The OBR warned about a set of other pressures too - asylum accommodation costs, NHS drug prices and strikes - which risk the deliverability of spending settlements. The 2027 Spending Review looks ever-harder, and spending plans from 2028-29 somewhat less credible...
November 27, 2025 at 11:58 AM
The OBR warned about a set of other pressures too - asylum accommodation costs, NHS drug prices and strikes - which risk the deliverability of spending settlements. The 2027 Spending Review looks ever-harder, and spending plans from 2028-29 somewhat less credible...
On top of these, departments must now absorb approx £6bn of SEND spending pressure in 28-29 - HMT haven't yet specified how this will be done but will be a very tough job to allocate these pressures. Makes it much more likely totals will be topped up down the line
November 27, 2025 at 11:58 AM
On top of these, departments must now absorb approx £6bn of SEND spending pressure in 28-29 - HMT haven't yet specified how this will be done but will be a very tough job to allocate these pressures. Makes it much more likely totals will be topped up down the line
Full report here: ifs.org.uk/publications...
Health, wealth and employment in the run-up to state pension age | Institute for Fiscal Studies
How has health among those in their late 50s and early 60s changed over time, and how are these trends associated with wealth and employment?
ifs.org.uk
November 19, 2025 at 11:30 AM
Full report here: ifs.org.uk/publications...
We also see growing disparities in women's physical health by wealth over the last two decades, with the least-wealthy third of women not seeing improvements in mobility.
In contrast, there have been improvements in men's physical health across the wealth distribution.
In contrast, there have been improvements in men's physical health across the wealth distribution.
November 19, 2025 at 11:30 AM
We also see growing disparities in women's physical health by wealth over the last two decades, with the least-wealthy third of women not seeing improvements in mobility.
In contrast, there have been improvements in men's physical health across the wealth distribution.
In contrast, there have been improvements in men's physical health across the wealth distribution.
Much more detail on defence in our new report, in which we explore the past and future of defence spending - in the UK and elsewhere - and discuss the links between spending and capabilities, as well as between defence spending and growth: ifs.org.uk/publications...
UK defence spending: composition, commitments and challenges | Institute for Fiscal Studies
We examine the past and future of UK defence spending, considering the fiscal and economic consequences of the government’s commitments.
ifs.org.uk
September 26, 2025 at 9:40 AM
Much more detail on defence in our new report, in which we explore the past and future of defence spending - in the UK and elsewhere - and discuss the links between spending and capabilities, as well as between defence spending and growth: ifs.org.uk/publications...
Not planning to combine the two (at least currently!!) but there is an update of the 'be the chancellor' tool coming - watch this space. Should be out pre-Spending Review
April 10, 2025 at 1:03 PM
Not planning to combine the two (at least currently!!) but there is an update of the 'be the chancellor' tool coming - watch this space. Should be out pre-Spending Review
We've written a comment alongside the tool, here: ifs.org.uk/articles/exp.... This gives another example of how you can use the tool, pulling out the strong regional differences in spending. And Max goes over some more examples here: bsky.app/profile/maxw...
April 10, 2025 at 8:42 AM
We've written a comment alongside the tool, here: ifs.org.uk/articles/exp.... This gives another example of how you can use the tool, pulling out the strong regional differences in spending. And Max goes over some more examples here: bsky.app/profile/maxw...
4️⃣: you can break down total spending, or a category of spending, into its components, either UK-wide or in a certain region/nation (as well as splitting by 'current' or 'capital' spend)
e.g. here's how benefits, state pension, and social service spending looked overall in 2023-24:
e.g. here's how benefits, state pension, and social service spending looked overall in 2023-24:
April 10, 2025 at 8:42 AM
4️⃣: you can break down total spending, or a category of spending, into its components, either UK-wide or in a certain region/nation (as well as splitting by 'current' or 'capital' spend)
e.g. here's how benefits, state pension, and social service spending looked overall in 2023-24:
e.g. here's how benefits, state pension, and social service spending looked overall in 2023-24:
3️⃣: you can look at how spending on different things, or in different areas, has changed over time. You can 'index' to different years.
e.g. here's how real-terms per-person spending on health, education, and benefits, pensions, and social services looks compared to 2009-10:
e.g. here's how real-terms per-person spending on health, education, and benefits, pensions, and social services looks compared to 2009-10:
April 10, 2025 at 8:42 AM
3️⃣: you can look at how spending on different things, or in different areas, has changed over time. You can 'index' to different years.
e.g. here's how real-terms per-person spending on health, education, and benefits, pensions, and social services looks compared to 2009-10:
e.g. here's how real-terms per-person spending on health, education, and benefits, pensions, and social services looks compared to 2009-10:
2️⃣: you can compare levels of spending on different things between two regions or nations of the UK.
e.g. here's how London compares to the England-wide average in per-person spending on different types of benefits, state pension, and social services:
e.g. here's how London compares to the England-wide average in per-person spending on different types of benefits, state pension, and social services:
April 10, 2025 at 8:42 AM
2️⃣: you can compare levels of spending on different things between two regions or nations of the UK.
e.g. here's how London compares to the England-wide average in per-person spending on different types of benefits, state pension, and social services:
e.g. here's how London compares to the England-wide average in per-person spending on different types of benefits, state pension, and social services: