The UK’s global share of goods exports has fallen by around £74 billion in the five years since 2019, with around half of that loss taking place in key sectors identified in the Government’s industrial strategy like cars and pharmaceuticals, according to major new Resolution Foundation research published today (Monday). Ten years on from the … Continued

New analysis published later this week by the Resolution Foundation will show that the early careers of Gen Z have got off to a better start than their millennial predecessors, though there are warning signs flashing for the latest generation to enter the workplace. Millennials – those born between the early 1980s and mid-1990s – … Continued

The economic volatility of recent months has been reflected in the UK labour market with real regular pay in the private sector falling since October and the number of self-employed jobs and zero-hours contracts rising far quicker than regular employment, the Resolution Foundation said today (Thursday). The latest ONS data showed a mixed picture for the labour market – with unemployment nudging down to 4.9 per cent. But, having had lower unemployment than the G7 average back in January 2022 (3.9 vs 4.4 per cent), the UK now has higher unemployment (4.9 vs 4.5 per cent). The number of payrolled jobs in the economy continues to decline – down 65,000 between February and April – though the flash estimate for May suggests a levelling off. The latest data shows that the nature of … Continued

Confounding market expectations of a jump to 3 per cent, UK CPI inflation held at 2.8 per cent in May – but recent welcome falls in energy prices suggest a lower path for inflation in the months ahead, the Resolution Foundation said today (Wednesday).   Inflation had been expected to jump in May, largely reflecting earlier falls in airfares and an error in the recording of Vehicle Excise Duty dropping out of the twelve-month calculation.   In the event, although both of those factors pushed up on inflation, rises in airfares were smaller … Continued

New Resolution analysis published today (Wednesday) shows why time should be called on the expensive and wasteful Triple Lock on the State Pension. The briefing shows that the Triple Lock has been: Far too expensive. The State Pension is already the single biggest driver of higher welfare spending in this Parliament (set to cost £13.8bn … Continued

The Milburn Review interim report, published today (Thursday), has accurately explained the complex drivers behind the UK’s close to one million 16- to 24-year-olds not in education, employment or training (NEET). Rising ill health, limited vocational education, a hands-off benefits system, and a weak labour market are all identified in the report as key drivers … Continued

The number of 16-24 year olds not in employment, education or training (NEET) surpassed one million for the first time in over a decade, and now only one EU country (Romania) has a higher NEET rate than the UK. NEET rates could continue rising in the years ahead without a radical reset of support for … Continued

Just 14 per cent of the lowest paid workers feel they have significant influence over decisions affecting their work, down from 23 per cent in 2001, the Resolution Foundation said today (Thursday), suggesting worker voice has reached a new low point. Take it or leave it – supported by Unbound Philanthropy – looks at the … Continued

The number of children living in the private rented sector (PRS) has almost tripled over the last quarter century, from 1.1 million children in 2000-01 to 3.2 million in 2024-25. As a result, children are now more likely than working-age adults to live in the PRS (23 per cent compared to 22 per cent) as … Continued

Responding to the Government’s announcement on fuel duty today, Jonny Marshall, Principal Economist at the Resolution Foundation, said: “The best that can be said of today’s announcement is that the Chancellor’s has wisely ignored calls for an expensive blanket cancellation of the temporary 5p cut to fuel duty. “Nonetheless, even this modest extension will cost … Continued

CPI inflation surprised to the downside falling by half a percentage point to 2.8 per cent in April – having been 3.3 per cent in March – bringing inflation to its lowest level since March 2025 and putting the UK in the enviable position of being the only country in the G7 to see a … Continued

Commenting on the Interim Report of the Pensions Commission published today (Tuesday), Mike Brewer, Deputy Chief Executive of the Resolution Foundation, said: “Auto-enrolment has transformed pension saving across Britain. But as this report shows, too many low and middle earners today still face the prospect of low incomes in retirement. “In fact, many lower income … Continued

The UK labour market entered the period of instability caused by the war in the Middle East in a weak place, with unemployment at 5 per cent, the volume of payrolled jobs falling and pay packets on the brink of shrinking in real terms again for the fourth time in less than two decades, the Resolution Foundation said today. The latest ONS data shows February’s fall in unemployment was a blip. A … Continued

The Government needs to reset its economic agenda against a bleak backdrop of weak growth, falling living standards, and high borrowing costs. This will require honesty about the scale of Britain’s problems, but a better outlook for living standards can be achieved with a ruthless prioritisation of growth, work and young people’s prospects, according to … Continued

Britain’s NEET crisis is being driven by a quartet of causes – rising ill-health, weak vocational education, a hands-off benefits system, and a weak labour market, and action on all four fronts is needed to get young people’s futures back on track, according to the Resolution Foundation today (Tuesday). Lost in transition notes that the … Continued

The UK borrowed £132 billion in the past financial year (2025-26), £20 billion below the £152 billion in borrowed in 2024-25, and £0.7 billion below the OBR’s March forecast. But conflict in the Middle East risks putting the brakes on the slow consolidation in the public finances apparent in today’s figures, the Resolution Foundation said … Continued

CPI inflation jumped to 3.3 per cent in March, up from 3.0 per cent in February – in line with market expectations – in the first sign of war-driven price rises feeding through to British households, the Resolution Foundation said today (Wednesday). The rise in March was largely driven by petrol prices, which have increased … Continued

A severe but plausible scenario, in which a deterioration in the Middle East conflict sustains some of the worst hits to the UK economy so far, could result in a £16 billion borrowing hit – massively reducing the Chancellor’s headroom against her fiscal rules, according to new Resolution Foundation research published today (Wednesday). With the … Continued

The pace of deterioration in the labour market has eased but it is still in far weaker shape than it was on the eve of the last energy price shock in 2022. This could offer a silver lining by limiting the risk of high inflation and need for interest rate rises, the Resolution Foundation said today (Tuesday) in response to the latest ONS labour market statistics. The … Continued

Responding to the latest Universal Credit data for March, Louise Murphy, Senior Economist at the Resolution Foundation, said: “The 13-year roll-out of Universal Credit is nearly complete, with over eight million now claiming the benefit, and around 15 million people living in families that receive it. “With the final phase of the roll-out focused on … Continued

Responding to the IMF World Economic Outlook today, Simon Pittaway, Senior Economist at the Resolution Foundation, said: “The IMF’s World Economic Outlook shows why British households are more vulnerable than their peers to the economic fallout from war in the Middle East. “In the run up to the conflict, the UK already had the highest level … Continued

Higher energy prices due to the conflict in the Middle East are set to deal a blow to British living standards, with market pricing suggesting that the median working-age household will be £480 worse off this year than they would have been if the conflict had not taken place, the Resolution Foundation said today (Monday). … Continued

Higher energy prices due to the conflict in the Middle East are set to deal a blow to British living standards, with market pricing suggesting that the median working-age household will be £480 worse off this year than they would have been if the conflict had not taken place, the Resolution Foundation said today (Monday). … Continued