Explore every episode of the podcast IFS Zooms In: The Economy
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Chancellor's options for raising taxes | 28 Aug 2024 | 00:42:40 | |
Over the summer we’re bringing you a series of briefings on the key challenges and policy options facing the new set of government ministers. Today we’re turning to the tax system and we’ll answer the questions that the Chancellor has almost certainly been asking Treasury officials in recent weeks: how could more tax revenue be raised and how could tax reform boost growth. Rachel Reeves has ruled out tax rises on 'working people', saying that there will be no increase of income tax, VAT, National Insurance or Corporation Tax. What areas of tax does this leave to fill the shortfall in the public finances? Which taxes could be reformed to boost growth? To tackle those questions, Paul is joined by Dan Neidle a tax lawyer and founder of Tax Policy Associates and Helen Miller, Deputy Director at the IFS. Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/podcasts-explainers-and-calculators/podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Why are universities in financial trouble? | 21 Aug 2024 | 00:41:46 | |
Over the coming weeks, we’re bringing you a series of briefings looking at key areas of government and analysing their performance over recent years, the challenges they face and the solutions the new government may look to help them. This week, we’ll be looking at higher and further education. Over recent months, we’ve heard lots of stories about the pressures on university finances, and concern that some universities may go bust. We’ll discuss why this is, what happens if a university goes bust and whether government can do anything to fix the problem. We’ll also discuss longer-term challenges facing the higher and further education sectors. We're joined by Jack Britton and Christine Farquharson, IFS education experts. Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/podcasts-explainers-and-calculators/podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| ELECTION SPECIAL: The Conservative manifesto explained | 12 Jun 2024 | 00:35:32 | |
We discuss the Conservative manifesto launched on Tuesday and give our reaction to the policies and pledges within it. Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/ Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Prices in a crisis | 17 Nov 2020 | 00:34:08 | |
We often hear about inflation in the news, whether it has gone up or down, and how this impacts the price of everyday goods. But what do economists mean by inflation, how do they measure it, and is inflation the best way of understanding the changes in the price of goods? This week we speak with Martin O'Connell, Deputy Research Director at IFS and author of a recent paper looking at grocery prices during the pandemic, and Ian Crawford, Professor of Economics at Oxford. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| What’s happened to benefits through the pandemic? | 04 Nov 2020 | 00:33:25 | |
There has been significant analysis of the furlough scheme in the wake of COVID-19, but far less attention has been paid to the welfare system and how benefits are being affected by the pandemic. The temporary increases to working age benefits implemented this year take total welfare spending to record levels, though the UK’s support system is still thin by international standards. This episode, we speak to Robert Joyce, IFS Deputy Director and Head of our Income, Work and Welfare sector, about how COVID-19 has impacted the UK’s welfare system and what might happen to benefits in future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| What's happening with government debt? | 21 Oct 2020 | 00:39:55 | |
Government borrowing is never far from the headlines, and in the current crisis, has been a central mechanism for the government to fund its economic support measures. There are many questions around the current level of government debt, whether it is too high, what the long-term implications are and if the government can continue to borrow at its current level. This week we speak with David Miles, Professor at Imperial College London and a former member of the Monetary Policy Committee at the Bank of England, to answer these questions about government debt in the COVID era. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Counting the cost of COVID-19 | 15 Oct 2020 | 00:39:24 | |
The COVID-19 pandemic and the public health measures implemented to contain it will lead to a huge spike in government borrowing this year. This week we released our annual Green Budget report analysing the impact the coronavirus crisis has had across different sectors of the economy and the big decisions confronting the Chancellor. In this episode, we speak with Green Budget chapter authors Ben Nabarro, Economist at Citi, and Carl Emmerson, Deputy Director at IFS, to get a sense of how big government borrowing could get and what the long-term impacts will be.' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| How is coronavirus affecting older workers? | 07 Oct 2020 | 00:24:44 | |
