The Institute for Fiscal Studies
@theifs.bsky.social
Official account for Britain’s leading independent economic research institute. https://ifs.org.uk/
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NEW: How could the Chancellor raise more tax?
In our live podcast event @helenmiller.bsky.social is joined by Stuart Adam and @danneidle.bsky.social to explore the choices facing the Rachel Reeves ahead of the upcoming budget.
🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/how...
In our live podcast event @helenmiller.bsky.social is joined by Stuart Adam and @danneidle.bsky.social to explore the choices facing the Rachel Reeves ahead of the upcoming budget.
🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/how...
NEW #IFSWorkingPaper: The gender gap in carbon footprints: determinants and implications
📗 @leroutierm.bsky.social and @ondineberland.bsky.social use detailed consumption data from France to document that women emit 26 percent less than men from food and transport: ifs.org.uk/publications...
📗 @leroutierm.bsky.social and @ondineberland.bsky.social use detailed consumption data from France to document that women emit 26 percent less than men from food and transport: ifs.org.uk/publications...
November 11, 2025 at 9:30 AM
NEW #IFSWorkingPaper: The gender gap in carbon footprints: determinants and implications
📗 @leroutierm.bsky.social and @ondineberland.bsky.social use detailed consumption data from France to document that women emit 26 percent less than men from food and transport: ifs.org.uk/publications...
📗 @leroutierm.bsky.social and @ondineberland.bsky.social use detailed consumption data from France to document that women emit 26 percent less than men from food and transport: ifs.org.uk/publications...
Reposted by The Institute for Fiscal Studies
These assessments are *extremely* sensitive to the forecast for GDP growth. But under the Barclays economic forecast, we'd be missing the debt rule by £17bn (more than the amount by which we'd be missing the borrowing rule). Cutting/reprofiling capital spending plans could help to meet this.
November 10, 2025 at 4:24 PM
These assessments are *extremely* sensitive to the forecast for GDP growth. But under the Barclays economic forecast, we'd be missing the debt rule by £17bn (more than the amount by which we'd be missing the borrowing rule). Cutting/reprofiling capital spending plans could help to meet this.
Reposted by The Institute for Fiscal Studies
One reading of this remark is that the fiscal rule requiring debt to be falling as a share of GDP in 2029/30 is now the one that binds (as cuts to capital spending wouldn't help to meet her borrowing rule). That's entirely possible - and was what we predicted in the IFS Green Budget, as it happens.
Rachel Reeves lets the cat out of the (already threadbare) bag about the looming break to the manifesto:
“It would of course be possible to stick with the manifesto commitments but that would require things like deep cuts in capital spending.”
www.ft.com/content/a502...
“It would of course be possible to stick with the manifesto commitments but that would require things like deep cuts in capital spending.”
www.ft.com/content/a502...
Rachel Reeves signals she will break manifesto pledge with Budget tax rises
Chancellor hopes to win support from Labour MPs by lifting two-child benefit cap
www.ft.com
November 10, 2025 at 4:24 PM
One reading of this remark is that the fiscal rule requiring debt to be falling as a share of GDP in 2029/30 is now the one that binds (as cuts to capital spending wouldn't help to meet her borrowing rule). That's entirely possible - and was what we predicted in the IFS Green Budget, as it happens.
'It looks like getting rid of the two-child limit might reduce child poverty by about 500,000 kids.'
In our IFS Zooms In episode on whether Labour should scrap the two-child limit, Tom Waters describes its impact on poverty.
🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/sho...
In our IFS Zooms In episode on whether Labour should scrap the two-child limit, Tom Waters describes its impact on poverty.
🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/sho...
November 10, 2025 at 3:59 PM
'It looks like getting rid of the two-child limit might reduce child poverty by about 500,000 kids.'
In our IFS Zooms In episode on whether Labour should scrap the two-child limit, Tom Waters describes its impact on poverty.
🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/sho...
In our IFS Zooms In episode on whether Labour should scrap the two-child limit, Tom Waters describes its impact on poverty.
🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/sho...
"Claiming, as some do, that tens of billions of pounds in further cuts could be found easily through a crackdown on “waste”... indicates an unwillingness to confront tough fiscal choices."
📰 @benzaranko.bsky.social in @theobserveruk.bsky.social on productivity: observer.co.uk/news/busines...
📰 @benzaranko.bsky.social in @theobserveruk.bsky.social on productivity: observer.co.uk/news/busines...
