Ruth Curtice
@ruthcurtice.bsky.social
Chief Executive, Resolution Foundation
Today's report isn't usual territory, but does show our commitment to evidence. It would be easy to write a report saying protect consumers at all costs. Great analysis by @zackleather.resolutionfoundation.org persuaded us that wasn't the right answer. www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications...
Green your eats • Resolution Foundation
This report provides an assessment of the UK’s progress toward net zero in the land use and agriculture sector – the only major area where emissions have barely fallen over the past 15 years. It exami...
www.resolutionfoundation.org
February 3, 2026 at 9:56 AM
Today's report isn't usual territory, but does show our commitment to evidence. It would be easy to write a report saying protect consumers at all costs. Great analysis by @zackleather.resolutionfoundation.org persuaded us that wasn't the right answer. www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications...
We discussed this report with one of the architects of universal credit (Stephen Brien), a changing realities participant (Jonny Roberts) and a welfare rights adviser (Corin Hammersley). They all agreed that we need to continue to improve universal credit as roll-out completion finally completes.
🧵 NEW: Our report 'Listen and learn' sets out how the Government should improve Universal Credit (UC) for the 15 million people who rely on it.
13 years after its roll-out began, it’s time to get UC right.
We've co-produced recommendations with @changingrealities.bsky.social participants 👇
13 years after its roll-out began, it’s time to get UC right.
We've co-produced recommendations with @changingrealities.bsky.social participants 👇
January 30, 2026 at 9:36 AM
We discussed this report with one of the architects of universal credit (Stephen Brien), a changing realities participant (Jonny Roberts) and a welfare rights adviser (Corin Hammersley). They all agreed that we need to continue to improve universal credit as roll-out completion finally completes.
Reposted by Ruth Curtice
Quick word on this morning's public finances data for the UK which were pretty much in line with expectations. Borrowing in December was £11.6bn, slightly lower than market expectations of £13.4bn. Year to date, borrowing is £140.4bn, which looks broadly consistent with the OBR's Nov forecast.
January 22, 2026 at 8:08 AM
Quick word on this morning's public finances data for the UK which were pretty much in line with expectations. Borrowing in December was £11.6bn, slightly lower than market expectations of £13.4bn. Year to date, borrowing is £140.4bn, which looks broadly consistent with the OBR's Nov forecast.
Not just Trump who's a year into a new job....clear highlight of my week so far. Tasted pretty good too.
January 21, 2026 at 8:41 PM
Not just Trump who's a year into a new job....clear highlight of my week so far. Tasted pretty good too.
Reposted by Ruth Curtice
Our polling finds once again the purveyors of division have it wrong. We're told that when it comes to Marmite you either love it or you hate, it but our polling finds just 43% of Britons fall into those camps. With as many expressing ambivalence, or a softer preference either way
January 16, 2026 at 10:55 AM
Our polling finds once again the purveyors of division have it wrong. We're told that when it comes to Marmite you either love it or you hate, it but our polling finds just 43% of Britons fall into those camps. With as many expressing ambivalence, or a softer preference either way
Congrats to @instituteforgovernment.org.uk for an excellent conference today. I enjoyed Wes Streeting's suggested new year resolution for the government - girft or "get it right first time"...
January 13, 2026 at 3:38 PM
Congrats to @instituteforgovernment.org.uk for an excellent conference today. I enjoyed Wes Streeting's suggested new year resolution for the government - girft or "get it right first time"...
How does the Government's rhetoric around the cost of living compare with the reality? Could we really be “turning a corner” in 2026, as Starmer hopefully proclaimed at PMQs?
Read in full (and subscribe!) here, to find out how “£150 off Energy bills” works in practice ⤵️ buff.ly/wkw0Sqh
Read in full (and subscribe!) here, to find out how “£150 off Energy bills” works in practice ⤵️ buff.ly/wkw0Sqh
buff.ly
January 9, 2026 at 4:21 PM
How does the Government's rhetoric around the cost of living compare with the reality? Could we really be “turning a corner” in 2026, as Starmer hopefully proclaimed at PMQs?
Read in full (and subscribe!) here, to find out how “£150 off Energy bills” works in practice ⤵️ buff.ly/wkw0Sqh
Read in full (and subscribe!) here, to find out how “£150 off Energy bills” works in practice ⤵️ buff.ly/wkw0Sqh
In lots of ways 2026 may well be a turning point - optimistically for productivity, for child poverty and for containing the size of the state. But the government will have to outdo the forecasts if it is to be a turning point for living standards especially with rising unemployment.
