New employment protections will improve workers’ wellbeing, but won’t make any difference to economic growth 3 July 2025 The Employment Rights Bill making its way through Parliament is a big deal for low-paid workers, but will have a negligible impact on the economy, contrary to what its supporters and critics claim, according to new Resolution Foundation research published today (Thursday). With the share of (hourly) low paid workers across Britain having fallen from … Continued READ MORE
Rising energy prices have led to a ‘comfort crunch’ as families spend more of their budgets on essentials 30 June 2025 Rising energy prices over the last two decades have squeezed incomes for low-and-middle income families and contributed to a ‘comfort crunch’ as more of their budgets are spent on household essentials, according to new Resolution Foundation research published today (Monday). The Bare Necessities – the fourth report of the Foundation’s Unsung Britain project, with support … Continued READ MORE
Welfare concessions will prevent current claimants from suffering income losses – at a cost of up to £3.2 billion by the end of the Parliament 27 June 2025 The changes to the Welfare Bill set out today will create a two-tier system to prevent existing claimants from suffering income losses as a result of changes to Universal Credit (UC) and Personal Independent Payments (PIP). These changes are welcome, but could cost between £2.6 billion and £3.2 billion a year in 2029-30 – making … Continued READ MORE
The living standards outlook for Britain is bleak – but policy can determine whether poorer families’ incomes rise or fall 26 June 2025 The outlook for living standards across Britain is bleak, with typical incomes on track to grow by just 1 per cent (£300) over the second half of the decade. But a fair economic tailwind and the right policy interventions can transform this outlook – turning a period of falling incomes for poorer families into one … Continued READ MORE
Flexible energy pricing could save households £200 a year by 2040, but policy needs to head off risks for lower-income families 24 June 2025 Moving away from the Ofgem fixed price cap and towards a flexible system of energy pricing – where costs vary according to region and time of day – could reduce the price of electricity by 4p/kWh by 2040, offering households savings of £200 a year, on average. But this approach also means families taking on … Continued READ MORE
Industrial Strategy White Paper demonstrates serious thinking about growth – but it will need sticking power to deliver growth 23 June 2025 Industrial Strategy White Paper demonstrates serious thinking about growth – but it will need sticking power to deliver growth The Industrial Strategy White Paper, published today (Monday), is a serious attempt to think about long-term economic strategy, and is both cross-departmental and backed by the Treasury, all of which will be needed if it is … Continued READ MORE
Early career workers suffer a five per cent place-based pay penalty for working in weaker labour markets 23 June 2025 England’s stark regional wage inequalities are driven by the places where people work, and not just by the people who work in different places as earlier studies have suggested, which should prompt a rethink about how policy makers can address these divides, according to ground-breaking new research published today (Monday) by the Resolution Foundation. The … Continued READ MORE
Inflation holds steady at a corrected rate of 3.4 per cent, but new cost of living pressures loom 18 June 2025 While CPI inflation remained unchanged at a corrected rate of 3.4 per cent in May, recent increases in energy prices arising from conflict in the Middle East mean renewed price pressures are set to hit struggling low-income households in the coming months, according to the Resolution Foundation today (Wednesday). The headline rate of CPI inflation … Continued READ MORE
Britain is turning into a National Health State, as lower-income families gain most from Spending Review 12 June 2025 The British state is slowly turning into a National Health State, with half of all public-service spending set to allocated to health and social care by the end of the decade, according to the Resolution Foundation’s overnight analysis of Spending Review 2025. Key findings from the overnight analysis, which show that the other big winners … Continued READ MORE
NHS-dominated Spending Review leaves little to rebuild other public services 11 June 2025 The NHS has again grabbed the lion’s share (90 per cent) of the extra funding for day-to-day public services allocated at the Spending Review, with inflation-adjusted per-person spending flat or falling for most other departments, leaving little to rebuild other public services, the Resolution Foundation said today (Wednesday). After two fiscal events dominated by tax … Continued READ MORE
UK jobs market sheds 55,000 jobs in April, weakening further 10 June 2025 The jobs market weakened further in April, losing 55,000 jobs on the previous month and nudging down the employment rate, the Resolution Foundation said today in response to the latest ONS labour market statistics. Early data for May looks worse still, pointing to a fall of 109,000 jobs – but this data is prone to … Continued READ MORE
New means-test for Winter Fuel Payments risks creating fresh complexity for little fiscal reward 9 June 2025 Commenting on the Government plan announced today (Monday) to means-test Winter Fuel Payments (WFPs) from this winter with a threshold of £35,000, Alex Clegg, Economist at the Resolution Foundation, said: “The new scheme for means-testing Winter Fuel Payments means that that the number of pensioners receiving support will rise from 1.3 million last winter to … Continued READ MORE
Government has increased departmental spending by almost £400 billion – but Chancellor may still struggle to avoid cuts in Spending Review 4 June 2025 The Government has increased departmental spending by almost £400 billion since it came to power, with details of future plans to be set out in the Spending Review next Wednesday. But pressures to increase health and defence spending will make it hard to avoid cuts to other public services, the Resolution Foundation said today (Wednesday). … Continued READ MORE