The UK has a productivity problem. Cuts won’t fix it | The Observer
business
observer.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 11:22 AM
"Claiming, as some do, that tens of billions of pounds in further cuts could be found easily through a crackdown on “waste”... indicates an unwillingness to confront tough fiscal choices."
📰 @benzaranko.bsky.social in @theobserveruk.bsky.social on productivity: observer.co.uk/news/busines...
📰 @benzaranko.bsky.social in @theobserveruk.bsky.social on productivity: observer.co.uk/news/busines...
Reposted by The Institute for Fiscal Studies
For this week's @theobserveruk.bsky.social I've written about one of my favourite topics: the productivity of the public sector, how it's measured, why it tends to grow less quickly than productivity in the private sector, and what it means for policy.
observer.co.uk/news/busines...
observer.co.uk/news/busines...
November 9, 2025 at 10:11 AM
For this week's @theobserveruk.bsky.social I've written about one of my favourite topics: the productivity of the public sector, how it's measured, why it tends to grow less quickly than productivity in the private sector, and what it means for policy.
observer.co.uk/news/busines...
observer.co.uk/news/busines...
Reposted by The Institute for Fiscal Studies
Great to see @tomcalver.bsky.social using this IFS chart in his (excellent) piece about the UK's economic and fiscal travails. The combination of low growth and high debt interest really does make for some unpleasant fiscal arithmetic. It's a tough time to be Chancellor.
November 9, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Great to see @tomcalver.bsky.social using this IFS chart in his (excellent) piece about the UK's economic and fiscal travails. The combination of low growth and high debt interest really does make for some unpleasant fiscal arithmetic. It's a tough time to be Chancellor.
📈 #IFSSatStat: The ‘tax gap’ between the corporation tax owed and corporation tax collected has jumped up from 8.8% in 2017–18 to 15.8% in 2023–24.
This has been driven entirely by a burgeoning tax gap amongst smaller companies, which was as high as 40% in 2023–24.
This has been driven entirely by a burgeoning tax gap amongst smaller companies, which was as high as 40% in 2023–24.
November 8, 2025 at 9:05 AM
📈 #IFSSatStat: The ‘tax gap’ between the corporation tax owed and corporation tax collected has jumped up from 8.8% in 2017–18 to 15.8% in 2023–24.
This has been driven entirely by a burgeoning tax gap amongst smaller companies, which was as high as 40% in 2023–24.
This has been driven entirely by a burgeoning tax gap amongst smaller companies, which was as high as 40% in 2023–24.
🎧 IFS Director @helenmiller.bsky.social talks all things tax with Adam Fleming on Newscast, as they discuss on what tax rises might be coming in the upcoming Autumn Budget.
Listen here: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Listen here: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Newscast - The Week: Mistaken Prisoner Releases and Tax Rises Are Coming? - BBC Sounds
Why is the justice system failing and who is to blame?
www.bbc.co.uk
November 7, 2025 at 3:39 PM
🎧 IFS Director @helenmiller.bsky.social talks all things tax with Adam Fleming on Newscast, as they discuss on what tax rises might be coming in the upcoming Autumn Budget.
Listen here: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Listen here: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Reposted by The Institute for Fiscal Studies
Why not ease into the weekend with a 45 minute discussion of the UK's VAT system?
VAT is a good tax in principle, but our system is riddled with oddities and inconsistencies which reshape the prices we pay in the shops and the economy we get. We could do better.
VAT is a good tax in principle, but our system is riddled with oddities and inconsistencies which reshape the prices we pay in the shops and the economy we get. We could do better.
NEW PODCAST: How to fix VAT
Why is chocolate-covered shortbread taxed differently from plain? In the final episode of our tax mini-series, we unpack what makes the UK’s VAT system so complex, inefficient and unfair.
🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/how...
Why is chocolate-covered shortbread taxed differently from plain? In the final episode of our tax mini-series, we unpack what makes the UK’s VAT system so complex, inefficient and unfair.
🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/how...
November 7, 2025 at 10:44 AM
Why not ease into the weekend with a 45 minute discussion of the UK's VAT system?
VAT is a good tax in principle, but our system is riddled with oddities and inconsistencies which reshape the prices we pay in the shops and the economy we get. We could do better.
VAT is a good tax in principle, but our system is riddled with oddities and inconsistencies which reshape the prices we pay in the shops and the economy we get. We could do better.
