Analysis and action on living standards
Jobs, Skills and Pay
Ten years ago, as the financial crisis became a crisis for the real economy, many expected to see a return to the 3 million unemployed that had followed the recessions of the 1980s and 1990s. Instead Britain saw far fewer job losses and a stronger employment recovery, with the UK hitting new employment records from … Continued
Housing, Wealth and Debt
High house prices and weak wage growth have led to a stark fall in home ownership rates among young people since the early 2000s, with a typical first-time buyer needing 18 years to save for a deposit, up from 3 years in the mid-90s. Increasingly stepping into this gap has been the Bank of Mum … Continued
Public Finances and the Economy
With just a few weeks to go until Budget 2018, the Chancellor faces a tough balancing act of managing high expectations following promises of an end to austerity, and even higher uncertainty as Britain prepares to leave the European Union next Spring. Faced with such uncertainty, how can the Chancellor find the extra £20bn promised … Continued
Jobs, Skills and Pay
Much of Britain, from our bills to our welfare state, is built around a steady monthly pay cheque. But for many people their wages are far less secure. There are many reasons for earnings volatility – from people changing roles, switching hours or losing shifts, to receiving a one-off bonus – but its extent and … Continued
Jobs, Skills and Pay
Britain is on course to experience the worst decade for pay growth in over two centuries – an unmitigated disaster for living standards. But while a large part of this is down to the financial crisis and its aftermath, Britain’s terrible record on pay has continued even while employment has surged to record highs. So … Continued
Ten years on from the collapse of Lehman Brothers, we are all still living in the shadow of the global financial crash. Each week brings new headlines on the political and economic challenges developed countries face, but despite the depth of the economic crisis, new ideas and new approaches have not driven big public policy … Continued