Bridging Divides Top of the Charts 12 April 2019 Afternoon all, Nothing Lasts Forever these days. In the end the whale spits you out, or the Ecuadorians kick you out. That might be good news for Brexit-fatigued Brits. But then again Assange was stashed in the embassy for seven years, so maybe we’re not even half way there…. Because holidays are calling, and it’s important for art … Continued READ MORE
Housing To build, or not to build: that is the question 12 April 2019 by Stephen Clarke They say a week is a long time in politics (at the moment a day can feel like a long time). The same isn’t often true about economics. Arguably the most important forces in economics are long-running; demographics, big infrastructure projects, technological change. Things that don’t happen overnight. Therefore this blog – the latest in … Continued READ MORE
Housing Social renting: a working hypothesis 10 April 2019 by Lindsay Judge Social housing has many virtues: it provides families with a secure home at a reasonable rent, and the state with a smaller benefit bill and an asset to leverage. So what’s not to like? Other than the upfront cost, perhaps the most enduring objection we hear to the tenure is that it may have a … Continued READ MORE
Deadlines, downward mobility and debt Top of the Charts 5 April 2019 Afternoon all, The world revolves around deadlines. Some are moveable. Like Brexit. Others aren’t. Like the tax year. On the latter at least, the end really is nigh (today to be exact). And that means a fresh set of tax and benefit changes to contend with come this weekend. As part of our commitment to … Continued READ MORE
Tax New year, new era: tax and spend in 21st Century Britain 3 April 2019 by Torsten Bell and Resolution Foundation Analysis Eras of Britain’s political economy come and go. They ebb and flow, driven by political and economic cycles. Sometimes shifts are hard to see at the time, particularly when they are obscured by the political fog of war. Or Brexit, as it’s currently known. But noticed or not, the financial year starting this Saturday will mark the … Continued READ MORE
Living standards· Childcare· Welfare CB40: Happy 40th birthday to child benefit! But will it last another twenty? 2 April 2019 by Adam Corlett Yesterday, the minimum wage celebrated its 20th birthday. Today, child benefit is having a 40th birthday bash. But, as this analysis shows, it’s become a somewhat modest affair, with (record) low generosity, fewer people invited than in earlier years, and particularly complicated arrangements. So today is a good time to step back and take stock … Continued READ MORE
Labour market· Skills Apprenticeships system favours those who already hold skills 1 April 2019 by Kathleen Henehan This morning the Department for Education (DfE) published figures outlining the number and type of apprenticeships that were started during the first month of 2019. January isn’t a big month for apprenticeship starts. However, it does mark the completion of the first half of the academic year and, as such, is a good time to … Continued READ MORE
Low pay· Labour market· Pay The minimum wage: now the only question is ‘how high?’ 30 March 2019 by Nye Cominetti This Monday, the 1st April, 2 million people working minimum-wage jobs will start the week with a pay rise. The National Living Wage (NLW), the rate that applies to 25+ year olds, will rise by 38p, from £7.83 to £8.21. We project that this will increase the number of people paid at the wage floor … Continued READ MORE
Low pay· Labour market· Pay Minimum Wage 20th anniversary special Top of the Charts 29 March 2019 by Torsten Bell and Charlie McCurdy Afternoon all, It’s an historic day today. Lots of people were planning a party/wake. Big ones. But things have got derailed. No-one can agree on what to celebrate/mourn – or even when to celebrate/mourn it. There’s a serious danger no-one gets a party at all tonight. But don’t worry – TOTC is here to turn … Continued READ MORE
Demographics· Intergenerational Centre· Political parties and elections My Generation, Baby: The Politics of Age in Brexit Britain 29 March 2019 by Laura Gardiner and Torsten Bell Generational politics is nothing new, but the extent of the profound generational cleavage that has emerged in British electoral politics is novel. The Brexit vote and the 2017 general election put generational politics centre‐stage, eclipsing in some ways the traditionally dominant role of class. Our two main parties now rely on age‐based coalitions of support—on … Continued READ MORE
Living standards· Incomes· Inequality & poverty Last year saw living standards stagnate and poverty rise 28 March 2019 by Adam Corlett It may go unnoticed amid the current political turmoil, but today we learnt a lot about the recent state of Britain via the publication of official statistics on incomes, poverty and inequality. We already know how the economy and labour market have performed over recent years, but today’s stats give us much more information about … Continued READ MORE
Green space envy, getting women on board(s) and a tribute to a Rockstar economist Top of the Charts 22 March 2019 Afternoon all, It’s alright – the military are getting involved. That’ll sort it out. Yes there’s political paralysis, but we’re talking boots on the ground people. I could not feel more reassured. Neither government or opposition has a proper Brexit plan, but Gavin Williamson has got a bunker and he’s damn well going to use it. To hold … Continued READ MORE