Reposted by The Institute for Fiscal Studies
What's that, you say? You want another long, nerdy podcast about an antiquated part of the UK tax system that desperately needs reform? You're in luck
NEW PODCAST: How to fix property taxes
@helenmiller.bsky.social, Stuart Adam and @benzaranko.bsky.social explore how council tax, stamp duty and other property taxes work in the UK, what’s gone wrong, and how they could be made fairer and more efficient.
🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/how...
@helenmiller.bsky.social, Stuart Adam and @benzaranko.bsky.social explore how council tax, stamp duty and other property taxes work in the UK, what’s gone wrong, and how they could be made fairer and more efficient.
🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/how...
October 30, 2025 at 4:45 PM
What's that, you say? You want another long, nerdy podcast about an antiquated part of the UK tax system that desperately needs reform? You're in luck
Reposted by The Institute for Fiscal Studies
Lots of hints in Rachel Reeves' speech (e.g. at broad-based tax rises, a chunky OBR productivity downgrade, an increase in headroom) but nothing concrete. It was largely a scene-setting and blame-shifting exercise. Until we see the detail on 26 November, there's not much we can say.
November 4, 2025 at 8:48 AM
Lots of hints in Rachel Reeves' speech (e.g. at broad-based tax rises, a chunky OBR productivity downgrade, an increase in headroom) but nothing concrete. It was largely a scene-setting and blame-shifting exercise. Until we see the detail on 26 November, there's not much we can say.
NEW: How could the Chancellor raise more tax?
In our live podcast event @helenmiller.bsky.social is joined by Stuart Adam and @danneidle.bsky.social to explore the choices facing the Rachel Reeves ahead of the upcoming budget.
🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/how...
In our live podcast event @helenmiller.bsky.social is joined by Stuart Adam and @danneidle.bsky.social to explore the choices facing the Rachel Reeves ahead of the upcoming budget.
🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/how...
November 6, 2025 at 4:11 PM
NEW: How could the Chancellor raise more tax?
In our live podcast event @helenmiller.bsky.social is joined by Stuart Adam and @danneidle.bsky.social to explore the choices facing the Rachel Reeves ahead of the upcoming budget.
🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/how...
In our live podcast event @helenmiller.bsky.social is joined by Stuart Adam and @danneidle.bsky.social to explore the choices facing the Rachel Reeves ahead of the upcoming budget.
🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/how...
NEW: #IFSWorkingPaper: Intimate partner violence and children's human capital
📗 Read Dan Anderberg, Gloria Moroni and Alexander Vickery's new paper on the effects of intimate partner violence on children's cognitive and emotional development here: ifs.org.uk/publications...
📗 Read Dan Anderberg, Gloria Moroni and Alexander Vickery's new paper on the effects of intimate partner violence on children's cognitive and emotional development here: ifs.org.uk/publications...
November 6, 2025 at 3:41 PM
NEW: #IFSWorkingPaper: Intimate partner violence and children's human capital
📗 Read Dan Anderberg, Gloria Moroni and Alexander Vickery's new paper on the effects of intimate partner violence on children's cognitive and emotional development here: ifs.org.uk/publications...
📗 Read Dan Anderberg, Gloria Moroni and Alexander Vickery's new paper on the effects of intimate partner violence on children's cognitive and emotional development here: ifs.org.uk/publications...
NEW PODCAST: How to fix VAT
Why is chocolate-covered shortbread taxed differently from plain? In the final episode of our tax mini-series, we unpack what makes the UK’s VAT system so complex, inefficient and unfair.
🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/how...
Why is chocolate-covered shortbread taxed differently from plain? In the final episode of our tax mini-series, we unpack what makes the UK’s VAT system so complex, inefficient and unfair.
🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/how...
November 5, 2025 at 3:56 PM
NEW PODCAST: How to fix VAT
Why is chocolate-covered shortbread taxed differently from plain? In the final episode of our tax mini-series, we unpack what makes the UK’s VAT system so complex, inefficient and unfair.
🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/how...
Why is chocolate-covered shortbread taxed differently from plain? In the final episode of our tax mini-series, we unpack what makes the UK’s VAT system so complex, inefficient and unfair.
🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/how...
"I hope we see some reform…Maybe they'll only be the first steps, but I'd like to look at the Budget and say I can see why these things make the tax system better, and at least don't make them worse."
@helenmiller.bsky.social on @newsagents.bsky.social yesterday www.globalplayer.com/podcasts/epi...
@helenmiller.bsky.social on @newsagents.bsky.social yesterday www.globalplayer.com/podcasts/epi...