Older workers are one group of people who are at risk of suffering serious and persistent consequences from the economic turmoil arising from the coronavirus pandemic. Previous research has shown that unemployment shocks have persistent effects on the employment and incomes of older workers. In particular, older individuals who lose their jobs are less likely to secure re-employment, or to find a job on a similar wage to their previous earnings, than younger workers. Being unexpectedly out of work, or on lower wages, in the years leading up to retirement can have obvious negative implications for retirement resources. In this episode, we speak with Rowena Crawford, IFS Associate Director, who has recently published research on how the pandemic is impacting older workers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| University Challenge: COVID-19 and higher education | 30 Sep 2020 | 00:24:08 | |
The COVID pandemic has created huge uncertainly for students returning to university. Have student numbers remained stable in the face of the COVID-19 crisis? Has the A Level results debacle had an impact on admissions? Should students be paying full rates for an online-only experience? How are university finances doing more generally in the face of the coronavirus crisis? In this episode, we speak with Jack Britton, education expert at the IFS, to consider some of the complex questions facing the higher education sector. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Moving on up: the state of social mobility | 23 Sep 2020 | 00:33:20 | |
A socially mobile country provides equal opportunities for everyone, across big cities and small towns, and regardless of whether your parents are rich or poor. Social mobility is never far from the front pages; discussions around education, geographic and intergenerational inequalities and jobs affect everyone. Joining us this week is Lindsey MacMillan, Director of the new Centre for Education Policy and Equalising Opportunities and Anna Vignoles, Professor of Education at the Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Taxing times ahead? When and how to raise taxes | 16 Sep 2020 | 00:34:52 | |
The coronavirus pandemic has brought new and severe pressures on the UK economy. The challenge now facing Her Majesty’s Treasury will be how to balance the need for increasing revenues through taxes with stimulating much-needed economic growth. This week, our host and IFS Director Paul Johnson speaks to Helen Miller, Deputy Director of the IFS and expert on tax policy, to discuss how the Treasury might raise revenues in the future and how our current tax system can be reformed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Childcare during the pandemic | 09 Sep 2020 | 00:30:54 | |
The closures of childcare providers to most families during the COVID-19 crisis have underlined the importance of access to childcare, both to support paid work and to help shape young children’s environment. However, the crisis has had severe consequences for the finances of childcare providers, which were already weak in several parts of the sector going into the crisis. Despite a range of government support programmes, many providers lost income during lockdown. In the medium term, a longer-lasting fall in demand for childcare or an increase in costs related to social distancing could seriously hamper financial sustainability in the sector going forward. This week, we speak with Christine Farquharson, Senior Research Economist at IFS and Claire Crawford, Assistant Professor of Economics at the University of Birmingham and IFS Research Fellow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| What to expect when schools reopen? | 26 Aug 2020 | 00:32:08 | |
While most things have changed in 2020, the end of the summer will once again see students preparing to go back to school. But this year’s return to school will be unlike any that has come before; for many students, it will have been more than five months since they last attended school in person. Reopening schools has been contentious, but the Department for Education in England – partly motivated by research showing the challenges from home learning and the growing inequalities it has brought – has signalled its determination for all students to return come September. This will be a decisive shift from a period in which schools were open for some year groups, some of the time, with some families choosing to attend while others stayed home. This week we are joined by Angela Donkin, Chief Social Scientist, at the National Foundation For Educational Research (NFER) and Sarah Cattan, Associate Director at IFS in the Education and Skills sector. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| ELECTION SPECIAL: The government's record on tax | 10 Jun 2024 | 00:28:08 | |
It’s manifesto week, and we’ll be coming to you with plenty of analysis of the promises, pledges and numbers. In this episode, we’ll dive into some work looking at the how the size and shape of the state have changed over recent decades, and how the tax system has changed since 2010. We'll also give our reaction to the Liberal Democrat manifesto. Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/ Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| A Level playing field? Exam results during the pandemic | 17 Aug 2020 | 00:34:16 | |
Recently, students got their A Level results, despite having never sat an exam. How did the government decide what grades to give students? What methodology did they use? How has this affected the distribution of results? This week, we speak with Jack Britton, Associate Director at IFS and expert on education, to get to the bottom of how this year's A Level results were calculated. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| The potential consequences of Brexit | 12 Aug 2020 | 00:27:50 | |