🚨 The Resolution Foundation New Year Outlook has just been published 👇
🧟 Early and encouraging signs of a mild zombie apocalypse, alongside the prospect of deaths outnumbering births from here on out ⤵️ buff.ly/wXo84d2
🧟 Early and encouraging signs of a mild zombie apocalypse, alongside the prospect of deaths outnumbering births from here on out ⤵️ buff.ly/wXo84d2
January 5, 2026 at 9:22 AM
In lots of ways 2026 may well be a turning point - optimistically for productivity, for child poverty and for containing the size of the state. But the government will have to outdo the forecasts if it is to be a turning point for living standards especially with rising unemployment.
Reposted by Ruth Curtice
🎄It’s nearly Christmas which means it’s time for the Top of the Charts quiz of the year buff.ly/U64m34M 🎄
And you can read the Top of the Charts Christmas special now➡️ buff.ly/xZTJGCJ
And you can read the Top of the Charts Christmas special now➡️ buff.ly/xZTJGCJ
December 19, 2025 at 5:00 PM
🎄It’s nearly Christmas which means it’s time for the Top of the Charts quiz of the year buff.ly/U64m34M 🎄
And you can read the Top of the Charts Christmas special now➡️ buff.ly/xZTJGCJ
And you can read the Top of the Charts Christmas special now➡️ buff.ly/xZTJGCJ
Reposted by Ruth Curtice
As expected, BoE cuts rates by 0.25ppts to 3.75%, the sixth cut in this cycle on a tighter-than-expected 5-4 vote. Bigger question for today, though, is how BoE sees balance of stubborn inflation and a weakening labour market. A short thread on that to follow...
December 18, 2025 at 12:05 PM
As expected, BoE cuts rates by 0.25ppts to 3.75%, the sixth cut in this cycle on a tighter-than-expected 5-4 vote. Bigger question for today, though, is how BoE sees balance of stubborn inflation and a weakening labour market. A short thread on that to follow...
Reposted by Ruth Curtice
Labor markets weakness is all about uncertainty, not AI.
www.richmondfed.org/research/nat...
www.richmondfed.org/research/nat...
December 17, 2025 at 9:35 PM
Labor markets weakness is all about uncertainty, not AI.
www.richmondfed.org/research/nat...
www.richmondfed.org/research/nat...
@nyecominetti.bsky.social piece from yesterday important context for today's labour market stats. ALL of the change in the employment rate since the pandemic is due to unemployment - a lack of jobs not a lack of jobseekers.
The reason we thought it worth writing is that I don't think this is obvious to everyone. And even if you know unemployment is rising, you might not know that it 'explains' *all of* the change in employment compared to pre-pandemic.
December 16, 2025 at 9:16 AM
@nyecominetti.bsky.social piece from yesterday important context for today's labour market stats. ALL of the change in the employment rate since the pandemic is due to unemployment - a lack of jobs not a lack of jobseekers.
Some worry that some non-working families will benefit from the lifting of the two child limit. But when you dig into the data, as we do in chart of the week, over 95% of the families who benefit are either working, have a child under 3, or have a family member with a disability.
Turning the tide on child poverty • Resolution Foundation
Afternoon all, It hasn’t been a smooth Budget process and, with apologies, we’d like to issue a correction – our Budget special erroneously stated that new policy on welfare over the course of this Pa...
www.resolutionfoundation.org
December 5, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Some worry that some non-working families will benefit from the lifting of the two child limit. But when you dig into the data, as we do in chart of the week, over 95% of the families who benefit are either working, have a child under 3, or have a family member with a disability.
Updated child poverty forecasts reflecting latest forecast and child poverty strategy. Poverty set to fall through the Parliament - we estimate by a chunky 300k but by a less chunky 1%. That's because the number of kids in the population is also falling.
Updating our projections for the latest data and forecasts from the OBR, we project that child poverty rates will fall to 31 per cent by 2029-30, 3.5 percentage points lower than would have been the case in the absence of policy changes …
December 5, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Updated child poverty forecasts reflecting latest forecast and child poverty strategy. Poverty set to fall through the Parliament - we estimate by a chunky 300k but by a less chunky 1%. That's because the number of kids in the population is also falling.
Reposted by Ruth Curtice
Updating our projections for the latest data and forecasts from the OBR, we project that child poverty rates will fall to 31 per cent by 2029-30, 3.5 percentage points lower than would have been the case in the absence of policy changes …
December 5, 2025 at 12:57 PM
Updating our projections for the latest data and forecasts from the OBR, we project that child poverty rates will fall to 31 per cent by 2029-30, 3.5 percentage points lower than would have been the case in the absence of policy changes …
Reposted by Ruth Curtice
How will changes in the Budget impact different types of households?
