IFS Zooms In: The Economy

In the recent budget, the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, announced a £40 billion tax increase, pushing tax as a share of national income to an all time UK high.Just 6% of that came from an increase in inheritance tax, and just a small fraction of that will come from farmers. And yet it is the tax increase on farmers that has dominated the news headlines. But beyond the change to agricultural reliefs, there were some other big reforms as well - to pensions and business reliefs.So to discuss how inheritance tax actually changed in the budget, who will be affected and whether it was a good idea, Paul is joined by Helen Miller and David Sturrock, colleagues at the IFS.Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membershipFind out more: https://ifs.org.uk/podcasts-explainers-and-calculators/podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At the end of October, the ONS announced that the fertility rate in England and Wales had fallen to 1.44 births per woman in 2023 - the lowest figure since records began in 1938. What will this mean for the population make-up of the country? What other big demographic shifts are occurring? Why is this trend occurring across the developed world? And what will its implications be for the public finances?To discuss those questions, Paul is joined by Melinda Mills, Director of the Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science and Nuffield Professor of Demography at Oxford. And by Carl Emmerson, Deputy Director at IFS and one of the leading experts on the UK's public finances.Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membershipFind out more: https://ifs.org.uk/podcasts-explainers-and-calculators/podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

117 days after Labour took office, Rachel Reeves has finally delivered her Budget.From tax rises and fiscal rules, to public services and investment, we'll take a tour around all of the big announcements. Paul is joined by Helen Miller and Ben Zaranko, colleagues at the IFS.Find out more: https://www.ifs.org.uk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In our first ever live episode, we're going to look at how Rachel Reeves can make her first Budget a success.It will have been 117 days since Labour took power before we finally hear what is in the Budget - in that time we’ve heard about £22bn 'black holes' and the difficult economic situation the UK faces. We’re going to think a bit about some of the challenges facing the Chancellor, what she can learn from previous Budgets and how she can navigate these complexities.Paul is joined by colleague Helen Miller, Deputy Director at IFS, Lord Stewart Wood, a Labour peer and former member under Tony Blair’s government of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Council of Economic Advisers, and Stephen Bush, associate editor and columnist at the Financial Times.Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membershipFind out more: https://ifs.org.uk/podcasts-explainers-and-calculators/podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sign up to our live event: https://ifs.org.uk/events/ifs-zooms-live-how-make-your-first-budget-successThe budget coming up in a few weeks will be one of the big moments for Labour to set out their policy agenda. Over the summer, the government set out what it considers a difficult public finance picture - including a supposed £22bn ‘black hole’. The Labour manifesto promised big improvements to public services, and the prime minister has since promised no return to austerity. Meanwhile, the chancellor has promised that the upcoming Budget will be a ‘Budget for investment’. And there’s those promises to get debt falling, and not to raise the main rates of income tax or corporation tax, or to raise national insurance or VAT at all. So how could they meet their fiscal targets while also fixing public services and increasing investment? What is the public finance picture looking like? And will there be enough resource to tackle some of the challenges facing the UK economy?To explore these questions, Paul is joined by Carl Emmerson and Ben Zaranko.Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membershipFind out more: https://ifs.org.uk/podcasts-explainers-and-calculators/podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sign up to our live event: https://ifs.org.uk/events/ifs-zooms-live-how-make-your-first-budget-successThere’s been lots of speculation that Chancellor Rachel Reeves is looking to raise Capital Gains tax in her upcoming budget. Capital Gains tax raises around £15 billion a year, which is less than 2% of total tax revenue, and it’s paid by less than 1% of the adult population. But it’s important for both the fairness and efficiency of the tax system. In this episode, we’ll explore why CGT reform is necessary and how changes could make the tax system fairer, more efficient, and better aligned with long-term economic growth. We’ll also ask what Rachel Reeves would need to do if she wants to raise significant additional revenue from taxing capital gains.  To explore that, Paul is joined by IFS Deputy Director, Helen Miller and Dan Neidle, a tax lawyer and founder of Tax Policy Associates. Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membershipFind out more: https://ifs.org.uk/podcasts-explainers-and-calculators/podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sign up to our live event: https://ifs.org.uk/events/ifs-zooms-live-how-make-your-first-budget-successCurrently, around 4.3 million children - that’s around 30% of all kids - are living in relative poverty. Since 2010 that figure has risen by over 700,000 and the new government has made tackling child poverty one of its key policy objectives, with a cross-government strategy due to be published in 2025. In today’s episode, we’ll explore the factors contributing to this increase in child poverty, including changes to the benefits system, housing challenges, and the broader economic context. We’ll look at the long-run impacts that child poverty has and examine the potential policy options available to reduce child poverty.To do that, Carl is joined by Tom Waters and Christine Farquharson.Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membershipFind out more: https://ifs.org.uk/podcasts-explainers-and-calculators/podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sign up for our live podcast event: https://ifs.org.uk/events/ifs-zooms-live-how-make-your-first-budget-successSince the introduction of auto-enrolment over 10 years ago, more people than ever are saving into a workplace pension than ever before. However, new research from the IFS shows that approximately 30% to 40% of private sector employees (5 to 7 million people) saving in defined contribution pension schemes are on course to have individual incomes that fall short of standard benchmarks in retirement.What changes should government make to the auto-enrolment policy? How much do people need to save? What about self-employed people?To answer these questions, Paul is joined by Jonathan Cribb and Carl Emmerson from the IFS.Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membershipFind out more: https://ifs.org.uk/podcasts-explainers-and-calculators/podcasts  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re looking at the benefits system and answering the questions likely being asked by government ministers: how can the rising costs of benefits be managed, and what changes could improve the system?With disability and incapacity benefit caseloads rising and the Universal Credit rollout still ongoing, what options does the government have to address these challenges? How might frozen housing support and past cuts to working-age benefits be impacting the most vulnerable? Should the government abolish the two-child limit?To tackle these questions, Paul is joined by Tom Waters and Carl Emmerson from the IFS.Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membershipFind out more: https://ifs.org.uk/podcasts-explainers-and-calculators/podcasts  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the summer we’re bringing you a series of briefings on the key challenges and policy options facing the new set of government ministers. Today we’re turning to the tax system and we’ll answer the questions that the Chancellor has almost certainly been asking Treasury officials in recent weeks: how could more tax revenue be raised and how could tax reform boost growth.Rachel Reeves has ruled out tax rises on 'working people', saying that there will be no increase of income tax, VAT, National Insurance or Corporation Tax. What areas of tax does this leave to fill the shortfall in the public finances? Which taxes could be reformed to boost growth?To tackle those questions, Paul is joined by Dan Neidle a tax lawyer and founder of Tax Policy Associates and Helen Miller, Deputy Director at the IFS.Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membershipFind out more: https://ifs.org.uk/podcasts-explainers-and-calculators/podcasts  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the coming weeks, we’re bringing you a series of briefings looking at key areas of government and analysing their performance over recent years, the challenges they face and the solutions the new government may look to help them.This week, we’ll be looking at higher and further education. Over recent months, we’ve heard lots of stories about the pressures on university finances, and concern that some universities may go bust. We’ll discuss why this is, what happens if a university goes bust and whether government can do anything to fix the problem. We’ll also discuss longer-term challenges facing the higher and further education sectors.We're joined by Jack Britton and Christine Farquharson, IFS education experts.Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membershipFind out more: https://ifs.org.uk/podcasts-explainers-and-calculators/podcasts  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the next few weeks, we’re bringing you a series of briefings looking at key areas of government and analysing how they have performed over recent years, what challenges they face and which solutions are on the table.This week we'll start with the NHS - the UK's biggest public service. We're joined by Ben Zaranko and Max Warner, IFS experts, to discuss the big challenges facing the NHS, and what Labour will do about them.Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membershipFind out more: https://ifs.org.uk/podcasts-explainers-and-calculators/podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Monday, the new Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, stood up in front of Parliament and spoke about, what was in her view, the challenging economic inheritance left to Labour by the previous Conservative government. She revealed a series of unfunded commitments by the previous government - a multibillion-pound gap in the public finances covering areas such as spending on asylum seekers and unfunded infrastructure projects. So, what do we make of the announcements? What are the implications of the spending cuts announced? What does this statement tell us about how the Chancellor will handle economic challenges?To answer these questions, we’re joined by Christine Farquharson and Ben Zaranko.Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membershipFind out more: https://ifs.org.uk/podcasts-explainers-and-calculators/podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the King's Speech last week, Labour announced 40 new bills covering areas from planning and green energy, to fiscal locks and a national wealth fund.What can these bills tell us about Labour's economic strategy? We speak with IFS economists, Christine Farquharson and Ben Zaranko.Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membershipFind out more: https://ifs.org.uk/podcasts-explainers-and-calculators/podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the final run up to the election, we answer your questions about everything from borrowing to growth and from AI to the part that luck plays in the economy.Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membershipFind out more: https://ifs.org.uk/podcasts-explainers-and-calculators/podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Monday, we released our comprehensive analysis of the parties manifestos at an event in Westminster. After some time digesting and analysing the manifestos, we’ve concluded that neither of the main parties is being honest with voters about the challenges we face in coming years. So, what are the manifestos missing? What are the big challenges facing us? And what information should voters be aware of as they head to the polls?Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membershipFind out more: https://ifs.org.uk/podcasts-explainers-and-calculators/podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We discuss 'levelling up' and local government and see how much progress has been made. We also analyse the SNP and Plaid Cymru manifestos. Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membershipFind out more: https://ifs.org.uk/podcasts-explainers-and-calculators/podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We discuss the Reform UK and Green Party manifestos and give our reaction to the policies and pledges within them.Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We discuss the Labour manifesto launched on Thursday and give our reaction to the policies and pledges within it.Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We discuss the Conservative manifesto launched on Tuesday and give our reaction to the policies and pledges within it. Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s manifesto week, and we’ll be coming to you with plenty of analysis of the promises, pledges and numbers. In this episode, we’ll dive into some work looking at the how the size and shape of the state have changed over recent decades, and how the tax system has changed since 2010. We'll also give our reaction to the Liberal Democrat manifesto. Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The last few days have seen plenty of competing claims about tax rises, but very little discussion of the very tight fiscal situation facing the next government. What problems will they face? Can growth ride to the rescue?Also in this episode, we explore what's happened to the education system, from funding and teacher pay, to falling pupil numbers and the impact of COVID.Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since 2008, the UK economy has faced a series of shocks and challenges, leaving the next government with a difficult task. From low growth to falling living standards, we ask what structural problems the next government faces.We also tackle announcements on limiting tax rises, apprenticeships and the NHS waiting list. Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In our first election special, we look at the broad economic picture and analyse announcements about the fiscal rules, the triple lock and tax.Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After years of sluggish growth and flatlining productivity, a rare political consensus has emerged that growing the economy is one of the key priorities of the next government. With an election on the way, we're bound to hear pledges and policies on how to get the economy growing again.But how can we actually grow the economy? Can we get productivity growth back on track? And in what sectors can the UK lead?To help answer these questions, we’re joined by Anna Valero, Policy Fellow and Director of the Growth Programme at the Centre for Economic Performance at the LSE.Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, we’re setting the stage for a key moment in UK politics — the upcoming spending review, expected this November. The spending review will set some £600 billion of departmental budgets from April 2025 onwards, and will be a crucial moment for the next government to lay out its priorities and plans for public services. How should the incoming government go about doing the next spending review? How can the government make sure they deliver on their priorities? And will they be constrained by the much talked about ‘treasury orthodoxy’?To help us answer these questions, we're joined by two people who have been at the heart of government - David Gauke, a lawyer and former MP who served in the Treasury under David Cameron and Theresa May’s governments and Giles Wilkes, a senior fellow at the Institute for Government and former special adviser to Theresa May and Vince Cable. Try our tool: https://ifs.org.uk/election-2024/be-chancellorFind out more: https://ifs.org.uk/Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We often hear about government debt in the headlines. Currently the UK government owes around £2.65 trillion, nearly 100% of UK GDP - the value of all the goods and services produced in the UK in a year. How has the debt level grown? Should we aspire to reduce the debt? And do we need to worry about high debt to GDP ratios?Joining us today to answer all these questions and more, is David Miles, Professor of Financial Economics at Imperial College Business School, a member of the OBR Budget Responsibility Committee and former member of the Monetary Policy Committee at the Bank of England.Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In his Spring Budget, the Chancellor announced a 2% cut to National Insurance, amidst other measures on tax and spending.What will the impact of the measures be? How will it affect living standards? And what choices face the next Parliament?Joining us today are Helen Miller, Deputy Director at IFS and Ben Zaranko, Senior Research Economist at IFS.Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since the pandemic, the size the NHS waiting list has been in the headlines almost constantly. At the start of 2023, Rishi Sunak committed to decreasing the size of the waiting list as one of his ‘five priorities’, and since then it has actually gone up. So today, we’re going to dive into the NHS waiting list - what is it? How big is it? And is there a credible plan to get it back down?Joining us to answer those questions are Ben Zaranko and Max Warner, IFS economists who have recently published a report on the NHS waiting list.Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over recent months, you may have seen local authorities warning that they are facing a funding crisis. Since 2021, six local authorities have declared themselves effectively bankrupt, and many other local authorities have reported that they may soon be forced to do the same.How did we end up here? Why are local councils facing funding pressures? And what can government do to help them?Joining us to answer these questions are Tony Travers, a professor in the Department of Government at LSE and expert on local government, and David Phillips, Head of Devolved and Local Government Finance at IFS. Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Income tax and National Insurance Contributions are our biggest taxes. Together they raise almost half of all tax revenues. National Insurance Contributions were cut at the start of the year, but we’re in the middle of a multi-year freeze in tax thresholds that will amount to a tax rise of over £40 billion by the time it’s finished. And these are just the latest in a string of changes in how we tax personal incomes.From cliff edges and personal allowances, to Scotland's 6-band income tax system and The Beatles' scheme to minimise their tax, we cover all things income tax.To do that, we're joined by Helen Miller, Deputy Director at IFS and head of our tax sector, and Dan Neidle, a tax lawyer and founder of Tax Policy Associates.Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we enter the new year, we take a look-ahead at what to expect in 2024.What will happen with the cost of living crisis? What might the Chancellor announce in his Spring Budget? What should we be looking out for during an election?This week, Paul is joined by colleagues Ben Zaranko, Helen Miller and Carl Emmerson to take a look at the stories which will define 2024.Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With an ageing population, the UK faces a series of significant challenges with regard to its state pension. The OBR estimates that spending on the state pension, pension credit and winter fuel payment is expected to rise by 1.2% of national income (£32 billion per year in today’s terms) by 2050.How does the state pension work? What are the problems with it? And how can we reform it to work more effectively?In our final episode of the year, Paul is joined by Jonathan Cribb, Associate Director at IFS and Head of the Retirement, Savings, and Ageing sector, and Baroness Ros Altmann, a life peer, pensions expert and former Pensions Minister.Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Inheritance tax is arguably the UK’s most unpopular tax - a recent YouGov poll found that just 20% of people deemed inheritance tax ‘fair’. Yet most people are unaffected by it - only a minority of estates currently pay inheritance tax. In this episode, Paul Johnson is joined by Arun Advani and David Sturrock to discuss the intricacies of inheritance tax. They cover the inequality inherent in the current system, the distortion of economic incentives resulting from exemptions, the small percentage of estates that actually pay the tax, and how it affects to social mobility. Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, the Chancellor delivered his Autumn Statement. After weeks of speculation about headroom, tax cuts and pre-election giveaways, the dye is cast and the policies are in.What was in it? What will the impact of his announcements be? And how sensible were the policies announced?Joining us today are Helen Miller, Head of Tax at IFS, Ben Zaranko, Senior Research economist and Tom Waters, Senior Research economist at IFS.Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From jaffa cakes and gingerbread men, to fur skin coats and children's clothes, our VAT system and its byzantine rules seem, on the surface, to be a fun quirk of the UK tax system.But dig deeper, and one finds economic distortions and inefficiencies due to the complex way the UK's third largest tax is levied.Leading us through this maze of complexity are Helen Miller, Deputy Director and IFS tax expert, and Dan Neidle, a tax lawyer and founder of Tax Policy Associates. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Climate change used to be that rarest of things in British politics – an issue over which there was broad interparty consensus. That consensus saw Ed Miliband oversee the passing of the Climate Change Act in 2008, committing the UK to an 80 % reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050; Theresa May enshrining of the target of net zero in law; and Boris Johnson going further still, increasing the target for 2030 reductions to 68%.But recently we have seen a divergence from this consensus, with Rishi Sunak pushing back the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars in the UK from 2030 to 2035.In this episode, the Experts team drill down into this changing landscape. What do voters think about Sunak’s changes? How is Labour going to respond? What are the key steps to achieving net zero? And what are the economic costs involved? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you remember when politics was the domain of good chaps and a time when politicians could be trusted to stick to the rules? Ok, so maybe there was never quite such a rose-tinted age – but from lobbying scandals to accusations of minsters bullying their staff, standards in politics seem to have been slipping in recent years.So this week the Expert Factor team take a deep dive into standards and ethics in public life – and how they are meant to be uphold. Why have standards been on the slide? Have the good chaps left the political scene for good? What could Rishi Sunak or Keir Starmer do to fix the problem? And do the voters really care?A general election is looming. Manifestos are being drafted. The battle of ideas is intensifying. From tackling climate change to turning around the economy, rethinking Britain’s place in the world to restoring trust in politics, the UK is facing huge challenges. So how can we make sense of it all?THE EXPERT FACTOR is the podcast for people who haven’t had enough of experts. Each week the directors of three leading and respected think tanks – Paul Johnson of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Hannah White of the Institute for Government, and Anand Menon of UK in a Changing Europe – get together to discuss, debate and explain the big questions and themes that will shape the election – and the political landscape for years to come.Produced by Milo Hynes and Podmasters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From HS2 cancellations to Heathrow’s still unbuilt third runway, the over-budget Elizabeth line to the repeated delays to the Hinkley C nuclear reactor, why is the UK so bad at infrastructure projects? This week the Expert Factor team – Paul Johnson of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Hannah White of the Institute for Government, and Anand Menon of UK in a Changing Europe – take a deep dive into what goes wrong when the UK wants to build big things. How did the costs for HS2 get so high? Is there the right level of government expertise to see through big infrastructure projects? Does the UK have a bigger NIMBY problem than other countries? And what could be done to learn from past mistakes? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rising inflation, a cost of living crisis, striking public sector workers, the NHS facing another winter crisis… costs on the public purse are spiralling and government borrowing is being pushed still higher.So is it true to say there is no more money left?This week the Expert Factor team take a deep dive into the state of Britain’s public finances. What would it mean if we stick to current tax and spend policies? What choices are facing this country’s politicians and its public services? What does the country expect its governments to deliver – and how does it expect it to be paid for? And what did we learn from the Labour and Conservative conferences about the two parties’ plans for the economy? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the 22nd November, the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt will give his Autumn Statement. He will update MPs on the country's finances and the government's plans for tax and public spending, based on the latest forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility.In this episode, we speak to Carl Emmerson, Deputy Director at IFS and Ben Nabarro, Chief UK Economist at Citigroup, about the underlying economic situation facing the Chancellor. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recently, Rishi Sunak announced significant changes to the UK's net zero pathway. A ban on the sale of combustion engines has been pushed back to 2035, instead of a 100% phase out of gas boilers by 2035, this has been changed to 80%, and he’s scrapped energy efficiency targets for homes.What is the impact of the announcement? Who will it affect? How will it alter the UK's path to net zero?Joining us today is Chris Stark, Chief Executive of the Climate Change Committee, an independent, statutory body which advises the government on climate change. Paul was until this year also a member of the CCC.Find out more: www.ifs.org.uk/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Some politicians are keen to talk up global Britain. Others boast that the UK is world leader in, well, just about everything. But some say this is a country in non-stop decline. So what’s the true story?This week the Expert Factor team take a deep dive into Britain’s place in the world. How do other countries view the UK after a tumultuous time in Westminster? What is the state of the UK’s post-pandemic economy compared to other countries? Just how special is the ‘special’ relationship with the US? And what is the true story about what Brexit has meant for the UK? Hannah White, Paul Johnson and Anand Menon ask the tricky questions – and come up with the expert answers.A general election is looming. Manifestos are being drafted. The battle of ideas is intensifying. From tackling climate change to turning around the economy, rethinking Britain’s place in the world to restoring trust in politics, the UK is facing huge challenges. So how can we make sense of it all?THE EXPERT FACTOR is the podcast for people who haven’t had enough of experts. Each week we the directors of three leading and respected think tanks – Paul Johnson of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Hannah White of the Institute for Government, and Anand Menon of UK in a Changing Europe – get together to discuss, debate and explain the big questions and themes that will shape the election – and the political landscape for years to come.• Institute Fiscal Studies: https://ifs.org.uk/• Institute for Government: https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/• UK in a Changing Europe: https://ukandeu.ac.uk/Written and presented by Paul Johnson, Hannah White and Anand Menon. Audio production by Alex Rees for Podmasters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Subscribe to The Expert Factor feed: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-expert-factor/id1709487231A general election is looming. Manifestos are being drafted. The battle of ideas is intensifying. From tackling climate change to turning around the economy, rethinking Britain’s place in the world to restoring trust in politics, the UK is facing huge challenges. So how can we make sense of it all?The EXPERT FACTOR is the podcast for people who haven’t had enough of experts. Each week we the directors of three leading and respected think tanks – Paul Johnson of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Hannah White of the Institute for Government, and Anand Menon of UK in a Changing Europe – get together to discuss, debate and explain the big questions and themes that will shape the election – and the political landscape for years to come.This week the team look ahead to the party conference season. What are the pressing questions that Keir Starmer needs to answer? How much pressure will Rishi Sunak be under? And what difference do these get-togethers really make?• Institute Fiscal Studies: https://ifs.org.uk/• Institute for Government: https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/• UK in a Changing Europe: https://ukandeu.ac.uk/Written and presented by Paul Johnson, Hannah White and Anand Menon. Audio production by Alex Rees for Podmasters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From silicon chips to fertiliser, the last few years have shown us that where our materials come from matters massively to the stability of our economy. How we get stuff out of the ground, processed and into complex global supply chains is a vital and oft-overlooked part of our economy - with ramifications for government policy across all sectors.In this episode, we speak with Ed Conway, Economics Editor at Sky News and author of a new book Material World: The Making of Civilisation.Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Debates about inequality often focus on inequalities between people. But what about inequalities between firms?Recent decades have seen the emergence of giant, multinational firms - the FAANGs of this world. But over 40% of registered businesses in the UK have less than 10 employees.What do we mean when we talk about inequality between firms? Are inequalities between firms limiting UK business dynamism? And do governments need to step in and enforce competition rules?Joining us this episode are John Van Reenan, Ronald Coase Chair in Economics and School Professor at the LSE, and Amelia Fletcher, Professor of Competition Policy at Norwich Business School.Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/inequality/Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the past decades, women have drawn closer to men in a variety of areas - education, university degrees and workforce participation. But, women still earn less on average than men.In this episode, we ask why this pay gap opens up, whether things have improved in recent years, and talk about one key factor affecting women’s pay - kids.Joining us are Alison Andrew, Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Oxford, Christine Farquharson, Senior Research Economist at IFS and Lucinda Platt, Professor of Social Policy and Sociology at the LSE.Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/inequality/Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since 2019, we’ve all heard a lot about levelling up. It makes sense that our politics is centered around it - of all types of inequality, the public seems most concerned about the geographical sort. But do the numbers back this up? How much of Britain’s inequality is generated by differing fortunes in different parts of the country? And what might an effective “levelling up” agenda look like?   In this episode, we speak to Xiaowei Xu, Senior Research Economist at IFS, James Banks, Professor of Economics at Manchester University.Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/inequality/Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We see inequalities all the time, whether at the school gates, the hospital, when travelling round the country and definitely when turning on the news. But why should we care about inequality? What has happened to inequality over recent decades? And can government do anything about it?We speak to Professor Sir Angus Deaton, an economist who is an expert on inequality and leads the IFS-Deaton Review, Debra Satz, a philosopher and Dean of the School of Humanities and Sciences at Stanford University, and Robert Joyce, Deputy Director at IFS and panel member of the IFS-Deaton Review.Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/inequality/Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Inequalities are one of the defining issues of the modern age. We see inequalities all the time, whether at the school gates, the hospital, when travelling round the country and definitely when turning on the news.Over the next month on the IFS Zooms In, we are bringing you a mini-series looking at inequality in Britain. We’ll be looking at a range of issues, from what’s happened to inequality over the last several decades and why that might matter, to more specific issues such as the role parenthood plays in opening the gender pay gap, and whether the practices of big tech companies worsen inequality.We hope you’ll join us, starting next week, as the IFS Zooms In on inequality.Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we're bringing you an episode from the archives, looking at the future of public sector pensions. We'll be back in two weeks with a new episode. -----------------------------------In an era where those in the private sector have seen their pension provision decrease, pensions in the public sector continue to look generous.But is this sustainable? Should we change the balance between pay and pensions for those in the public sector? What does the future hold for public sector pensions?This week, we speak to Lord Hutton of Furness, cabinet minister in the last Labour government and leader of the Independent Public Service Pensions Commission, a review into public sector pensions commissioned by David Cameron, and by Carl Emmerson, IFS Deputy Director and expert on pensions.Support the IFS: https://ifs.org.uk/donate Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the past 13 years, successive governments have pledged to bring immigration down, but have failed to do so. Recently, the government announced that net immigration for 2022 was around 600,000. How many people are migrating and where are they coming from? How has Brexit shifted the dynamics of migration? What is the impact of migration on the wages of native-born workers? And what could government do if it wanted to achieve its target of reducing migration?In this episode, Paul speaks to Madeleine Sumption, a political scientist who is Director of the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford.Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/podcastBecome a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since the start of the pandemic in March 2020, the topic of working from home has been everywhere and has seemingly affected everything. From big companies calling workers back to the office and city centre food chains struggling, to house price jumps in rural areas and zoom fatigue, the transition to work from home is one of the biggest shifts in working patterns in the last century.But what evidence do we have on the success of remote working? Are people more or less productive at home? And what does the future hold?In this episode, Paul speaks to Professor Nick Bloom, a Professor at Stanford University, former IFS-er and leading expert on working from home. Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/podcastBecome a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the past year, the UK has seen very high inflation, affecting households and businesses across the country.But what is actually wrong with inflation? How do we measure it? And what is the way out of it?We speak to Chris Giles, economics editor at the Financial Times and former IFS economist, and Peter Levell, Associate Director at IFS, both inflation experts.Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/pensions-reviewBecome a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From declining homeownership rates and low pension saving, to high numbers of self-employed people with no pensions at all, it seems that future generations face steep challenges in retirement.Recently, IFS launched a new review of the pensions system, supported by the Abdrn Financial Fairness Trust, to look into these issues and seek policy solutions to help politicians navigate these challenges.Joining us today to talk through the challenges facing the UK pensions system are Heidi Karjalainen, a researcher at IFS, and Jonathan Cribb, Associate Director at IFS, both who are involved in the review. Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/pensions-review Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To many, the start of the new tax year in April will seem quiet, more of the same with no big changes to the tax system announced by the government.But hidden beneath the surface lie a series of stealthy tax rises - freezes to thresholds which coupled with rising inflation are projected to raise around £30 billion for the Treasury over the next few years and hit household finances hard.Here to reveal the truth are Helen Miller, Head of Tax at IFS, and Tom Waters, Associate Director at IFS.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt recently outlined his Spring Budget, with big announcements on childcare, corporation tax, pensions and more.We dive into the detail and bring you our expert analysis on the Budget.Joining us are Ben Zaranko, public finances expert, Christine Farquharson, childcare expert and Helen Miller, tax expert.Find out more: www.ifs.org.uk/podcastBecome a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From price caps and pipelines to price guarantees and LPG, the rising cost of energy has been central to understanding the economy over the past year.As we come out the cold winter period, we ask whether high energy prices are here to stay?What is happening with the energy market? Should we expect further price shocks? And can we decarbonise our energy supply while keeping bills affordable? Joining us are Heidi Karjalainen, Research Economist at IFS, and Giles Wilkes, a senior fellow at the Institute for Government and former special adviser to Theresa May on industrial and economic policy.Find out more: www.ifs.org.uk/podcastBecome a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From non-doms to offshore investment vehicles - how the rich are taxed, and how they avoid it, has been all over the headlines.But who are the 1%? How much tax do they pay? And should government tax them more?Joining us are Helen Miller, Deputy Director at IFS and our Head of Tax, and Dan Neidle, Founder of Tax Policy Associates and a former tax lawyer.Find out more: www.ifs.org.uk/podcastBecome a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With COVID, strikes, staff shortages, an enormous waiting list and an ever-ageing population (amongst other issues), the NHS is coming under greater pressure than ever. In this episode, we take a look at the state of the NHS across a range of areas.How is the service doing at the moment? Will we see a pay settlement for nurses and other workers? And are there any reasons to hope that better days are ahead?Joining us are Saffron Cordery, Deputy Chief Executive of NHS Providers, a membership organisation for NHS acute, ambulance, community and mental health services, and Max Warner, IFS researcher and NHS expert.Find out more: www.ifs.org.uk/podcastBecome a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two years ago, in the depths of lockdown, the future for young people looked bleak. Policymakers worried about an unemployment crisis, lost career opportunities and a generation of young people missing out on key milestones.The reality - at least on the jobs front - is far rosier than many predicted. But is it all good news for those who graduated during COVID and entered the jobs market during the work from home era? What about those in non-graduate jobs? And what about the next generation - those who were in school during the peak of COVID?This week we're joined by Sarah O'Connor, employment columnist at the Financial Times, and Xiaowei Xu, Senior Economist at IFS to answer these questions.Find out more: www.ifs.org.uk/podcastBecome a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Happy New Year! After a tumultuous 2022, we look to the year ahead and hope for calmer waters.Joining us on our voyage into the future are Dr. Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government, and Anand Menon, Director of the UK in a Changing Europe.From strikes and immigration, to Budgets and Brexit, we offer our best analysis of the situation we're currently in, and what we expect to happen next year.Find out more: www.ifs.org.uk/podcastBecome a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week, the Chancellor gave his autumn statement. In the run-up, many expected significant cuts to public spending, ushering in a new era of austerity.But did these anticipated cuts happen? How important is it to bring down debt? And after a decade of cuts in the 2010s, how are departments faring?This week, we speak with Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government, and Carl Emmerson, Deputy Director at IFS.Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we're bringing you the IFS Annual Lecture, given this year by Baroness Minouche Shafik. In it she talks about what a new social contract for the 21st century would look like.Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/events/ifs-annual-lecture-baroness-minouche-shafikBecome a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a fall in the employment rate in the UK, driven by a rise in the rate of economic inactivity rather than in unemployment. What has been happening to older workers since the pandemic? Why are they leaving the workforce? Should government work to bring them back?We speak to Jonathan Cribb, Associate Director at IFS, and Beatrice Boileau, Research Economist at IFS to find out what has been happening with older workers.Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/podcastSupport IFS: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The UK economy faces a series of challenging headwinds - high inflation, higher energy prices and a 'terms of trade' shock. These are squeezing household budgets and pushing up the cost of living. The adverse market reaction to the Chancellor's 'mini-budget' on the 23rd September has created further difficulties.In this year's Green Budget, our flagship annual report funded by the Nuffield Foundation in partnership with Citi, we explore the Chancellor's options for achieving fiscal sustainability.We speak with Carl Emmerson, IFS Deputy Director, and Ben Nabarro, Chief UK Economist at Citi, to take a broad view of the UK economy and the public finances, and see what a path forward might look like.Support IFS: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In recent weeks, the new Prime Minister has argued that the UK has been too focused on redistribution.But what role does the benefit system play in redistribution? Has this changed over recent decades? And should benefits be uprated in line with inflation?Joining us are Charlotte Pickles, Director of Reform, and Tom Waters, IFS Senior Economist.Find out more: https://www.ifs.org.uk/podcastBecome a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Workers in the public sector have seen their pay squeezed over the last decade, and with inflation on the rise, disputes over pay look set to dominate the headlines this autumn.Across the public sector, we're hearing stories of hiring issues, staff retention and squeezed budgets. These issues all affect the morale of the workforce and the delivery of public services.What will the government do? How much would inflation matching pay increases cost? What would a longer-term plan to deal with these issues look like?This week we speak to Ben Zaranko, IFS expert on public finances and Delphine Strauss, Economics Correspondent at the Financial Times.Support IFS: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membershipPublic sector pensions episode: https://ifs.org.uk/articles/future-public-sector-pensions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Liz Truss takes office, she is faced with a series of interlocking challenges - rising inflation, an energy crisis and a cost of living crisis.How can she tackle these in the short-term and put the country back on surer footing in the long-term?Paul speaks to IFS economists Ben Zaranko and Xiaowei Xu to assess the challenges facing the new Prime Minister.Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/podcastSupport IFS: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In an era where those in the private sector have seen their pension provision decrease, pensions in the public sector continue to look generous.But is this sustainable? Should we change the balance between pay and pensions for those in the public sector? What does the future hold for public sector pensions?This week, we speak to Lord Hutton of Furness, cabinet minister in the last Labour government and leader of the Independent Public Service Pensions Commission, a review into public sector pensions commissioned by David Cameron, and by Carl Emmerson, IFS Deputy Director and expert on pensions.Support the IFS: https://ifs.org.uk/donate Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Early education and childcare can have a critical impact both on helping children to develop and in supporting parents, especially mothers, to work.  In recent months, reports of soaring childcare costs and staff shortages combined with the wider cost of living crisis have pushed government to act. But how expensive is childcare in the UK? How does it stack up against other countries? What can the government do to bring down costs? This week, we speak to Christine Farquharson, senior economist at IFS and expert on education and childcare and to Neil Leitch, Chief Executive of the Early Years Alliance.Support the IFS: https://ifs.org.uk/donate Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

**We will be back next week with a new episode **In the past decade, the UK has seen some of the slowest rates of productivity growth of the OECD countries, with output per hour and real wages no higher today than they were prior to the global financial crisis. Why is a high-tech, developed economy like the UK struggling to be more productive? What policies can government implement to get productivity growing again? And how can we spur innovation while also tackling issues like inequality?This week, we speak to John Van Reenen, Professor of Economics at the London School of Economics, and expert on innovation, firms and productivity.Support the IFS: https://www.ifs.org.uk/donate Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2030, motorists in the UK won't be able to buy fossil fuel powered vehicles from showrooms anymore. To incentivise a shift to an all-electric future, the government is giving considerable tax breaks to the owners of electric vehicles (EVs) to stimulate uptake. However, as more and more people move away from fossil fuels, the government stands to lose billions of pounds in tax revenue - unless it decides to tax EVs. In this episode, we speak to Stuart Adam, IFS tax expert and Steve Gooding, Director of the RAC Foundation to discuss how the government could tax EVs in future.Support the IFS: https://ifs.org.uk/donate Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since 2012, students have been paying considerably higher tuition fees, and borrowing more money in the form of student loans. The average graduate racks up a total average debt of £45,000 and only a minority of students under the current system will ever pay these loans back in full. By the middle of the century, the government forecasts the unpaid student loans debt to be around £560 billion.In a series of recently announced reforms, the government has indicated a desire for students to pay back more of their loans, and pushed through significant changes to the system.This week, Paul speaks to Ben Waltmann, IFS education expert, and Ivor Crewe, panellist on the Augar Review of the post-18 education system, to get to the bottom of these reforms and think about how students, taxpayers and universities will be affected.Are too many people going to university?: https://ifs.org.uk/podcast/are-too-many-people-going-to-universitySupport the IFS: https://ifs.org.uk/donate Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

** This is an episode from 2021. We will return with a new episode next week **The food we eat and the way it is produced impacts not only our health and lifestyles, but also our carbon footprints.The recent National Food Strategy report commissioned by the government and published this summer proposes measures to improve our health, reduce strain on the NHS and make our food culture healthier and more sustainable. What role should the government play in influencing what we eat? And how can taxes and policy be designed to get us to eat more healthily?This week, Paul is joined by Henry Dimbleby, co-founder of the restaurant chain Leon and leader of the National Food Strategy report, and IFS Associate Director and expert on food taxes Kate Smith.Support the IFS: https://www.ifs.org.uk/donate Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Taxing multinational corporations more fairly is often presented in the media is a no-brainer - an open goal for government to increase tax revenue and cut down on tax avoiding behaviour.But what seems like a simple policy is in fact incredibly complicated, requiring the navigation of complex international laws and fundamental questions over types of property and where intangible assets exist.In this episode, Paul speaks to Helen Miller, IFS tax expert, and Dan Neidle, a tax lawyer specialising in corporate taxation, to get a sense of how successful international efforts to tax multinationals are.Support the IFS: https://ifs.org.uk/donate Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The current economic environment is shaped by inflation and a rising cost of living crisis. During this period of uncertainty, the Chancellor gave his Spring Statement, outlining his plans for the public finances and responding to the shocks facing the economy.In this episode, Paul speaks with Carl Emmerson, Deputy Director at IFS and Tom Waters, IFS research economist, about the Chancellor’s statement and the implications going forward.Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/donate Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since we were last on air, Russia has invaded the Ukraine, and defence has come to the fore of the public conversation.How much does the UK spend on defence? How has this changed over time? And what will Russia's invasion mean for UK defence spending?This week, we speak with Malcolm Chalmers, Deputy Director-General at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) and Ben Zaranko, IFS Public Finance expert.Support the IFS: https://ifs.org.uk/donate Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

National Insurance Contributions are rising in April. Since being announced, opinion has been divided on whether this is the best mechanism to raise revenue.But, what are National Insurance contributions? Are they the same as income tax? What will the extra tax revenue raised from April be used for? And are there better ways of raising tax?In this episode, IFS Deputy Director Helen Miller takes us through the world of National Insurance Contributions, and answers questions posed by our social media followers.Support the IFS: https://ifs.org.uk/donate Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a world of rising housing costs, rising energy bills and increasing taxes, saving for retirement may be at the back of many people's minds. But decisions around when and how much to save can be crucial in shaping people's lives post-retirement.This week, we're joined by Claer Barrett, Consumer Editor at the Financial Times and host of the FT's Money Clinic podcast, and Carl Emmerson, Deputy Director at IFS and pensions expert.Support the IFS: https://ifs.org.uk/donateSee Claer's article 'The Million Pound Pension Problem': https://www.ft.com/content/48ae7709-916b-4cec-b22f-3c006805b699 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The UK is engulfed in a cost of living crisis, from rising inflation to flat-lining wages and incoming tax rises. In addition, energy prices are set to rise steeply, affecting households up and down the country and especially those on lower incomes.This week, we're joined by Giles Wilkes a senior fellow at the Institute for Government and former special adviser to Theresa May on industrial and economic policy, and Stuart Adam, a Senior Economist at IFS who focuses on the design of the tax and benefit system, to understand why energy prices are rising, and think about what the government can do to bring down prices and help households.Support the IFS: https://ifs.org.uk/donate Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Happy New Year and welcome to season three of the IFS Zooms In!This week Paul is joined by four IFS experts, Robert Joyce, Helen Miller, Ben Zaranko and Christine Farquharson to discuss the most important issues facing the economy in 2022.From the rising cost of living, to tax rises in April, an Omicron surge challenging the NHS and an education system making up for lost learning, we'll go beyond the headlines and brief you on the deeper stories you should be paying attention to this year.Support the IFS: https://ifs.org.uk/donate Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Many economies in Western Europe have experienced a sizeable increase in income inequality since the 1980s, and inequality has grown even more rapidly in the United States. This rising inequality in advanced economies coincided with a period of globalisation that was characterised by rapid growth in international merchandise trade.What role did globalisation play in deepening inequality?In this episode, we speak with IFS economist Peter Levell and Penny Goldberg, Professor of Economics at Yale University and former Chief Economist of the World Bank.