The News Agents - Podcast Episode | Global Player
Is the Chancellor about to break her manifesto promise?
www.globalplayer.com
November 5, 2025 at 12:05 PM
"I hope we see some reform…Maybe they'll only be the first steps, but I'd like to look at the Budget and say I can see why these things make the tax system better, and at least don't make them worse."
@helenmiller.bsky.social on @newsagents.bsky.social yesterday www.globalplayer.com/podcasts/epi...
@helenmiller.bsky.social on @newsagents.bsky.social yesterday www.globalplayer.com/podcasts/epi...
'Rachel Reeves has put 51 miles worth of petrol in her car and has to go 50 miles'
In our 'IFS Zooms In' episode on options for the upcoming budget, @benzaranko.bsky.social discusses the importance of policy stability for economic growth.
🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/bud...
In our 'IFS Zooms In' episode on options for the upcoming budget, @benzaranko.bsky.social discusses the importance of policy stability for economic growth.
🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/bud...
November 2, 2025 at 10:01 AM
'Rachel Reeves has put 51 miles worth of petrol in her car and has to go 50 miles'
In our 'IFS Zooms In' episode on options for the upcoming budget, @benzaranko.bsky.social discusses the importance of policy stability for economic growth.
🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/bud...
In our 'IFS Zooms In' episode on options for the upcoming budget, @benzaranko.bsky.social discusses the importance of policy stability for economic growth.
🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/bud...
'There really is a cost to this approach of limping budget to budget'
@helenmiller.bsky.social is joined by @benzaranko.bsky.social and Carl Emmerson to assess the public finances ahead of the November budget on the latest episode of our podcast.
🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/bud...
@helenmiller.bsky.social is joined by @benzaranko.bsky.social and Carl Emmerson to assess the public finances ahead of the November budget on the latest episode of our podcast.
🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/bud...
November 1, 2025 at 10:01 AM
'There really is a cost to this approach of limping budget to budget'
@helenmiller.bsky.social is joined by @benzaranko.bsky.social and Carl Emmerson to assess the public finances ahead of the November budget on the latest episode of our podcast.
🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/bud...
@helenmiller.bsky.social is joined by @benzaranko.bsky.social and Carl Emmerson to assess the public finances ahead of the November budget on the latest episode of our podcast.
🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/bud...
📊#IFSSatStat: Until 2022, Chancellors typically left around 1% of annual GDP as headroom against their fiscal rules, roughly £32 billion in the current target year. Since then, margins have been narrower, with recent Chancellors routinely leaving less than 0.5% of GDP.
November 1, 2025 at 9:01 AM
📊#IFSSatStat: Until 2022, Chancellors typically left around 1% of annual GDP as headroom against their fiscal rules, roughly £32 billion in the current target year. Since then, margins have been narrower, with recent Chancellors routinely leaving less than 0.5% of GDP.
NEW PODCAST: How to fix property taxes
@helenmiller.bsky.social, Stuart Adam and @benzaranko.bsky.social explore how council tax, stamp duty and other property taxes work in the UK, what’s gone wrong, and how they could be made fairer and more efficient.
🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/how...
@helenmiller.bsky.social, Stuart Adam and @benzaranko.bsky.social explore how council tax, stamp duty and other property taxes work in the UK, what’s gone wrong, and how they could be made fairer and more efficient.
🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/how...
October 30, 2025 at 3:25 PM
NEW PODCAST: How to fix property taxes
@helenmiller.bsky.social, Stuart Adam and @benzaranko.bsky.social explore how council tax, stamp duty and other property taxes work in the UK, what’s gone wrong, and how they could be made fairer and more efficient.
🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/how...
@helenmiller.bsky.social, Stuart Adam and @benzaranko.bsky.social explore how council tax, stamp duty and other property taxes work in the UK, what’s gone wrong, and how they could be made fairer and more efficient.
🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/how...
Join our CIOT/IFS debate on reforming the taxation of housing with Stuart Adam, Caroline Fleet, John Muellbauer, @guardianheather.bsky.social & Nichola Ross Martin.
Thurs 6 November | 18:30 – 20:00 | 10-11 Carlton House Terrace, London and online
📅 Sign up here: ifs.org.uk/events/cioti...
Thurs 6 November | 18:30 – 20:00 | 10-11 Carlton House Terrace, London and online
📅 Sign up here: ifs.org.uk/events/cioti...
