Living standards· Budgets & fiscal events· Economy and public finances Budgeting for Britain What the Budget and Spending Review tell us about the Government’s economic strategy Thursday 28 October 2021 Rishi Sunak has had to make a flurry of major fiscal announcements during his 18-months as Chancellor amidst the Covid-19 crisis. At last, with the worse of the crisis behind us, he will hope to be able to set-out an economic plan for post-pandemic Britain in his Budget and Spending Review next Wednesday. However, with … Continued READ MORE
Social care· Public spending· Economy and public finances Nationally insured? Analysing the Government’s tax-raising plan to fund health and social care Wednesday 8 September 2021 Having promised a plan to reform social care and to not raise National Insurance in the 2019 General Election Manifesto, the Government has delivered on one promise, and broken the other, in spectacular fashion today. With over £30 billion worth of tax rises being announced in just six months, further funding for the NHS coming … Continued READ MORE
Public spending· Economy and public finances The Chancellor’s Autumn crunch Assessing the key economic decisions to come Monday 6 September 2021 Since his surprise promotion in March 2020, Rishi Sunak has spent his first 18 months as Chancellor in full Covid crisis mode. But as the worst of the crisis appears to be behind us, the Government has an Autumn crunch of tough decisions ahead of it – with a Spending Review and potential Budget to … Continued READ MORE
Coronavirus· Economy and public finances· Macroeconomic policy The economic outlook Speech by the Governor of the Bank of England Andrew Bailey Monday 8 March 2021 The Covid-19 pandemic has sparked a truly global economic crisis, affecting families, firms and institutions throughout the world. The UK has been hard hit – experiencing the biggest economic contraction in over three centuries – but the fast pace of its vaccine roll-out means that the economy is expected to recover rapidly this year. The … Continued READ MORE
Coronavirus· Budgets & fiscal events· Economy and public finances On the recovery road Assessing the Budget and economic outlook Thursday 4 March 2021 Chancellor Sunak’s first year in office has been marked by a huge economic crisis, and unprecedented policy interventions to support workers and firms through the pandemic. With vaccines being swiftly rolled out, the year ahead should see the economy return to growth. But with rising unemployment and firms reluctant to invest, the road to recovery … Continued READ MORE
Coronavirus· Budgets & fiscal events· Economy and public finances Budgeting for Britain’s economic recovery Thursday 25 February 2021 The economic outlook for 2021 is highly uncertain. Having started with a renewed lockdown and likely shrinking economy, a stronger than expected vaccine roll-out offers hope for a recovery in the months ahead. The upcoming Budget on 3 March will be critical in terms of shaping the strength and nature of that recovery from this … Continued READ MORE
Coronavirus· Labour market· Economy and public finances Coronanomics: Challenges facing policy and governance Tuesday 8 December 2020 Coping with the COVID-19 pandemic has been the toughest test for many governments in generations. From suppressing the virus and ensuring healthcare systems can cope, to dealing with the fallout in terms of support for businesses and households, governments are facing huge policy battles, and on multiple fronts. This has placed great pressure on our … Continued READ MORE
Coronavirus· Economy and public finances· Macroeconomic policy Coronanomics The economic challenges of COVID-19 Monday 30 November 2020 The COVID-19 pandemic has upended economies across the world. The daunting scale, pace and uncertainty of the crisis has presented huge challenges for economics, and for economic policymakers attempting to steer countries through it while limiting the damage to citizens’ lives and livelihoods. And even if a vaccine is found soon, the legacy of the … Continued READ MORE
Coronavirus· Budgets & fiscal events· Economy and public finances Cash for Covid Assessing the Spending Review and economic outlook Thursday 26 November 2020 With economic uncertainty running high, the Chancellor has cancelled his Budget and scaled down his upcoming Spending Review. But he still faces big decisions about how much of this year’s exceptional spending will continue into next year to support the economy and tackle the virus. Add in fresh forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility … Continued READ MORE
Coronavirus· Living standards· Budgets & fiscal events· Economy and public finances The real deal A recovery plan for Britain’s economy Tuesday 7 July 2020 Following a quickfire presentation of a major new RF report on how to support the recovery, we will be hearing the views of Shadow Business Secretary Ed Miliband and former Conservative Cabinet Minister Amber Rudd on the critical question of the recovery. READ MORE
Coronavirus· Living standards· Economy and public finances· Economic growth Building a nation to belong to Preparing for a new post-pandemic economy Thursday 11 June 2020 Live interactive webinar to launch new book ‘The economics of belonging’ by Martin Sandbu. Register to receive access link. In just over a decade, the UK has been hit by two major global recessions with, for too many, little recovery in between. This has exposed long building political, economic and cultural divides – divides that … Continued READ MORE
Coronavirus· Economy and public finances· Macroeconomic policy An economic battleplan Assessing the design and delivery of Britain’s COVID-19 response Thursday 30 April 2020 Faced with an unprecedented economic crisis, the Government and the Bank of England have announced an unprecedented package of support measures – from business loans and more generous benefits, to paying the wages of a huge proportion of the private sector workforce. This bold action is costly but necessary – and more will be required … Continued READ MORE
