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Ben Franklin

@bjafranklin.bsky.social

Deputy Chief Exec. International Longevity Centre UK. Former Chief, Centre for Progressive Policy. Before think tanks I did some stuff at HMT and the FCA.

35 Posts239 Follower347 Folgt
Stuart McDonald@actuarybyday.bsky.social · last yr.

Ageing isn’t a 2070 problem – it’s happening now. In my latest podcast @bjafranklin.bsky.social @ilcuk.bsky.social shares how longer, healthier lives could boost the economy, reshape work & retirement, and unlock opportunities we’re missing. 🎧 www.lcp.com/en/podcasts/... #LongevityEconomy #Ageing

Beyond Curious with LCP: The Longevity Challenge

In this episode, Stuart McDonald and Ben Franklin, Deputy Chief Executive Officer at International Longevity Centre, discuss ageing, its fiscal and social impact, and how policy and work reforms could...

lcp.com

Justin Wolfers@justinwolfers.bsky.social · last yr.

A careful study of every populist episode since 1900 finds catastrophic consequences, which play out slowly. On average, incomes fall behind by nearly 15% over 15 years. For the U.S., this is a cost of about $13k per person per year. Over a lifetime, that's million bucks.

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UK Politics News // Papernaut@ukpolitics.papernaut.co · last yr.

THE GUARDIAN: Young carer faces £2,000 repayment demand after DWP's flawed advice, highlighting systemic failings in support for Britain’s carers. This story exposes the fragility of a lifeline for those most in need. - by Patrick Butler

Young carer who unwittingly breached allowance rules forced to repay £2,000

Rose Jones, who cared for mother from age of eight, twice wrongly advised by work coach on joining DWP job scheme

theguardian.com

Ben Franklin@bjafranklin.bsky.social · last yr.

My piece ahead of Spending Review explores how govt can signal it's serious about reform and inclusive growth against the backdrop of an ageing and unhealthy population. The huge fiscal pressures mean structural reform is even more important.

Mike Brewer@mikebrewerecon.bsky.social · 2y ago

Excellent summary. There is even more in the DWP documents, including confirmation that an expected 150,000 people will lose carer's benefits. assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67e3fa...

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk

Chaminda Jayanetti@cjayanetti.bsky.social · 2y ago

The OBR is modelling that 800k fewer people will receive the PIP daily living payment as a result of the cuts to eligibility announced last week - that's equal to 16% of the current daily living caseload 400k of those will not receive PIP at all as they don't qualify for PIP mobility

From the OBR publication today: "Tightening the qualifying criteria for the daily living component of PIP From November 2026, in addition to current rules, claimants will be required to score four points in at least one of the 10 daily living descriptors to qualify for the daily living component. The static costing of this policy would reduce spending by an estimated £7.9 billion by 2029-30, and would reduce the number receiving the PIP daily living component by an estimated 1.5 million people (32 per cent). This is estimated simply on the basis that 58 per cent of onflows and 52 per cent of award reviews among the existing stock of claimants qualify for the daily living component without scoring four points or more in any descriptor. The behavioural response significantly reduces the estimated number of people who lose the PIP daily living component to 800,000 (16 per cent of those receiving the daily living component), with 400,000 of these leaving the PIP caseload entirely due to not receiving the mobility component. This reduces the static savings by around half (£4.0 billion) by 2029-30. This is a highly uncertain judgement which reflects: • the strong financial incentive to qualify for the daily living component, with the standard rate currently £3,800 a year and the enhanced rate £5,600 a year, and to therefore demonstrate four points in at least one descriptor at assessment; • that assessing whether a claimant qualifies for four points in any descriptor is a judgement that heavily relies on an assessors’ interpretation of the relevant criteria, and one which depends primarily on self-reported evidence rather than external medical evidence; and • that these changes will lead to higher levels of mandatory reconsiderations and appeals among unsuccessful claimants, along with higher volumes of reclaims."
Ben Franklin@bjafranklin.bsky.social · 2y ago

Personal news update: This week is my last at the @centrepropolicy.bsky.social after 6 and a half brilliant years. There have been too many highlights for my highly limited Bluesky abilities so have put out an extended post on my time and next steps here: www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...

This week is my last at the Centre for Progressive Policy after 6 and a… | Ben Franklin

This week is my last at the Centre for Progressive Policy after 6 and a half brilliant years. It’s been a delight to hold a variety of leadership positions…

linkedin.com

David Higham@oldtrotter.bsky.social · 2y ago

This is a compelling analysis of why Labour will lose in 2029. Starmer, like Wilson, will continue until the contradictions in his economic policy become politically untenable, and the resulting U turn will be seen as a defeat rather than seizing new opportunities open.substack.com/pub/kellnerp...

How Labour can avoid defeat in 2029

Attlee and Wilson were punished for delaying the inevitable. Starmer can avoid their fate – if he acts fast

open.substack.com

JamesSmithRF@jamessmithrf.bsky.social · 2y ago

Essential reading from my colleagues at @resfoundation.bsky.social here on yesterday's benefit changes: www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications... Bottom line: it's hard to escape the conclusion that many of yesterday's reforms are about making cuts rather than improving the system.