For the last five months the country has, understandably, been focused on the health and economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is already having a huge effect on the economy, on employment and on the public finances. All the while, though, the government has been preparing for the reality of Brexit; not the formal Brexit that happened back in January, but the new trading relationship which will come into force at the end of this year. That too, whatever the final deal, will cause deep and fundamental changes to our economy and to jobs, earnings and incomes. In this episode, we speak to Peter Levell, Senior Research Economist at IFS and expert in the economics of Brexit, to look at how the significant change in our trading relationship with Europe will affect the UK. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Catching up or falling behind? Geographical inequalities in the UK | 05 Aug 2020 | 00:32:56 | |
The COVID-19 crisis has highlighted concerns about inequalities. This is not only about gaps between rich and poor, young and old and between different ethnic groups. It is also about the differences between people living in different places. Even prior to the crisis, there was a sense that the UK is a highly geographically unequal country and that this inequality is increasing. In this episode, we explore these geographical inequalities with David Phillips, Associate Director at IFS and an expert on devolved and local government finance. Inequality: The IFS Deaton Review is funded by the Nuffield Foundation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Keeping it in the family: inheritances and inequality | 29 Jul 2020 | 00:33:32 | |
Recent decades have seen rising wealth-to-income ratios. In England, increases in wealth have been concentrated among older generations. Those born in the 1980s have accumulated no more wealth than those born in the 1970s had done by the same age, but the parents of those born in the 1980s hold 40% more wealth than the parents of those born in the 1970s held at the same age. One consequence is that inherited wealth is on course to be a much more important determinant of lifetime resources for today’s young than it was for previous generations. In this episode we speak to James Banks, Professor of Economics at the University of Manchester and Senior Research Fellow at IFS, and David Sturrock, Senior Research Economist. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Have the Chancellor's policies been stimulating enough? | 15 Jul 2020 | 00:29:58 | |
Last week - in the Summer Economic Update - the Chancellor announced another significant spending package. In normal times, even in times of recession, this package would have been seen as huge. But, of course, these are not normal times and this is no normal recession. Joining us this week to discuss the spending package is Helen Miller, Deputy Director at the IFS and Chris Giles, Economics Editor at the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Investment, infrastructure and levelling up | 09 Jul 2020 | 00:40:40 | |
The government has pledged to make 'levelling up' a core part of their policy agenda. To achieve this, they have promised increased investment spending and infrastructure spending. What is investment spending? Why is investment so much lower now than it was 40 or 50 years ago? How does this relate to recent announcements from the government, and the response to the pandemic? Joining us today, Professor Sir Tim Besley, Professor of Economics at LSE and member of the National Infrastructure Commission, and Ben Zaranko, Research Economist at IFS. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Incomes before, during and after the pandemic | 01 Jul 2020 | 00:30:58 | |
The effect of the COVID-19 crisis on the economy has been huge. National income fell by 20% in April, to a level last seen in the early 2000s. But the impact of this vast aggregate shock on the finances of different households will vary widely. In this episode, we ask how household incomes were looking before the crisis, how they've been impacted during the lockdown and what we think they could look like in future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| The long shadow of Covid-19 on the economy and the public finances | 24 Jun 2020 | 00:34:00 | |
We found out that the UK came close to insolvency in March as a result of the turmoil caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Thankfully, the country managed to avoid that. Nevertheless, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in unprecedented damage to the UK economy. In this episode, we speak with Benjamin Nabarro, a senior economist at Citi Group and IFS Deputy Director, Carl Emmerson. We ask what the forecast is for the economy, how Brexit will impact that forecast, how the government can help the economy recover and what the long term effects of this crisis might be. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| COVID-19: Are people in some parts of England more 'vulnerable' than others? | 17 Jun 2020 | 00:28:54 | |
The COVID-19 crisis has affected every part of the country – and indeed many other countries. What sets this crisis apart is the many different ways that it is impacting families: while the virus itself is primarily a public health issue, the unprecedented responses it has necessitated mean that this is also very much an economic and a social crisis. This is not to say that it is equally all of these things to all people – some families, and some areas, will be particularly vulnerable to the virus’s health impacts, while others look to be hit particularly hard on economic or social dimensions. We are joined by Imran Rasul, Professor of Economics at University College London and co-director of the Centre for the Microeconomic Analysis of Public Policy at the IFS and Christine Farquharson, Senior Research Economist at the IFS to ask, are people in some parts of England more 'vulnerable' than others? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| The challenges facing further and higher education | 10 Jun 2020 | 00:28:52 | |
