On our latest podcast we discuss Britain’s energy mix and net zero targets. 🎧️ Listen to the podcast: ifs.org.uk/articles/why...

'Gas has this particularly important role because the price of electricity that we pay is set by the most expensive form of generation.' On our latest podcast we discuss Britain’s energy mix and net zero targets. 🎧️ Listen to the podcast: ifs.org.uk/articles/why...

What we should really be asking about the price of going green? On our latest podcast, Professor Dieter Helm breaks down the hidden system costs of the UK's energy transition. 🎧️ Listen to the full podcast: ifs.org.uk/articles/why...

'We get about 70-75% of our energy in the UK from oil and gas' On our latest podcast @Dieter_Helm joins us to discuss Britain’s energy mix, net zero targets, and how policy should respond to energy price shocks. 🎧️ Listen to the podcast: ifs.org.uk/articles/why...

'They're coming in at a time when there's lots and lots of challenges and there are restrictions on what they can do.' @HelenMiller_IFS, David Phillips & Aileen Murphie discuss local government and what councillors can actually change on our podcast. 🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/wha...

How big could the gap between councils' funding and their spending pressures get? @helenmiller.bsky.social and David Phillips discuss in our podcast on local government and what the new intake of councillors faces after the local elections. 🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/wha...

"This year, 36 councils have asked for exceptional financial support." IFS Associate Director David Phillips breaks down why so many councils are asking for support even when funding has been going up, from our podcast on local government. 🎧️ Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/wha...

'Nationally, about 78% of local authority revenue funding goes on social care.' On our podcast on local government, @helenmiller.bsky.social is joined by Aileen Murphie to discuss where most local authority revenue funding goes. 🎧️ Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/wha...

'They're a very visible sign of the public realm deteriorating.' @helenmiller.bsky.social and Aileen Murphie discuss how potholes are a costly headache for councils, and the bureaucratic strings attached to central government funding on our podcast. 🎧️ Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/wha...

'There's probably a good case that at least some people actually retire because we create a label that says state pension age at that point.' We explain how the state pension age works in the UK in our podcast on retirement. 🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/wil...

'Only a third of the people who are working above the state pension age say that they're doing it because of the money.' In our podcast on pensions, we explain the patterns behind people working past retirement age. 🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/wil...

 How do our employment rates of older people compare now to in the past? In our podcast on pensions, @heidikarj.bsky.social and @helenmiller.bsky.social explain how employment among those of retirement age has changed over time. 🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/wil...

Ahead of the Scottish and Welsh elections on 7 May, IFS Head of Local and Devolved Government Finance David Phillips is presenting our analysis at in-person events in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Bangor and Cardiff. ➡️ Find out more and sign up to attend here: ifs.org.uk/events

Are pensioners are now better off than working-age people? IFS Deputy Director Jonathan Cribb describes how pensioners' incomes have changed over time in our recent podcast. 🎧️ Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/are...

'About 45% for the average pensioner comes from the state pension.' In our podcast on pensions, we analyse the composition of pensioner incomes and implications for the future of pensions. 🎧️ Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/are...

 'Housing makes a big difference to people's incomes.' In our podcast on pensions, @heidikarj.bsky.social and @helenmiller.bsky.social explain some of the nuances around comparing pensioner and working-age incomes. 🎧️ Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/are...