Coronavirus· Public spending· Fiscal policy· Economy and public finances The corona crisis The economic impact of COVID-19 Thursday 16 April 2020 The coronavirus public health crisis has quickly turned into an economic crisis. The necessary social distancing measures have closed down huge swathes of the UK economy, while the Government has committed hundreds of billions of pounds to supporting firms and workers through the downturn. Amid huge uncertainty about the scale and duration of the crisis, it is crucial that … Continued READ MORE
Public spending· Economy and public finances· Economic growth The Economic Outlook for 2020 and beyond Speech by MPC member Jonathan Haskel Friday 20 December 2019 Friday 20 December, 11am-12pm, Resolution Foundation offices, Westminster The UK is about enter a new year, and a new decade, amid widespread economic uncertainty at home and abroad. Understanding the unique pressures facing the UK, and how our economy is influenced by wider economic trends, will be cruciall for policy makers as we enter a … Continued READ MORE
Economy and public finances· Welfare· Political parties and elections Beveridge mark II? The future of social security Tuesday 26 November 2019 From a new ‘triple-locked’ state pension to big welfare cuts for young families and the roll-out of the Universal Credit, no area of the state has undergone such a radical transformation over the past decade as social security. That transformation is set to continue in the next parliament too, as Universal Credit is extended to … Continued READ MORE
Economy and public finances· Political parties and elections The shape of things to come Assessing the main parties' plans for tax and spend Monday 4 November 2019 Monday 4 November, 9.40-11am, Resolution Foundation offices, Westminster | Part I of a pre-election trilogy of RF events on the past, present and future of the state After almost a decade of austerity, both main political parties want to expand the size of the state – with commitments from new hospitals to renationalised utility companies expected in … Continued READ MORE
Economy and public finances Spring in our step or long winter ahead? The UK economy on Brexit eve Monday 4 March 2019 Coming a fortnight before Britain is scheduled to leave the EU, the upcoming Spring Statement will provide an important health check on the UK economy as we prepare to depart. But looking into the future poses challenges for any forecaster wrestling with the recent growth slowdown and the uncertainty of what form Brexit will eventually … Continued READ MORE
Economy and public finances The Economic Outlook: Speech by MPC member Gertjan Vlieghe Thursday 14 February 2019 Predicting the future is an impossible task during the most stable economic climates, let alone amid the uncertainty currently facing the UK economy. But a clear understanding of the UK’s economic outlook, and how this fits with wider global trends, is essential for sound policy making. At an event at its Westminster headquarters, the Resolution … Continued READ MORE
Economy and public finances British politics beyond Brexit: Where are Labour heading? Monday 11 February 2019 Brexit is dominating our politics, but there will be politics beyond Brexit. New domestic policy issues will force their way back onto the agenda, and old ones – including those driving aspects of the Brexit vote – will return to national debates. Our biggest political parties will shape – and be shaped by– these debates … Continued READ MORE
Economy and public finances British politics beyond Brexit: Where are the Conservatives heading? Thursday 7 February 2019 Brexit is dominating our politics, but there will be politics beyond Brexit. New domestic policy issues will force their way back onto the agenda, and old ones – including those driving aspects of the Brexit vote – will return to national debates. Our biggest political parties will shape – and be shaped by – these … Continued READ MORE
Economy and public finances Back to the future on Brexit: Digging deep into how Britain came to leave Wednesday 6 February 2019 Book launch for ‘A Short History of Brexit’ by Kevin O’ Rourke The UK’s decision to leave the European Union may have come as a surprise to some, but it certainly didn’t come out of nowhere. Our relationship with Europe, and the nature of the EU itself, are both products of a history built up … Continued READ MORE
Economy and public finances Light at the end of the tunnel? Will it be an ‘end of austerity’ Budget Wednesday 24 October 2018 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 READ MORE
Economy and public finances Time to care? Finding a lasting solution to Britain’s social care crisis Monday 9 July 2018 Growing funding pressures and seasonal crises have raised public concern about our NHS and forced politicians to act – with the Prime Minister announcing a £20bn funding package for the NHS last month. But the crisis in social care is even more pressing – yet successive governments have ducked decisions on funding a lasting solution … Continued READ MORE
Economy and public finances Regulating the regulators: The power and legitimacy of the central bankers directing our economy Tuesday 22 May 2018 Book launch for Unelected Power by Paul Tucker Central bankers have played a key role in directing economies across the world since the financial crisis. From the slashing of interest rates, to the introduction of Quantitative Easing and major reforms to who can get a mortgage, the decisions of central Banks profoundly affect people’s living … Continued READ MORE
Economy and public finances Due an upgrade? What to expect in the Spring Statement Thursday 8 March 2018 The Office for Budget Responsibility delivered the mother of all forecast downgrades in the Autumn Budget last November, revising borrowing up £91bn and annual pay down £1,000. Four months on, and with the Treasury promising a quickfire Spring Statement, the focus will be on whether the latest OBR economic outlook makes more positive reading. Could … Continued READ MORE
