Institute for Fiscal Studies
@TheIFS
Britain’s leading independent economic research institute
NEW PODCAST: Pensions, climate & debt: Three big threats to UK public finances @HelenMiller_IFS is joined by @benzaranko and @OBR_UK's @rjdhughes for our podcast on the UK’s long-term fiscal risks and securing the public finances. 🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/pensi…
What does a good tax system look like and how can we get there? @HelenMiller_IFS on the importance of a long-term vision for policymaking in our podcast about the big economic pressures facing the UK. 🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/paul-…
IMF report today stresses importance of fiscal policy stability, but notes current framework isn't delivering it. Chimes with our @TheIFS piece from Monday. IMF recommendations also overlap with ours: ideally have more 'headroom' & apply target as a range between Budgets).
NEW #IFSWorkingPaper: Eliciting the marginal propensity to consume in surveys Thomas F. Crossley, Paul Fisher, @levell_peter and @hamishlow_econ demonstrate that different methods of eliciting the MPC give very different distributions. 📗 Read here: ifs.org.uk/publications/e…
NEW #IFSWorkingPaper: Gender inequality in expenditure: Great Britain 1978 to 2019 @R_Blundell_UCL, @Heidi_Karj, Valérie Lechene and Krishna Pendakur apply a new methodology to estimate within-household gender inequality. 📗 Read here: ifs.org.uk/publications/g…
The @CommonsHCLG committee's report on LG finance makes lots of useful suggestions. One that I think misses the mark is 'local revaluations': letting councils revalue and re-band council tax themselves. Why am I not keen? I think it adds complexity & risks new inequities...
NEW: How frequently should the OBR produce forecasts? ➡️ Read Carl Emmerson, @HelenMiller_IFS and @benzaranko's new briefing on how best to discourage Chancellors from excessive policy tinkering: ifs.org.uk/articles/how-f…
I understand logic of Pensions Commission not looking at the triple lock. But assuming it remains has big consequences for how much people should save. Compare first and last cols of this table (earnings indexed v triple lock). Less case for higher conts if triple lock stays.
Why is there speculation about moving doctors' remuneration away from pensions? Well almost 1/4 of doctors in core training opt out of the NHS pension. Similar issues (to differing extents) exist in other parts of the public sector too, not just doctors!
There are reports that the government is considering changing student loans or pensions for resident doctors. We've written a new @TheIFS comment on the potential merits of such changes. Here's a summary:
NEW: Today’s launch of a new Pensions Commission is very welcome. Read @JCribbEcon and @laurenceobrien_'s response here: ifs.org.uk/articles/today…
From BBC article on new Pensions Commission. *If* govt only increases min employer pension contributions for those in a pension then likely to make people who opt out worse off: no extra contributions + likely lower pay due pass through from higher employer costs (1/3)
Following our @TheIFS Pensions Review over the last 2 years, the government's announcement on their new Pensions Commission is most welcome. There's a lot to like about UK pension system, but issues and challenges that need work. ifs.org.uk/articles/today…
Employers have to automatically enrol their employees into a workplace pension. 📺 @LaurenceOBrien_ explains what the government could do to improve the automatic enrolment system, from our Pensions Review recommendations. Find out more: ifs.org.uk/microsite/pens…
This is with my excellent colleagues @KateOgdenEcon (expert on student finance) and @LaurenceOBrien_ (expert on pensions). Read the full piece, with lots more detail and discussion, here: ifs.org.uk/articles/merit…
There are reports that the government is considering changing student loans or pensions for resident doctors. We've written a new @TheIFS comment on the potential merits of such changes. Here's a summary:
📊#IFSSatStat: A significant minority of employees, and majority of self-employed workers, aren't on track for an adequate retirement income based on standard adequacy benchmarks. Our IFS Pensions Review sets out reforms to help many save more: ifs.org.uk/publications/p…
Only one in five self-employed workers in the UK are currently saving into a pension. 📺 @LaurenceOBrien_ explains what the government could do to help the self-employed save for retirement, from our Pensions Review recommendations. Find out more: ifs.org.uk/microsite/pens…
NEW: One year of Labour government: Is mission-driven politics really happening? Listen to our podcast of our joint event with @instituteforgov marking the one-year anniversary of the 2024 general election, on Labour's approach to governing: ifs.org.uk/articles/one-y…