November 29, 2025 at 1:30 PM
How will changes in the Budget impact different types of households?
I'm in the FT! Fun fact that didn't make the cut. Scrooge lived somewhere near Cornhill so we reckon will, post mansion tax, pay 0.2% of the value of his property from that and CT combined. Tiny Tim rents in Camden in a band D property so will pay 0.4%.
This Budget’s tax decisions will haunt the government on.ft.com/44xZOPB | opinion
This Budget’s tax decisions will haunt the government
The buffer Reeves built into her plans is admirable, but no guarantee of avoiding the nasty dilemmas to come
on.ft.com
November 29, 2025 at 8:56 AM
I'm in the FT! Fun fact that didn't make the cut. Scrooge lived somewhere near Cornhill so we reckon will, post mansion tax, pay 0.2% of the value of his property from that and CT combined. Tiny Tim rents in Camden in a band D property so will pay 0.4%.
End of a busy week! Read for our take on the Budget, and mine on the OBR antics.
📢 The 2025 Budget special of Top of the Charts just dropped 📉
Keep scrolling for six charts that tell you what you need to know about this fiscal event 🧵
Keep scrolling for six charts that tell you what you need to know about this fiscal event 🧵
November 28, 2025 at 5:52 PM
End of a busy week! Read for our take on the Budget, and mine on the OBR antics.
Classic Budget week moment: you think you've got a great idea for a chart and then you discover the OBR have done it already. Beautiful illustration of the backloading at this event.
November 28, 2025 at 12:32 PM
Classic Budget week moment: you think you've got a great idea for a chart and then you discover the OBR have done it already. Beautiful illustration of the backloading at this event.
Grateful if the Minister for Pensions could keep the noise down...
November 26, 2025 at 10:01 PM
Grateful if the Minister for Pensions could keep the noise down...
Live posting about the speech feels slightly unnecessary when all the details are out. But I'm a sucker for tradition nonetheless.
November 26, 2025 at 12:36 PM
Live posting about the speech feels slightly unnecessary when all the details are out. But I'm a sucker for tradition nonetheless.
Reposted by Ruth Curtice
UK CPI inflation begins its long march back to 2%, falling from 3.8% in September to 3.6% in October. This is a welcome decrease but the BoE says it will be a long path down and families are still struggling with the high cost of living. The Chancellor shd act at the Budget. Thread to follow...
November 19, 2025 at 7:58 AM
UK CPI inflation begins its long march back to 2%, falling from 3.8% in September to 3.6% in October. This is a welcome decrease but the BoE says it will be a long path down and families are still struggling with the high cost of living. The Chancellor shd act at the Budget. Thread to follow...
Reposted by Ruth Curtice
Latest fascinating & comprehensive analysis from the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk team of Labour’s public services performance… www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Wes Streeting accused of ‘chaotic and incoherent approach’ to NHS reform
Exclusive: thinktank report finds health secretary has failed to improve productivity, with the health service unlikely to meet its targets
www.theguardian.com
November 15, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Latest fascinating & comprehensive analysis from the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk team of Labour’s public services performance… www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Ruth Curtice
📢 Looking to catch up on the latest events and discussion from the Resolution Foundation?
🎧 You can listen to all of them in podcast form
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🎧 You can listen to all of them in podcast form
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Resolution Foundation Events Podcast | externalaffairs
Recordings of live Resolution Foundation events discussing our latest research and hosting policy debates on improving the living standards of low-to-middle income families.
buff.ly
November 15, 2025 at 5:15 PM
📢 Looking to catch up on the latest events and discussion from the Resolution Foundation?
🎧 You can listen to all of them in podcast form
👉
🎧 You can listen to all of them in podcast form
👉
Reposted by Ruth Curtice
Excessive levels of Budget kite-flying risk exacerbating market uncertainty
@ruthcurtice.bsky.social responds to latest rumours that the Chancellor is no longer planning to increase Income Tax rates in her upcoming Budget, following rumours last week that this would be the centrepiece of the Budget
@ruthcurtice.bsky.social responds to latest rumours that the Chancellor is no longer planning to increase Income Tax rates in her upcoming Budget, following rumours last week that this would be the centrepiece of the Budget
November 14, 2025 at 12:02 PM
Excessive levels of Budget kite-flying risk exacerbating market uncertainty
@ruthcurtice.bsky.social responds to latest rumours that the Chancellor is no longer planning to increase Income Tax rates in her upcoming Budget, following rumours last week that this would be the centrepiece of the Budget
@ruthcurtice.bsky.social responds to latest rumours that the Chancellor is no longer planning to increase Income Tax rates in her upcoming Budget, following rumours last week that this would be the centrepiece of the Budget