Alongside widespread school closures, lockdown has also resulted in significant challenges for the higher and further education sectors. What will happen with universities and students next year? How will the pandemic affect apprenticeship schemes? What are the likely educational and economic impacts on young people from our response to the virus? In this episode we speak with Anna Vignoles, Professor of Education at the University of Cambridge and Luke Sibieta, Research Fellow at the Institute for Fiscal Studies, specialising in education and skills. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| ELECTION SPECIAL: The 'conspiracy of silence' on the economy | 06 Jun 2024 | 00:36:17 | |
The last few days have seen plenty of competing claims about tax rises, but very little discussion of the very tight fiscal situation facing the next government. What problems will they face? Can growth ride to the rescue? Also in this episode, we explore what's happened to the education system, from funding and teacher pay, to falling pupil numbers and the impact of COVID. Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/ Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| The long-run effects on health and healthcare | 03 Jun 2020 | 00:43:28 | |
In this episode of IFS Zooms In, we'll be looking at the longer term impacts of the current crisis on the nation's health and on the delivery of healthcare. From pent up demand from those unable to attend appointments, to the long-term effects of the recession we have now entered, we will ask how has the pandemic affected our health and healthcare? Joining us are two of the UK’s leading experts on the economics of health and healthcare: Carol Propper, Professor of Economics at Imperial College London, research fellow at the IFS and President of the Royal Economic Society, and James Banks, Professor of Economics at Manchester University and Senior Research Fellow at the IFS. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Who's looking after the kids? | 27 May 2020 | 00:21:54 | |
The coronavirus crisis has caused drastic changes to most parents’ work lives and other responsibilities. Millions of adults have lost or are forecast to lose their jobs permanently; many more have stopped work temporarily. Others are newly working from home, while many key workers are experiencing additional pressures and risks in their work. For most parents, school and childcare closures have meant that children are at home, and requiring care, for at least an extra six hours a day. How much time have children spent learning from home? Are mothers and fathers sharing the responsibility equally? How is this affecting families' use of time? In this episode of IFS Zooms In, we ask who is looking after the kids? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Getting people back into work | 20 May 2020 | 00:36:42 | |
Governments are starting to ease restrictions to economic activity. The risks of easing these measures too soon, or in misguided ways, are obvious, not only for public health but also for the economy. A world with no lockdown and a pandemic spreading rapidly through the population does not make for a healthy economy. Neither, in all likelihood, does a world in which containment measures have to be repeatedly reinstated after being eased prematurely or in suboptimal ways. In this episode we ask, how can the UK government get people back to work? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| The unequal effects of the pandemic | 14 May 2020 | 00:20:06 | |
Wherever we look, it seems that inequalities are shaping people's experience of coronavirus and of the lockdown. Ethnic minorities are significantly more likely to die from coronavirus than their white counterparts. Those in lower-paid jobs are more likely to be in a shut-down industry. The lockdown is widening the gender pay gap. In this episode, we take a close look at how the impact of coronavirus on communities is shaped by ethnic, gender and demographic inequalities. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Is the government doing enough to support workers during the pandemic? | 06 May 2020 | 00:22:04 | |
The government has offered unprecedented support to workers since the start of the lockdown in March. Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced multiple schemes to tackle the economic impacts of the lockdown, including the JRS (Job Retention Scheme) for employees and the SISS (Self-Employment Income Support Scheme) for self-employed workers. In this episode, IFS Director Paul Johnson speaks to Helen Miller, Deputy Director of the IFS and head of our Tax sector, and Xiaowei Xu, a senior research economist in the Income, Work and Welfare sector. We ask about the government intervention, whether the schemes are extensive enough and what role the benefit system can play in plugging any gaps. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| ELECTION SPECIAL: The UK economy since 2008 | 03 Jun 2024 | 00:44:05 | |
Since 2008, the UK economy has faced a series of shocks and challenges, leaving the next government with a difficult task. From low growth to falling living standards, we ask what structural problems the next government faces. We also tackle announcements on limiting tax rises, apprenticeships and the NHS waiting list. Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/ Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| ELECTION SPECIAL: What you need to know | 28 May 2024 | 00:38:15 | |
In our first election special, we look at the broad economic picture and analyse announcements about the fiscal rules, the triple lock and tax. Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/ Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| How to grow the economy | 24 May 2024 | 00:39:30 | |
After years of sluggish growth and flatlining productivity, a rare political consensus has emerged that growing the economy is one of the key priorities of the next government. With an election on the way, we're bound to hear pledges and policies on how to get the economy growing again. But how can we actually grow the economy? Can we get productivity growth back on track? And in what sectors can the UK lead?To help answer these questions, we’re joined by Anna Valero, Policy Fellow and Director of the Growth Programme at the Centre for Economic Performance at the LSE. Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/ Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| The £600 billion problem awaiting the next government | 25 Apr 2024 | 00:46:16 | |
Today, we’re setting the stage for a key moment in UK politics — the upcoming spending review, expected this November. The spending review will set some £600 billion of departmental budgets from April 2025 onwards, and will be a crucial moment for the next government to lay out its priorities and plans for public services. How should the incoming government go about doing the next spending review? How can the government make sure they deliver on their priorities? And will they be constrained by the much talked about ‘treasury orthodoxy’? To help us answer these questions, we're joined by two people who have been at the heart of government - David Gauke, a lawyer and former MP who served in the Treasury under David Cameron and Theresa May’s governments and Giles Wilkes, a senior fellow at the Institute for Government and former special adviser to Theresa May and Vince Cable. Try our tool: https://ifs.org.uk/election-2024/be-chancellor Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/ Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Should we worry about government debt? | 11 Apr 2024 | 00:39:35 | |
We often hear about government debt in the headlines. Currently the UK government owes around £2.65 trillion, nearly 100% of UK GDP - the value of all the goods and services produced in the UK in a year. How has the debt level grown? Should we aspire to reduce the debt? And do we need to worry about high debt to GDP ratios? Joining us today to answer all these questions and more, is David Miles, Professor of Financial Economics at Imperial College Business School, a member of the OBR Budget Responsibility Committee and former member of the Monetary Policy Committee at the Bank of England. Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/ Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Spring Budget 2024: What you need to know | 07 Mar 2024 | 00:44:16 | |
In his Spring Budget, the Chancellor announced a 2% cut to National Insurance, amidst other measures on tax and spending. What will the impact of the measures be? How will it affect living standards? And what choices face the next Parliament? Joining us today are Helen Miller, Deputy Director at IFS and Ben Zaranko, Senior Research Economist at IFS. Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/ Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| The NHS waiting list: when will it come down? | 29 Feb 2024 | 00:38:17 | |
Since the pandemic, the size the NHS waiting list has been in the headlines almost constantly. At the start of 2023, Rishi Sunak committed to decreasing the size of the waiting list as one of his ‘five priorities’, and since then it has actually gone up. So today, we’re going to dive into the NHS waiting list - what is it? How big is it? And is there a credible plan to get it back down? Joining us to answer those questions are Ben Zaranko and Max Warner, IFS economists who have recently published a report on the NHS waiting list. Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/ Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Can the new government fix the NHS? | 14 Aug 2024 | 00:41:45 | |
Over the next few weeks, we’re bringing you a series of briefings looking at key areas of government and analysing how they have performed over recent years, what challenges they face and which solutions are on the table. This week we'll start with the NHS - the UK's biggest public service. We're joined by Ben Zaranko and Max Warner, IFS experts, to discuss the big challenges facing the NHS, and what Labour will do about them. Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/podcasts-explainers-and-calculators/podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Are councils in crisis? | 14 Feb 2024 | 00:39:05 | |
Over recent months, you may have seen local authorities warning that they are facing a funding crisis. Since 2021, six local authorities have declared themselves effectively bankrupt, and many other local authorities have reported that they may soon be forced to do the same. How did we end up here? Why are local councils facing funding pressures? And what can government do to help them? Joining us to answer these questions are Tony Travers, a professor in the Department of Government at LSE and expert on local government, and David Phillips, Head of Devolved and Local Government Finance at IFS. Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/ Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| How to fix our irrational income tax system | 25 Jan 2024 | 00:40:38 | |
