I really enjoyed recording an @theifs.bsky.social Zooms In episode on the second pensions commission with Jonathan Cribb and @heidikarj.bsky.social - these two are expert guides! A great reminder that we need to think about the whole lifecycle, not “just” making retirement more comfortable.

Technical education from 14: the issues to solve are clear - high NEETs, mismatch of training & jobs. Vocational education is a plausible place to look for solutions. But employers are hard to engage. And this adds to near-constant churn, which makes vocational education even harder to navigate.

‘When we have a big shock, a big external shock like energy prices going up, we simply become poorer as a nation’ 🎙️ IFS Associate Director, Tom Waters, on why growth is the only real route to improving living standards.

New PM - but many familiar challenges. Tight public finances and tough decisions on tax/spend. Plus reviews reporting soon on benefits, NEETs and social care. Very glad to have @maxwarner.bsky.social and Tom Waters to talk it through on @theifs.bsky.social Zooms In!

The Institute for Fiscal Studies@theifs.bsky.social · 3w ago

NEW PODCAST: The tax and spending choices facing Andy Burnham 🎙️ This week, @ckfarquharson.bsky.social is joined by @maxwarner.bsky.social and Tom Waters to discuss to examine the economic choices facing the incoming Prime Minister.

Great fun to join @theifs.bsky.social Zooms In to talk all things devolution - what is it What options are there? Where are there barriers? And most importantly, could it boost growth? A great primer from two top experts, on a topic we may all be hearing lots more about...

The Institute for Fiscal Studies@theifs.bsky.social · 4w ago

NEW PODCAST: Will devolution solve the UK’s economic woes? 🎙️ This week, @ckfarquharson.bsky.social is joined by David Phillips and Tony Travers to discuss how devolution works, what can be learned from 'Manchesterism' and what it means to give places more fiscal responsibility:

📉 #IFSSatStat: By 2027, experienced teachers' pay is likely to be around 7% lower in real terms than in 2010, even after recent and planned increases. Teacher starting salaries have recovered to their 2010 level, but pay for more experienced teachers remains lower in real terms.

Delighted that @theifs.bsky.social is part of a major new research centre on the economics of education, with @cepeo-ucl.bsky.social and @cep-lse.bsky.social. Summarising existing evidence, generating new research, methodological development, capacity building - and more! ifs.org.uk/news/ifs-par...

IFS part of major new Economics of Education Research Centre to strengthen evidence-based policymaking | Institute for Fiscal Studies

The centre will bring together education economists in academia and in government, to bring the best evidence to bear

ifs.org.uk

Kate Ogden is the go-to person to unpick the complicated, contrasting and controversial proposals circulating around student loans. Essential reading from @theifs.bsky.social for anyone who wants to understand the - very different! - directions of travel being proposed. ifs.org.uk/publications...

Options for changing Plan 2 student loans: costs, benefits, and distributional effects | Institute for Fiscal Studies

Which graduates would repay less under different reforms to Plan 2 student loans, and when? And how much might these proposals cost taxpayers?

ifs.org.uk

The Institute for Fiscal Studies@theifs.bsky.social · 5mo ago

NEW: How would proposed changes to Plan 2 student loans affect graduates? 📗 We’ve modelled proposed reforms from the Conservatives, Lib Dems and Rethink Repayments and more in our new report: [THREAD]

The Conservatives have today said they would scrap the real interest rate charged on Plan 2 student loans saving graduates "tens of thousands of pounds". But *which* graduates would financially benefit?... www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... 1/5

We're delighted to have @ckfarquharson.bsky.social giving the @cepeo-ucl.bsky.social seminar next week! She'll be talking about her work estimating the impact of Sure Start on education, health and more. 🕕3-4pm Thurs 5th Feb 📍Online or in-person (541, 20 Bedford Way) Sign up: tinyurl.com/yanfx8j7

Absolutely delighted our research has won the ONS' Research Excellence prize for impact! I always say to people that the ideal @theifs.bsky.social work is rigorous enough to publish in top journals, and relevant enough to be on the front page. I think we've ticked that box here!

The Institute for Fiscal Studies@theifs.bsky.social · 8mo ago

We're pleased to share that our report on the effects of Sure Start on children’s outcomes has won the 'Impact of Analysis' Award in this year's ONS Research Excellence Awards. 🏆 Find out more: ifs.org.uk/news/ifs-sur...

The OBR has done us all a service by producing new forecasts of the challenge on SEND. What's still missing is the plan for how to tackle it - reform? changes to education spending? budget top-ups? Risks too to councils' finances - and their incentives. Big questions remain!