Labour market· Cities and regions (Almost) every part of the country is celebrating Britain’s latest jobs surge 19 March 2019 by Charlie McCurdy We’re now a decade on from the Great Recession where the UK’s labour market took a turn for the worse. Back in 2009, we were panicking that unemployment could hit over three million. Today, we’re celebrating the highest employment rate – at 76.1 per cent – since World War II, while unemployment is also at … Continued READ MORE
Labour market· Skills Taking stock of skills and education in Brexit Britain 19 March 2019 by Kathleen Henehan The skills and qualifications held by the British workforce have come under increased scrutiny lately, tied as they are to the Brexit-related migration debate. Some have argued that ‘turning off the tap’ of migrant labour will cause immediate, and substantial, recruitment difficulties for firms. Others maintain that reduced levels of migration could compel educators and … Continued READ MORE
The Meaningful Read I, II, III, IV and V Top of the Charts 15 March 2019 Afternoon all, TOTCs is a safe space this week, a haven of tranquillity. You cannot vote on TOTC (meaningfully or otherwise). It cannot be amended or extended. It makes no claims to represent or to betray the unique will of the people. The only similarity it has to Theresa May is that, bad as the … Continued READ MORE
Economy and public finances Phil ‘Bullseye’ Hammond told MPs what they ‘could’ve won’ – if only they didn’t stuff up Brexit 14 March 2019 by Torsten Bell Last night Parliamentarians went all Noel Edmonds as they debated deal or no deal. But earlier in the day it was the late, great Jim Bowen of Bullseye fame that the Chancellor was channelling in his Spring Statement, setting out just what MP’s “could’ve won” – or might still win – if they back a … Continued READ MORE
Labour market· Low pay· Cities and regions Why city regions should be leading the charge on tackling low pay 3 March 2019 by Fahmida Rahman Low pay in Britain is an issue of national importance. With around one-in-five employees classed as low paid, the share of Brits who fall into this category remains well above the levels achieved by the best-performing countries in the OECD. That said, within Britain, there are huge disparities in terms of where low pay is … Continued READ MORE
Five cunning plans to get us out of this mess… Top of the Charts 1 March 2019 Afternoon all, God’s not going to be giving the planet top marks on the progress score sheet this week. At home everyone’s gearing up for a Brexit decision delay, while on the other side of the world Donald Trump is denuclearising diddly-squat as his lawyer calls him a racist. So what the world needs is … Continued READ MORE
Inclusive, inconclusive and intoxicated Top of the Charts 22 February 2019 Afternoon all, It’s all kicking off. And that’s just the kids after a week of my half-term childcare. They’d definitely be setting up an Independent Group if they knew all it took was a quick press conference and two pages of A4. Fortunately they don’t, so I’m sticking with my heavily nuanced position on why … Continued READ MORE
At last! The key to happiness is… Top of the Charts 15 February 2019 Afternoon all, Career advice time. Want to feel perky? Get the right job, not just the right salary. Florists, priests…. and politicians are near the top of the well-being curve according to our deep dive into data on well-being this week. Now fair enough on the florists and priests end – I’d be happy pocketing what was being charged for … Continued READ MORE
Deactivating Facebook, and taxing its founder instead Top of the Charts 8 February 2019 Afternoon all, We start this week with reassuring news for anyone scared about heading to a special place in hellbecause they haven’t got a Brexit plan – you won’t be lonely. No one else has one either. To increase the positivity we want to clarify that there’s a special place in RF heaven for any of … Continued READ MORE
Labour Market Outlook· Labour market· Pay Will 2019 see a ‘new dawn’ for pay? 3 February 2019 by Nye Cominetti What does 2019 have in store for pay? 2018 was the year in which we left behind the pay squeeze of 2017. Nominal growth increased throughout the year, reaching 3 per cent for the first time in a decade. Will this momentum continue into 2019? The Bank of England thinks so. It forecasts average pay … Continued READ MORE
Pretty geeks, screwed millennials and downbeat BRICs Top of the Charts 1 February 2019 Afternoon all, From this morning’s news you get the sense that half of Britain is snowed in. Now it’s just possible that the British media may have overreacted to a bit of sub-zero precipitation – in which case Top of the Charts is here to prevent you having to read another news story about how … Continued READ MORE
Labour market· Skills The post-levy Apprenticeship regime is finally taking shape 27 January 2019 by Kathleen Henehan Another year, another round of worries about the impact of the Apprenticeship Levy. Are the number of starts continuing to fall; are they all being converted to MBA-level courses; and will there be further changes to the levy? Last year, the stock answer to these questions was “wait and see.” But, as we approach the … Continued READ MORE
Time is money – whether you’re in Davos or Daventry Top of the Charts 25 January 2019 Afternoon all, Everyone’s off to Davos. Okay, not everyone – but a surprising number of white men have converged on one snowy village. But before you get all high and mighty, it’s not all chief execs and politicos – these days the World Economic Forum has gone downmarket enough to include royalty of the actual … Continued READ MORE