**The sudden shift to home working left us without our usual equipment - apologies for any issues with audio quality** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we bring you this year's IFS annual lecture delivered by Professor Jean Tirole, Honorary Chairman of the Toulouse School of Economics. In his talk, he discusses how economics can be used to shape narratives and help solve the biggest crises facing our societies and governments.Support the IFS: https://ifs.org.uk/about/membership/individual Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, all eyes are on the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) summit in Glasgow as world leaders meet to accelerate action on climate change. The UK is legally committed to reducing the net greenhouse gas emissions that arise from UK-based activities to zero by 2050, but action to reduce emissions will need to happen on a global scale to be effective. What policies should governments worldwide introduce to combat climate change? How should carbon taxes be designed to ensure a cost-efficient and fair transition to net zero?This week, IFS Director and Climate Change Committee member Paul Johnson is joined by Alice Pirlot, Research Fellow at the Oxford University Centre for Business Taxation, and IFS Associate Director Peter Levell.Support the IFS: https://ifs.org.uk/about/membership/individual Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The food we eat and the way it is produced impacts not only our health and lifestyles, but also our carbon footprints.The recent National Food Strategy report commissioned by the government and published this summer proposes measures to improve our health, reduce strain on the NHS and make our food culture healthier and more sustainable. What role should the government play in influencing what we eat? And how can taxes and policy be designed to get us to eat more healthily?This week, Paul is joined by Henry Dimbleby, co-founder of the restaurant chain Leon and leader of the National Food Strategy report, and IFS Associate Director and expert on food taxes Kate Smith.Find out more about the IFS: https://ifs.org.uk/Support the IFS: https://www.ifs.org.uk/about/membership/individual Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we published the IFS Green Budget, our flagship publication analysing at the outlook for the economy and the opportunities and challenges facing the Chancellor ahead of the autumn budget.We speak to Benjamin Nabarro, Senior Associate at Citi Research, and Carl Emmerson, Deputy Director at IFS, to discuss the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, as the Chancellor aims to secure a lasting recovery and deliver on the government’s other objectives and priorities.The IFS Green Budget is produced in partnership with Citi, and is funded by the Nuffield Foundation.Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/green-budgetSupport the IFS: https://www.ifs.org.uk/about/membership/individualCiti disclosures: https://ir.citi.com/yFS39VEXTHB9LB42vdE1xZP0VjyL9LOxpaO4LN%2FamW770hu2OdhPQCEXd0aPMduZrBygj%2FbvVgE%3D Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From HGV drivers, to strawberry pickers, to doctors and nurses, the UK seems to be facing labour shortages across many different industries.As the pandemic recedes, and the impacts of Brexit begin to reveal themselves, the government have insisted that this is part of the transition to a 'high-wage economy'. What is happening in the labour market? Which sectors are facing the biggest challenges? And what can policy-makers do to help?This week, we're joined by Jonathan Cribb and Xiaowei Xu, IFS experts on labour markets and jobs.Support the IFS: https://www.ifs.org.uk/about/membership/individual Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a year and half of lockdowns, schools and their students face a vast array of challenges.From mental health issues and childhood obesity to teacher shortages and exam results, the education system has been placed under incredible strain over the past year.This week, we speak with Birgitta Rabe, education expert at the University of Essex and Luke Sibieta, a research fellow at IFS who studies education policy, to dig into the issues and see what we can do to fix the education system.Support the IFS: https://www.ifs.org.uk/about/membership/individual Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For decades, social care has been in need of reform.Last week, the Prime Minister announced an extra tax to fund social care in England, and help the NHS recover after the pandemic, and changes to the way the social care system works.In this episode, featuring Natasha Curry, Deputy Director of Policy at the Nuffield Trust, and Ben Zaranko, IFS economist, we dig into the new announcement, what it means, whether it will work and how it will affect people's care.Support the IFS: https://www.ifs.org.uk/about/membership/individual Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

**This is a rerun from September 2020. The government announced some tax increases in Budget 2021. We discuss those here: https://ifs.org.uk/budget-2021**The financial support given to individuals and businesses and the costs of managing the pandemic have left us with the biggest peacetime deficit in British history.As the economy reopens, and the coronavirus begins to have less of a hold on our lives, the government will need to start thinking about how to return the deficit to a more sustainable level. Many have suggested that the Chancellor might think about raising taxes in the near future to tackle this deficit.In this episode, recorded last autumn, our resident tax expert, Helen Miller, helps pick apart the options for raising taxes - and whether they are effective.Support the IFS: https://www.ifs.org.uk/about/membership/individual Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, students across the country are getting back A Level and GCSE grades. In the past higher education was considered a one-way ticket to better and higher paying jobs, now many question whether they will get better jobs, and have a quality of life higher than that of their parents.Social mobility is never far from the front pages; education, geographic and intergenerational inequalities and jobs affect everyone.This week we bring you a conversation from September last year, with Lindsey MacMillan, Director of the Centre for Education Policy and Equalising Opportunities and Anna Vignoles, Director of the Leverhulme Trust where we explore issues around social mobility.Support the IFS: https://www.ifs.org.uk/about/membership/individual Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The government has pledged to make 'levelling up' a core part of their policy agenda. To achieve this, they have promised increased investment spending and infrastructure spending.What is investment spending? Why is investment so much lower now than it was 40 or 50 years ago? How does this relate to the levelling up agenda?This week, we are digging into the archives. In this episode from last year we spoke with Professor Sir Tim Besley, Professor of Economics at LSE and member of the National Infrastructure Commission, and Ben Zaranko, Research Economist at IFS.Support the IFS: https://www.ifs.org.uk/about/membership/individual Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ageing populations, rising care costs and COVID-19 have placed significant strain on an already struggling social care sector. Since assuming office in 2019, the Prime Minister has repeatedly promised to present a comprehensive plan to reform social care, the latest in a long line of governments to promise to tackle the issue.So, how should we think about reforming social care? How should we pay for it? And what can we learn from other countries?This week Paul speaks with Andrew Dilnot, Warden of Nuffield College Oxford and author of the Dilnot Report on Social Care, set up under David Cameron's coalition government, and Natasha Curry, Deputy Director of Policy at the Nuffield Trust and expert on social care.Support the IFS: https://www.ifs.org.uk/about/membership/individual Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the pandemic, the Treasury has spent hundreds of billions of pounds, from paying wages via the furlough scheme to funding the testing program. But how does decision-making work at the Treasury? What kinds of evidence do officials use? And as we hopefully exit the pandemic, what will be on the minds of those working there?This week Paul speaks to Jill Rutter, senior research fellow of UK in a Changing Europe, and a former employee of the Treasury and Lord Nick Macpherson, Permanent Secretary to the Treasury from 2005 to 2016.Support the IFS: https://www.ifs.org.uk/about/membership/individual Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Everybody over the age of 18 who lives in a property in the UK is eligible to pay council tax. It's the fifth largest tax, raising up to £40bn a year in the UK, and it pays for local services such as social care, waste collection and libraries.However, there is a widespread consensus that the implementation of council tax is flawed. The house prices it is based on haven't changed since 1991 despite 30 years of significant change in the housing market and these changes have made the tax regressive.Joining us this week to dissect council tax and work out how we can reform it are David Phillips, Associate Director at IFS and local government expert, and John Stevenson, the Conservative MP for Carlisle who has written extensively about reforming council tax. Support the IFS: https://www.ifs.org.uk/about/membership/individual Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

'Stay home. Protect the NHS. Save lives.'More than ever, the COVID crisis has bought the NHS and the vital role it plays to the fore. However, after more than a year of unprecedented pressure, it faces long waiting lists, staffing shortages and inadequate funding. What challenges will the NHS face in the future? How can it tackle these issues? And what can government do to help? Joining us this week are George Stoye, IFS Associate Director who leads our work on healthcare, and Saffron Cordery, Deputy Chief Executive of NHS Providers, the membership organisation for NHS trusts.Support the IFS: https://www.ifs.org.uk/about/membership/individual Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In September 1999, Tony Blair set a goal for 50% of young adults to attend higher education institutions in the UK. In 2019, twenty years after the policy was announced, university attendance tipped over the 50% threshold.However, in a world where many graduates work in non-graduate jobs, and where successive governments seek to develop further education in the UK, many have questioned the wisdom of this policy.This week, we speak with Jack Britton, IFS education expert, and Professor Alison Wolf, Sir Roy Griffiths Professor of Public Sector Management at Kings College London, to find out whether too many people are going to university.Support the IFS: https://www.ifs.org.uk/about/membership/individual Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since the start of the COVID pandemic, the government has stepped in to pay the wages of millions of workers through the furlough scheme. As restrictions ease, and economic life begins to recover, we ask what changes COVID brought to the labour market, and what jobs could look like in future.This week, we speak with Sarah O'Connor, Employment Columnist at the Financial Times, and Jonathan Cribb, a Senior Research Economist at IFS who studies the labour market.Support the IFS: https://www.ifs.org.uk/about/membership/individual Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Business rates are charged on non-domestic properties, such as shops, offices, pubs, factories and warehouses, and raise around 3% government's revenue.At the start of the COVID pandemic, the government waived business rates for most businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors. But the tax will start again from summer. As the high street reopens, we ask what effect business rates have on our high streets, whether they should be reformed, and whether we need a new tax on online retail to level the playing field.This week, we speak with Helen Miller, IFS tax expert, and Helen Dickinson, CEO of the British Retail Consortium.Support the IFS: https://www.ifs.org.uk/about/membership/individual Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The COVID-19 crisis has brought to the fore increasing concerns about inequalities not only between different population groups – such as the gap between the rich and poor, young and old, and different ethnic groups – but also between people living in different places.Even prior to the crisis though, there was a sense that the UK is not only a highly geographically unequal country, but also an increasingly geographically unequal one.This week, we have gone into the archive to bring you an episode from last year exploring geographical inequalities with David Phillips, Associate Director at IFS and an expert on devolved and local government finance.Support the IFS: https://www.ifs.org.uk/about/membership/individual Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the past decade, the UK has seen some of the slowest rates of productivity growth of the OECD countries, with output per hour and real wages no higher today than they were prior to the global financial crisis. Why is a high-tech, developed economy like the UK struggling to be more productive? What policies can government implement to get productivity growing again? And how can we spur innovation while also tackling issues like inequality?This week, we speak to John Van Reenen, Professor of Economics at the London School of Economics, and expert on innovation, firms and productivity.Support the IFS: https://www.ifs.org.uk/about/membership/individual Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Universal Credit is a benefit for working-age people, which combines six existing benefits payments into one payment. Launched in 2013, there are now about 5 million households claiming Universal Credit in the UK. What was the thinking behind this new policy? Has it been successful? And how has COVID affected the trajectory of Universal Credit?This week, Paul speaks with Charlotte Pickles, Director of Reform and a member of the Social Security Advisory Committee, and Tom Waters, Senior Research Economist at IFS and expert on benefits.Support the IFS: https://www.ifs.org.uk/about/membership/individual Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Spring 2021 Budget will be the first one since the UK entered a series of lockdowns and Great Britain left the EU's Single Market and Customs Union. The Chancellor has immediate decisions to make over many aspects of the emergency support packages that will otherwise expire soon. In addition there is a clear need for policies to help the economy to recover and to adjust to a post-Covid, post-Brexit world in which we are moving towards Net Zero.In this episode, Paul speaks with IFS Deputy Directors, Carl Emmerson and Helen Miller to explore the kinds of things the Chancellor should be thinking about.Support the IFS: https://www.ifs.org.uk/about/membership/individual Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

By the time the pandemic is over, most children across the UK will have missed over half a year of normal, in-person schooling. That’s likely to be more than 5% of their entire time in school.What are the effects of this lost learning? How is it impacting students and teachers? What can policymakers do to make up for lost learning?Here to discuss are Luke Sibieta, IFS Research Fellow, and Becky Francis, CEO of the Education Endowment Foundation, an independent charity which seeks to improve the educational attainment of the poorest pupils in English schools.Support the IFS: https://www.ifs.org.uk/about/membership/individual Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The UK has committed to achieving net zero by 2050. To achieve this, nearly all sections of the economy will have to undergo significant changes - from trade and transport, to agriculture and construction. What will this shift look like? How easy will it be to transition? What role will government play in driving net zero?Here to talk through these issues is Chris Stark, Chief Executive of the UK's Climate Change Committee (CCC), the UK’s independent advisory group on tackling climate change.Support the IFS: https://www.ifs.org.uk/about/membership/individual Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For many, inequality has become the dominant lens through which to understand our society. The coronavirus crisis and political upheavals in the US and UK have shone a harsh light on the increasing inequalities we face, and prove that not everyone is affected equally. In our first episode of 2021, we speak with Nobel Laureate Sir Angus Deaton, Professor of Economics at Princeton University and leading expert on inequality, poverty and welfare. He also chairs Inequality: The IFS Deaton Review, our multi-year study into inequality in the modern world, funded by the Nuffield Foundation.https://www.ifs.org.uk/about/membership/individual Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s now cliché to say that 2020 has been unprecedented, but the COVID-19 crisis has turned the lives of billions of us worldwide upside down. From record-level UK government borrowing and a furlough scheme paying the wages of many workers, to society-wide lockdowns and a seemingly ever-shifting regime of tiers, 2020 is a year like no other.As we say goodbye to 2020 and ready ourselves for 2021, our Director Paul Johnson sits down with Stephanie Flanders, head of Bloomberg Economics and IFS alumna, to make sense of 2020 and see what we can learn from it going into the New Year. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the UK has been dealing with coronavirus pandemic this year, we have also been moving closer to the realities of our new relationship with the European Union, and the end of the Brexit transition period on January 1st, 2021.What does this mean for our future trading relationships with the EU and beyond? What happens if there is No Deal?Joining Paul this week is Professor L. Alan Winters, Professor of Economics and Director of the UK Trade Policy Observatory in the University of Sussex, former Chief Economist of Department for International Development (DFID), and leading contributor to the debate on Brexit.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We often hear about inflation in the news, whether it has gone up or down, and how this impacts the price of everyday goods. But what do economists mean by inflation, how do they measure it, and is inflation the best way of understanding the changes in the price of goods? This week we speak with Martin O'Connell, Deputy Research Director at IFS and author of a recent paper looking at grocery prices during the pandemic, and Ian Crawford, Professor of Economics at Oxford. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There has been significant analysis of the furlough scheme in the wake of COVID-19, but far less attention has been paid to the welfare system and how benefits are being affected by the pandemic. The temporary increases to working age benefits implemented this year take total welfare spending to record levels, though the UK’s support system is still thin by international standards. This episode, we speak to Robert Joyce, IFS Deputy Director and Head of our Income, Work and Welfare sector, about how COVID-19 has impacted the UK’s welfare system and what might happen to benefits in future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Government borrowing is never far from the headlines, and in the current crisis, has been a central mechanism for the government to fund its economic support measures. There are many questions around the current level of government debt, whether it is too high, what the long-term implications are and if the government can continue to borrow at its current level. This week we speak with David Miles, Professor at Imperial College London and a former member of the Monetary Policy Committee at the Bank of England, to answer these questions about government debt in the COVID era. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the public health measures implemented to contain it will lead to a huge spike in government borrowing this year. This week we released our annual Green Budget report analysing the impact the coronavirus crisis has had across different sectors of the economy and the big decisions confronting the Chancellor. In this episode, we speak with Green Budget chapter authors Ben Nabarro, Economist at Citi, and Carl Emmerson, Deputy Director at IFS, to get a sense of how big government borrowing could get and what the long-term impacts will be.' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Older workers are one group of people who are at risk of suffering serious and persistent consequences from the economic turmoil arising from the coronavirus pandemic. Previous research has shown that unemployment shocks have persistent effects on the employment and incomes of older workers. In particular, older individuals who lose their jobs are less likely to secure re-employment, or to find a job on a similar wage to their previous earnings, than younger workers. Being unexpectedly out of work, or on lower wages, in the years leading up to retirement can have obvious negative implications for retirement resources. In this episode, we speak with Rowena Crawford, IFS Associate Director, who has recently published research on how the pandemic is impacting older workers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The COVID pandemic has created huge uncertainly for students returning to university. Have student numbers remained stable in the face of the COVID-19 crisis? Has the A Level results debacle had an impact on admissions? Should students be paying full rates for an online-only experience? How are university finances doing more generally in the face of the coronavirus crisis?In this episode, we speak with Jack Britton, education expert at the IFS, to consider some of the complex questions facing the higher education sector. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A socially mobile country provides equal opportunities for everyone, across big cities and small towns, and regardless of whether your parents are rich or poor. Social mobility is never far from the front pages; discussions around education, geographic and intergenerational inequalities and jobs affect everyone. Joining us this week is Lindsey MacMillan, Director of the new Centre for Education Policy and Equalising Opportunities and Anna Vignoles, Professor of Education at the Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The coronavirus pandemic has brought new and severe pressures on the UK economy. The challenge now facing Her Majesty’s Treasury will be how to balance the need for increasing revenues through taxes with stimulating much-needed economic growth. This week, our host and IFS Director Paul Johnson speaks to Helen Miller, Deputy Director of the IFS and expert on tax policy, to discuss how the Treasury might raise revenues in the future and how our current tax system can be reformed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The closures of childcare providers to most families during the COVID-19 crisis have underlined the importance of access to childcare, both to support paid work and to help shape young children’s environment. However, the crisis has had severe consequences for the finances of childcare providers, which were already weak in several parts of the sector going into the crisis. Despite a range of government support programmes, many providers lost income during lockdown. In the medium term, a longer-lasting fall in demand for childcare or an increase in costs related to social distancing could seriously hamper financial sustainability in the sector going forward. This week, we speak with Christine Farquharson, Senior Research Economist at IFS and Claire Crawford, Assistant Professor of Economics at the University of Birmingham and IFS Research Fellow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