Household Support Fund has helped millions of families through cost of living squeeze – but it needs renewing and reforming 22 May 2025 The Household Support Fund has helped millions of families in England with their food, energy and water bills, and household essentials since its introduction in 2021, but its effectiveness has been hampered by chaotic and declining funding which needs to be put on a firmer footing, according to new research published today (Thursday). The report, … Continued READ MORE
Government can extend Winter Fuel Payment to 1.3 million more pensioners at a cost of £300 million – but u-turn on pensioners cannot cover for inaction on child poverty 21 May 2025 The Government’s U-turn on Winter Fuel Payments (WFPs) can take a number of possible routes. But action to assuage pensioner anger cannot be used as an excuse to duck sensible changes to its health and disability benefit reforms, or limit its ambition on tackling child poverty, the Resolution Foundation said today (Wednesday). At Prime Minister’s … Continued READ MORE
Inflation jumps to 3.5 per cent as higher household bills continue to squeeze lower-income households 21 May 2025 CPI inflation increased sharply in April – rising to 3.5 per cent up from 2.6 per cent in March – mostly driven by rises in energy and water bills and exceeding expectations of markets and the Bank of England. While painful, this higher level of inflation does not represent a return to peak cost of … Continued READ MORE
Health and disability benefit reforms could boost employment by up to 105,000, but gains dwarfed by poverty-inducing income losses 20 May 2025 The Government’s plans to reform health and disability related benefits and increase employment support could boost employment by up to 105,000 by the end of the Parliament. But these welcome gains are not enough to prevent the reforms from pushing hundreds of thousands of families into poverty, according to new Resolution Foundation research published today … Continued READ MORE
UK economy makes strong start to 2025 – but it’s unlikely to last 15 May 2025 The UK economy made a stronger than expected start to 2025, with GDP growing by 0.7 per cent in Q1. But recent history, more recent data, and wider global uncertainty, all suggest that Britain’s growth rebound is unlikely to last, the Resolution Foundation said today (Thursday). GDP grew by 0.7 per cent in Q1 2025, … Continued READ MORE
UK labour market weakening as it sheds 72,000 jobs in past three months while real pay flatlines 13 May 2025 The Resolution Foundation’s employment rate estimate suggest that it has fallen by 1.3 per cent over the past 23 months, it said today (Tuesday) in response to the latest ONS labour market statistics. The number of payrolled jobs fell by 72,000 in the first three months of the year, while the flash estimate suggests a further 36,000 … Continued READ MORE
Bank of England offers a downbeat assessment of Trump’s trade war, but good news for low-income families and homeowners 8 May 2025 The Bank of England’s take on the impact of President Trump’s first 100 days on the UK economy was low on growth and high on uncertainty, but its downbeat outlook came with some good news for families, the Resolution Foundation said today (Thursday). The big picture context to the Bank’s Monetary Policy Report (MPR) and decision to cut interest rates from 4.5 to 4.25 per … Continued READ MORE
Chancellor’s plans for £100 billion investment top-up must balance new growth-enhancing projects with pressing need to rebuild Britain’s broken public services 29 April 2025 The Chancellor must balance new growth-boosting infrastructure projects with the need to rebuild Britain’s dilapidated hospitals and social housing when she sets out the details of a £100 billion plus boost to capital budgets at the Spending Review, according to new research published today (Tuesday). The report notes that as well as allocating funding for … Continued READ MORE
Britain’s manufacturing weakness may be a source of strength in avoiding Trump’s tariff war 25 April 2025 The UK is one of very few countries that has a broad trade balance with the US on goods, which may help to shelter it from President Trump’s reciprocal tariffs, while its growing trade in services shows where future growth may lie, the Resolution Foundation said today (Friday) in response to new ONS data on … Continued READ MORE
Government efforts to encourage families to save are being undermined by its own Universal Credit rules 24 April 2025 Long-neglected rules governing capital means-testing in Universal Credit (UC) are undermining other Government policies aimed at encouraging lower-income households to accrue savings, according to new research from the Resolution Foundation published today (Thursday). The report Saving penalties – part of a partnership with abrdn Financial Fairness Trust – notes that the current capital thresholds, which … Continued READ MORE
UK borrowing already off track before the year has even started 23 April 2025 The UK borrowed £151.9 billion in the past financial year (2024-25) is significantly higher than the Office for Budget Responsibility’s forecast of £137.3 billion made last month – laying bare the Government’s fiscal challenge, the Resolution Foundation said today (Wednesday) in response to the latest ONS data. Borrowing was 5.3 per cent of national income in 2024-25 the highest such borrowing figure since 2013-14 … Continued READ MORE
Good news as CPI inflation falls to 2.6 per cent but the cost-of-living outlook remains at the mercy of global forces in the coming months 16 April 2025 CPI inflation dipped in March – falling by 0.2 percentage points to reach 2.6 per cent – but huge global forces will shape changes in the cost of living in the coming months, the Resolution Foundation said today (Wednesday). This drop is welcome, exceeding the expectations of both the market and the Bank of England … Continued READ MORE