A dangerous road? • Resolution Foundation

Yesterday’s Green Paper marks a serious attempt by the Government to tackle two major concerns: the growing spend on disability benefits, and the large number of people who are not working through ill...

resolutionfoundation.org

Ross Mudie@rmudie96.bsky.social · 2y ago

Tension for the government's "good jobs everywhere" ambition clear in this paper on East Mids 83% of people work outside the 8 sectors govt is backing through industrial strategy How do we: a) shift some of the 83% over into the 8 sectors? b) improve work for *everyone else*

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Ben Franklin@bjafranklin.bsky.social · 2y ago

Prompted by the government's recent Plan for Neighbourhoods and @iconeighbours.bsky.social interim report, I wrote a short piece reflecting on the challenges people face in my neighbourhood and how policy can respond.

Inclusive Growth Network @ignupdates.bsky.social · 2y ago

🏘️How can one of London’s wealthiest boroughs contain neighborhoods that are among the most deprived in England? In our latest blog @bjafranklin.bsky.social sets out his experience of living in a high deprivation area in Bromley👇 inclusivegrowthnetwork.org/ign-insights...

Jo Bibby@jobibby.bsky.social · 2y ago

Cuts to welfare won’t solve the working age health challenge. Coverage of new @healthfoundation.bsky.social report in todays @theguardian.com It’s not enough to reform welfare - there must be more support for people in work but in ill health www.theguardian.com/business/202...

More support for people in ill health to stay in work ‘could save UK £1bn’

Commission for Healthier Working Lives warns against cutting benefits and calls for proactive route for 8m affected

theguardian.com

Ben Franklin@bjafranklin.bsky.social · 2y ago

An alternative way forward. Well done Tom Clark for this piece. The crisis facing us is more acute and existential than financial crisis or pandemic. Austerity and destitution is not the way to respond as we rearm for the dangerous years ahead.

Tom Clark@tom-clark.bsky.social · 2y ago

1/ Keynes' (v hard headed) paper How to Pay for the War (1940) proposed something like abolishing the 2-child limit BECAUSE Britain was at war archive.org/details/in.e...

Ben Franklin@bjafranklin.bsky.social · 2y ago

Nice piece from my colleague @tanyasingh99.bsky.social . New shiny sectors are important, but can't forget about lower paid sectors too in understanding our productivity malaise and spatial inequalities.

Growth and Reform Network@growthandreform.bsky.social · 2y ago

🚨The underperformance of the UK's foundational sectors costs the economy at least £105 billion. Our latest blog from @tanyasingh99.bsky.social asks how policymakers can solve the productivity puzzle in the foundational economy👇 inclusivegrowthnetwork.org/ign-insights...

Tanya Singh@tanyasingh99.bsky.social · 2y ago

The UK's falling fertility rates and ageing population need proactive thinking now—waiting until we reach East Asia's situation isn't an option. Great to have contributed to this @smfthinktank.bsky.social collection, which makes a strong progressive case for action.

Social Market Foundation@smfthinktank.bsky.social · 2y ago

🚨NEW ESSAY COLLECTION🚨 A declining birth rate is among the UK's most pressing issues. SMF & Boom gathered prominent voices from the centre and left, as the issue should not be 'owned' by only one side of the political spectrum. Read: www.smf.co.uk/publications...

Adam Briggs@admbriggs.bsky.social · 2y ago

The details of the 2025/26 PH grant allocations are now available, including the £200m uplift announced first thing this morning. However, the grant value is still 26% lower per person in real terms than 2015/16. Short 🧵 on why today's uplift is important and why it needs to be just the start. 1/

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Adam Briggs@admbriggs.bsky.social · 2y ago

News! The public health grant has today received its first significant real-terms increase after a decade of neglect, something we - and others - have long been calling for. But it's still 26% down on 2015/16. More analysis once allocations published later.👀 www.health.org.uk/press-office...

Ben Franklin@bjafranklin.bsky.social · 2y ago

Useful piece seeking to do the impossible - putting some numbers on the impact of Trump's tariffs and some historical precedent inc. William McKinley, who imposed a whopping 49.5 per cent tariff in 1890!

Chris Giles@chrisgiles.ft.com · 2y ago

Trump's tariff proposals were huge in historical context - vastly bigger than the 2018 efforts - Puts GATT in the shade and also 1930s tariffs - But there is also a horrible assumption in my chart that Trump's hero William McKinley kew something about 1/

Giles Wilkes@gilesyb.bsky.social · 2y ago

I can be as critical as anyone of the government's occasionally muddled message on growth but Look! At! This! Chart!! Anything they've done pales next to this GIGANTIC UNFORCED ERROR COMMITTED IN 2016! (fagpacket maths follows) on.ft.com/4hzyvbJ

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