The Institute for Fiscal Studies@theifs.bsky.social · 8mo ago

NEW: The hardest questions for SEND are still to be answered. @ckfarquharson.bsky.social, Kate Ogden, David Phillips, @lukesibieta.bsky.social and Darcey Snape’s briefing explains how the #Budget2025 will affect SEND spending and the options for councils' SEND-related deficits ⬇️

NEW: The hardest questions for SEND are still to be answered. @ckfarquharson.bsky.social, Kate Ogden, David Phillips, @lukesibieta.bsky.social and Darcey Snape’s briefing explains how the #Budget2025 will affect SEND spending and the options for councils' SEND-related deficits ⬇️

Continue to be astonished by how quickly my colleagues can turn these podcasts around… we only finished recording at 2pm! Listen in for our take on the Budget, and our attempt to string together coherent sentences on little sleep…

The Institute for Fiscal Studies@theifs.bsky.social · 8mo ago

NEW PODCAST: The Autumn Budget 2025 explained @helenmiller.bsky.social, @benzaranko.bsky.social and @ckfarquharson.bsky.social break down the major decisions in a packed Autumn Budget and what they mean for the UK in our new IFS Zooms In episode. 🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/aut...

NEW PODCAST: The Autumn Budget 2025 explained @helenmiller.bsky.social, @benzaranko.bsky.social and @ckfarquharson.bsky.social break down the major decisions in a packed Autumn Budget and what they mean for the UK in our new IFS Zooms In episode. 🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/aut...

Good news: We now have a forecast for SEND spending, rather than flying blind. From 2028, central gov't will fund all SEND provision from within departmental spending. Without reform or spending top-ups, that's a £6bn pressure on budgets that year. @theifs.bsky.social #Budget2025

“This was a big Budget, but not in the way people were necessarily expecting.” – @helenmiller.bsky.social 📗 Our immediate IFS response to #Budget2025 is out now: ifs.org.uk/articles/aut...

...if we add up the cost of all the council worker hours wasted on failed applications for the "Treasury Happy Press Release Fund" type gimmicks, I suspect more often than not the net benefit to the country overall will be minimal or negative

If there were an election tomorrow, more net tax increases would have been announced in this parliament than in any other since at least 1970. #Budget2025

Your regular reminder that, while it doesn't have every policy option under the sun, @theifs.bsky.social Be the Chancellor tool will tell you how much could be raised from a whole raft of policy changes (e.g. cutting higher-rate threshold by £10k raises ~£17bn). ifs.org.uk/be-chancellor

Absolutely delighted that our @theifs.bsky.social work evaluating the effects of Sure Start centres won the "Publication of the Year" prize at last night's @smartthinking.bsky.social awards! It's wonderful to be recognised for the quality and impact of our work. ifs.org.uk/publications...

🎉 Proud to see our #Sure #Start @theifs.bsky.social research shortlisted for the ONS Research #Excellence Awards! 🏆 Learn more: www.ons.gov.uk/aboutus/what... 🗳️ We need your help! Please cast your #vote in the People’s Choice Award by Friday 31 October 2025👉🏻 forms.office.com/pages/respon...

Christine Farquharson@ckfarquharson.bsky.social · 9mo ago

Delighted that our @theifs.bsky.social research on Sure Start has been shortlisted for the ONS Research Excellence Awards! Do check out our work (and the other amazing projects) and cast your vote in the People's Choice awards! tinyurl.com/3kra3trj

Delighted that our @theifs.bsky.social research on Sure Start has been shortlisted for the ONS Research Excellence Awards! Do check out our work (and the other amazing projects) and cast your vote in the People's Choice awards! tinyurl.com/3kra3trj

Today’s Times gives “urged” the entirely new meaning of “a lukewarm mention in the middle of a 66 page report”.

Phenomenal news - the birth cohorts are one of the UK's richest and most unique data resources. I can't wait to see all the amazing evidence that we'll gain from this newest study!

UK Research and Innovation@ukri.org · 11mo ago

Announcing Generation New Era: the first UK-wide birth cohort study in 25 years. It will study 30,000 children born in 2026 across the four nations of the UK. Watch out for upcoming opportunities for researchers and other stakeholders to engage with the study team via @clscohorts.bsky.social

NEW PODCAST: Are the kids ok? Family life @helenmiller.bsky.social, @ckfarquharson.bsky.social and Anne Longfield explore family life in the UK, rising child poverty and pressures on social care in our 'Are the kids ok?' podcast mini-series. 🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/are...

"There's been a really big increase in the share of children who are being identified as having special educational needs" @ckfarquharson.bsky.social details the rise in special educational needs and its effect on schools. 🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/are...

We recorded this episode this morning (!) and I came out full of excitement! @helenmiller.bsky.social and I had a great conversation with Sir Philip Augar - we covered the design of the post-16 system, the gulf between higher and further education, and even some tentative signs of hope. Do listen!

The Institute for Fiscal Studies@theifs.bsky.social · 11mo ago

NEW PODCAST: Are The Kids OK? The College Years @helenmiller.bsky.social, @ckfarquharson.bsky.social & Sir Philip Augar discuss how well England’s education system supports young people as they move into adulthood in our 'Are the kids OK?' series. 🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/are...

"Only way that you are going to make a significant difference in the life of a child under the age of two, is by working with parents" @ckfarquharson.bsky.social argues effective early years policy must focus on working with parents and families. 🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/are...

NEW PODCAST: Are the kids ok? The school years Are England’s school children thriving, or are too many being left behind? @helenmiller.bsky.social, @ckfarquharson.bsky.social & @samfr.bsky.social assess the state of England's schools in our podcast. 🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/are...