While most things have changed in 2020, the end of the summer will once again see students preparing to go back to school. But this year’s return to school will be unlike any that has come before; for many students, it will have been more than five months since they last attended school in person. Reopening schools has been contentious, but the Department for Education in England – partly motivated by research showing the challenges from home learning and the growing inequalities it has brought – has signalled its determination for all students to return come September. This will be a decisive shift from a period in which schools were open for some year groups, some of the time, with some families choosing to attend while others stayed home. This week we are joined by Angela Donkin, Chief Social Scientist, at the National Foundation For Educational Research (NFER) and Sarah Cattan, Associate Director at IFS in the Education and Skills sector. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recently, students got their A Level results, despite having never sat an exam.How did the government decide what grades to give students? What methodology did they use? How has this affected the distribution of results?This week, we speak with Jack Britton, Associate Director at IFS and expert on education, to get to the bottom of how this year's A Level results were calculated. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For the last five months the country has, understandably, been focused on the health and economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is already having a huge effect on the economy, on employment and on the public finances. All the while, though, the government has been preparing for the reality of Brexit; not the formal Brexit that happened back in January, but the new trading relationship which will come into force at the end of this year. That too, whatever the final deal, will cause deep and fundamental changes to our economy and to jobs, earnings and incomes.In this episode, we speak to Peter Levell, Senior Research Economist at IFS and expert in the economics of Brexit, to look at how the significant change in our trading relationship with Europe will affect the UK. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The COVID-19 crisis has highlighted concerns about inequalities. This is not only about gaps between rich and poor, young and old and between different ethnic groups. It is also about the differences between people living in different places. Even prior to the crisis, there was a sense that the UK is a highly geographically unequal country and that this inequality is increasing. In this episode, we explore these geographical inequalities with David Phillips, Associate Director at IFS and an expert on devolved and local government finance.Inequality: The IFS Deaton Review is funded by the Nuffield Foundation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recent decades have seen rising wealth-to-income ratios. In England, increases in wealth have been concentrated among older generations. Those born in the 1980s have accumulated no more wealth than those born in the 1970s had done by the same age, but the parents of those born in the 1980s hold 40% more wealth than the parents of those born in the 1970s held at the same age. One consequence is that inherited wealth is on course to be a much more important determinant of lifetime resources for today’s young than it was for previous generations. In this episode we speak to James Banks, Professor of Economics at the University of Manchester and Senior Research Fellow at IFS, and David Sturrock, Senior Research Economist. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week - in the Summer Economic Update - the Chancellor announced another significant spending package. In normal times, even in times of recession, this package would have been seen as huge. But, of course, these are not normal times and this is no normal recession. Joining us this week to discuss the spending package is Helen Miller, Deputy Director at the IFS and Chris Giles, Economics Editor at the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The government has pledged to make 'levelling up' a core part of their policy agenda. To achieve this, they have promised increased investment spending and infrastructure spending. What is investment spending? Why is investment so much lower now than it was 40 or 50 years ago? How does this relate to recent announcements from the government, and the response to the pandemic? Joining us today, Professor Sir Tim Besley, Professor of Economics at LSE and member of the National Infrastructure Commission, and Ben Zaranko, Research Economist at IFS. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The effect of the COVID-19 crisis on the economy has been huge. National income fell by 20% in April, to a level last seen in the early 2000s. But the impact of this vast aggregate shock on the finances of different households will vary widely. In this episode, we ask how household incomes were looking before the crisis, how they've been impacted during the lockdown and what we think they could look like in future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We found out that the UK came close to insolvency in March as a result of the turmoil caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Thankfully, the country managed to avoid that. Nevertheless, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in unprecedented damage to the UK economy. In this episode, we speak with Benjamin Nabarro, a senior economist at Citi Group and IFS Deputy Director, Carl Emmerson. We ask what the forecast is for the economy, how Brexit will impact that forecast, how the government can help the economy recover and what the long term effects of this crisis might be. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The COVID-19 crisis has affected every part of the country – and indeed many other countries. What sets this crisis apart is the many different ways that it is impacting families: while the virus itself is primarily a public health issue, the unprecedented responses it has necessitated mean that this is also very much an economic and a social crisis. This is not to say that it is equally all of these things to all people – some families, and some areas, will be particularly vulnerable to the virus’s health impacts, while others look to be hit particularly hard on economic or social dimensions. We are joined by Imran Rasul, Professor of Economics at University College London and co-director of the Centre for the Microeconomic Analysis of Public Policy at the IFS and Christine Farquharson, Senior Research Economist at the IFS to ask, are people in some parts of England more 'vulnerable' than others? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alongside widespread school closures, lockdown has also resulted in significant challenges for the higher and further education sectors. What will happen with universities and students next year? How will the pandemic affect apprenticeship schemes? What are the likely educational and economic impacts on young people from our response to the virus? In this episode we speak with Anna Vignoles, Professor of Education at the University of Cambridge and Luke Sibieta, Research Fellow at the Institute for Fiscal Studies, specialising in education and skills. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of IFS Zooms In, we'll be looking at the longer term impacts of the current crisis on the nation's health and on the delivery of healthcare. From pent up demand from those unable to attend appointments, to the long-term effects of the recession we have now entered, we will ask how has the pandemic affected our health and healthcare? Joining us are two of the UK’s leading experts on the economics of health and healthcare: Carol Propper, Professor of Economics at Imperial College London, research fellow at the IFS and President of the Royal Economic Society, and James Banks, Professor of Economics at Manchester University and Senior Research Fellow at the IFS. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The coronavirus crisis has caused drastic changes to most parents’ work lives and other responsibilities. Millions of adults have lost or are forecast to lose their jobs permanently; many more have stopped work temporarily. Others are newly working from home, while many key workers are experiencing additional pressures and risks in their work. For most parents, school and childcare closures have meant that children are at home, and requiring care, for at least an extra six hours a day. How much time have children spent learning from home? Are mothers and fathers sharing the responsibility equally? How is this affecting families' use of time? In this episode of IFS Zooms In, we ask who is looking after the kids? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Governments are starting to ease restrictions to economic activity. The risks of easing these measures too soon, or in misguided ways, are obvious, not only for public health but also for the economy. A world with no lockdown and a pandemic spreading rapidly through the population does not make for a healthy economy. Neither, in all likelihood, does a world in which containment measures have to be repeatedly reinstated after being eased prematurely or in suboptimal ways. In this episode we ask, how can the UK government get people back to work? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wherever we look, it seems that inequalities are shaping people's experience of coronavirus and of the lockdown. Ethnic minorities are significantly more likely to die from coronavirus than their white counterparts. Those in lower-paid jobs are more likely to be in a shut-down industry. The lockdown is widening the gender pay gap. In this episode, we take a close look at how the impact of coronavirus on communities is shaped by ethnic, gender and demographic inequalities. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The government has offered unprecedented support to workers since the start of the lockdown in March. Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced multiple schemes to tackle the economic impacts of the lockdown, including the JRS (Job Retention Scheme) for employees and the SISS (Self-Employment Income Support Scheme) for self-employed workers. In this episode, IFS Director Paul Johnson speaks to Helen Miller, Deputy Director of the IFS and head of our Tax sector, and Xiaowei Xu, a senior research economist in the Income, Work and Welfare sector. We ask about the government intervention, whether the schemes are extensive enough and what role the benefit system can play in plugging any gaps. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.