CIOT/IFS debate: Reforming the taxation of housing – what changes should the Chancellor choose? | Institute for Fiscal Studies
Join us in-person or online for a debate on how to approach reforming the taxation of housing.
ifs.org.uk
October 29, 2025 at 10:03 AM
Join our CIOT/IFS debate on reforming the taxation of housing with Stuart Adam, Caroline Fleet, John Muellbauer, @guardianheather.bsky.social & Nichola Ross Martin.
Thurs 6 November | 18:30 – 20:00 | 10-11 Carlton House Terrace, London and online
📅 Sign up here: ifs.org.uk/events/cioti...
Thurs 6 November | 18:30 – 20:00 | 10-11 Carlton House Terrace, London and online
📅 Sign up here: ifs.org.uk/events/cioti...
NEW: New data show that official statistics have overcounted the number of self-employed workers in the UK for decades.
@helenmiller.bsky.social, Isaac Delestre, Kate Smith and @bojs.bsky.social’s new report uses newly available data to fill the gap in the statistical record:
@helenmiller.bsky.social, Isaac Delestre, Kate Smith and @bojs.bsky.social’s new report uses newly available data to fill the gap in the statistical record:
October 29, 2025 at 8:10 AM
NEW: New data show that official statistics have overcounted the number of self-employed workers in the UK for decades.
@helenmiller.bsky.social, Isaac Delestre, Kate Smith and @bojs.bsky.social’s new report uses newly available data to fill the gap in the statistical record:
@helenmiller.bsky.social, Isaac Delestre, Kate Smith and @bojs.bsky.social’s new report uses newly available data to fill the gap in the statistical record:
Reposted by The Institute for Fiscal Studies
We're giving the people what they want: more than an hour of content about how we could better tax wealth in the UK.
Do listen/watch and let us know what you think.
Do listen/watch and let us know what you think.
NEW PODCAST: How to fix wealth taxes
@helenmiller.bsky.social, Stuart Adam and @benzaranko.bsky.social unpack how the UK taxes savings, capital gains and wealth, and ask what a fair, efficient system would look like, in our new IFS Zooms In episode.
🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/how...
@helenmiller.bsky.social, Stuart Adam and @benzaranko.bsky.social unpack how the UK taxes savings, capital gains and wealth, and ask what a fair, efficient system would look like, in our new IFS Zooms In episode.
🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/how...
October 28, 2025 at 1:02 PM
We're giving the people what they want: more than an hour of content about how we could better tax wealth in the UK.
Do listen/watch and let us know what you think.
Do listen/watch and let us know what you think.
Listen to IFS Director @helenmiller.bsky.social on the 'Tax Conundrum', a three-part series from @benchu.bsky.social on why the UK tax system has become such a mess and what difference that makes: ⬇️
Why do we seem to find it so hard to have a rational conversation about how MUCH we pay in tax and HOW we pay it?
I'm exploring that in a new 3 part series for BBC Radio 4.
Episode 1 of The Tax Conundrum available here 🎧👇...
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
I'm exploring that in a new 3 part series for BBC Radio 4.
Episode 1 of The Tax Conundrum available here 🎧👇...
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
The Tax Conundrum - Episode 1: The Problem - BBC Sounds
What's wrong with our tax system?
www.bbc.co.uk
October 28, 2025 at 12:56 PM
Listen to IFS Director @helenmiller.bsky.social on the 'Tax Conundrum', a three-part series from @benchu.bsky.social on why the UK tax system has become such a mess and what difference that makes: ⬇️
EVENT: IFS Summer Student recruitment event 2025
Monday 17 November | 5pm – 6pm | Online via Zoom
Find out what it's like to be an IFS Summer Student and ask your questions at our upcoming online recruitment event.
➡️ Sign up to attend here: ifs.org.uk/events/ifs-r...
Monday 17 November | 5pm – 6pm | Online via Zoom
Find out what it's like to be an IFS Summer Student and ask your questions at our upcoming online recruitment event.
➡️ Sign up to attend here: ifs.org.uk/events/ifs-r...
October 28, 2025 at 11:30 AM
EVENT: IFS Summer Student recruitment event 2025
Monday 17 November | 5pm – 6pm | Online via Zoom
Find out what it's like to be an IFS Summer Student and ask your questions at our upcoming online recruitment event.
➡️ Sign up to attend here: ifs.org.uk/events/ifs-r...
Monday 17 November | 5pm – 6pm | Online via Zoom
Find out what it's like to be an IFS Summer Student and ask your questions at our upcoming online recruitment event.
➡️ Sign up to attend here: ifs.org.uk/events/ifs-r...