The early years of Universal Credit have been dogged by delays and teething problems, but operational progress means that roll-out across the country and to more complicated cases is now underway. The final phase of its roll-out – moving existing claimants of tax credits or other legacy benefits onto the new system – is set … Continued

In the autumn of 2002, Chancellor Gordon Brown announced a Pensions Commission to explore the outlook for pensioner incomes if the system continued unaltered and to make recommendations for improving that outlook. 15 years on, its recommendations – including auto-enrolment into low cost pensions and a more generous but delayed state pension – have become … Continued

The scale of change that Universal Credit is bringing to our welfare system means that the rollout was always going to bring to light implementation challenges. These need to be addressed, but we also need to focus on the bigger question of how Universal Credit measures up against the big labour market challenges Britain faces … Continued

Britain’s social care system is in crisis and its long-term future remains in doubt. Welcome additional funding was announced at the Budget, but everyone agrees we need long-term and lasting reform rather than endless sticking plasters. That is the purpose of the government’s upcoming Green Paper. But will it take us back to the drawing board … Continued

Raising the personal allowance and reducing corporation tax were two signature plans of the last parliament, and the new Chancellor has inherited plans to go even further. But with fewer people paying tax, and businesses paying lower rates of tax, is our tax system fit for purpose to fund public services and reduce the deficit? … Continued

Can the welfare state survive in an ever more competitive global economy? What would a reformed welfare state look like? Could a Universal Basic Income system be a long term solution? Following the global financial crisis deep cuts to welfare budgets have become a default policy response for policymakers around the world. As such, debates … Continued

UK launch of Taxing the Rich: A History of Fiscal Fairness in the United States and Europe by David Stasavage and Kenneth Scheve When and why do countries choose to tax the rich? How do the lessons of history compare to what is happening in the UK today? Do the richest in society need to … Continued

After weeks of speculation the Treasury took the unprecedented step of announcing that there would be no changes to pension tax relief in the upcoming Budget. But with an estimated cost of £35bn a year – two thirds of which goes to higher and additional rate taxpayers – is there still a strong need to … Continued

The combination of rising demand, reduced funding and increasing costs stemming from the National Living Wage are set to put an already stretched social care sector under further strain. What additional public funding is needed to maintain social care provision in its current form over the parliament and beyond? Could closer health integration create efficiencies … Continued

Millions of working families are set to be face a significant fall in income next April as a result of the £4.4bn cuts to tax credits. Many will find it hard to recover these losses by earning more – despite the welcome introduction of the National Living Wage. What policies could ease the losses facing … Continued

Over eight million households will be eligible for Universal Credit when it is fully up and running. But with the UK labour market having transformed in recent decades, is this once-in-a-generation reform being designed to deal with current and future welfare challenges, such as growing in-work poverty? Will it achieve its goals and prove to … Continued

The proportion of people saving into a workplace pension is rising again after decades of decline. But too few people are saving enough for an adequate retirement income. How can people be persuaded to save not spend when wages are already stretched? Are there cheaper, fairer alternatives to the £35bn spent on pension tax relief? … Continued

The three main political parties have all pledged to cut taxes with the stated aim of helping low and middle income households in the next parliament. But who really benefits from these policies and how much will they cost? The Resolution Foundation presented new analysis of the distribution of gains under the different parties’ approaches, and … Continued

Universal Credit represents the most significant transformation of our welfare system, merging six separate in and out of work benefits into one. While the principles of simplification and making work pay are widely supported, questions remain about UC’s ability to deliver on these original intentions. The Resolution Foundation has recently kicked off an independent review … Continued

In 2004, the Government launched a 10-Year Childcare Strategy that set the policy agenda for a decade. The event will launch the Family and Childcare Trust’s review of the achievements of the last ten years of childcare policy, developments under two successive administrations and identify key policy lessons for the future. The Rt Hon Margaret … Continued

Childcare is rising up the political agenda in the approach to the 2015 election and its costs can have a significant bearing on the living standards of working parents. In a keynote speech, Elizabeth Truss MP (Minister for Education and Childcare) set out the government’s agenda for meeting the challenge of high-quality and affordable childcare … Continued

Despite major government investment since the mid-2000s childcare continues to represent a significant cost for working parents, meaning that many second earners can find that they are no better-off in work. The government is consulting on plans to spend an extra £1 billion per year on additional childcare support, but at present this additional support … Continued

Despite major government investment since the mid-2000s childcare continues to represent a significant cost for working parents, meaning that many second earners can find that they are no better-off in work. The government is consulting on plans to spend an extra £1 billion per year on additional childcare support, but at present this additional support … Continued