Income tax and National Insurance Contributions are our biggest taxes. Together they raise almost half of all tax revenues. National Insurance Contributions were cut at the start of the year, but we’re in the middle of a multi-year freeze in tax thresholds that will amount to a tax rise of over £40 billion by the time it’s finished. And these are just the latest in a string of changes in how we tax personal incomes. From cliff edges and personal allowances, to Scotland's 6-band income tax system and The Beatles' scheme to minimise their tax, we cover all things income tax. To do that, we're joined by Helen Miller, Deputy Director at IFS and head of our tax sector, and Dan Neidle, a tax lawyer and founder of Tax Policy Associates. Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/ Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| The economic stories that will shape 2024 | 05 Jan 2024 | 00:32:33 | |
As we enter the new year, we take a look-ahead at what to expect in 2024. What will happen with the cost of living crisis? What might the Chancellor announce in his Spring Budget? What should we be looking out for during an election? This week, Paul is joined by colleagues Ben Zaranko, Helen Miller and Carl Emmerson to take a look at the stories which will define 2024. Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/ Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| The future of the state pension | 21 Dec 2023 | 00:35:26 | |
With an ageing population, the UK faces a series of significant challenges with regard to its state pension. The OBR estimates that spending on the state pension, pension credit and winter fuel payment is expected to rise by 1.2% of national income (£32 billion per year in today’s terms) by 2050. How does the state pension work? What are the problems with it? And how can we reform it to work more effectively? In our final episode of the year, Paul is joined by Jonathan Cribb, Associate Director at IFS and Head of the Retirement, Savings, and Ageing sector, and Baroness Ros Altmann, a life peer, pensions expert and former Pensions Minister. Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/ Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Why we need to reform inheritance tax | 06 Dec 2023 | 00:38:45 | |
Inheritance tax is arguably the UK’s most unpopular tax - a recent YouGov poll found that just 20% of people deemed inheritance tax ‘fair’. Yet most people are unaffected by it - only a minority of estates currently pay inheritance tax. In this episode, Paul Johnson is joined by Arun Advani and David Sturrock to discuss the intricacies of inheritance tax. They cover the inequality inherent in the current system, the distortion of economic incentives resulting from exemptions, the small percentage of estates that actually pay the tax, and how it affects to social mobility. Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/ Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| The Autumn Statement explained | 24 Nov 2023 | 00:30:53 | |
This week, the Chancellor delivered his Autumn Statement. After weeks of speculation about headroom, tax cuts and pre-election giveaways, the dye is cast and the policies are in. What was in it? What will the impact of his announcements be? And how sensible were the policies announced? Joining us today are Helen Miller, Head of Tax at IFS, Ben Zaranko, Senior Research economist and Tom Waters, Senior Research economist at IFS. Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/ Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Cake or biscuit? The UK's byzantine VAT system explained | 16 Nov 2023 | 00:33:45 | |
From jaffa cakes and gingerbread men, to fur skin coats and children's clothes, our VAT system and its byzantine rules seem, on the surface, to be a fun quirk of the UK tax system.But dig deeper, and one finds economic distortions and inefficiencies due to the complex way the UK's third largest tax is levied.Leading us through this maze of complexity are Helen Miller, Deputy Director and IFS tax expert, and Dan Neidle, a tax lawyer and founder of Tax Policy Associates. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| The Expert Factor: What next for Net Zero? | 06 Nov 2023 | 00:33:34 | |
Climate change used to be that rarest of things in British politics – an issue over which there was broad interparty consensus. That consensus saw Ed Miliband oversee the passing of the Climate Change Act in 2008, committing the UK to an 80 % reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050; Theresa May enshrining of the target of net zero in law; and Boris Johnson going further still, increasing the target for 2030 reductions to 68%. But recently we have seen a divergence from this consensus, with Rishi Sunak pushing back the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars in the UK from 2030 to 2035. In this episode, the Experts team drill down into this changing landscape. What do voters think about Sunak’s changes? How is Labour going to respond? What are the key steps to achieving net zero? And what are the economic costs involved? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| The Expert Factor: What can be done to fix standards in public life? | 30 Oct 2023 | 00:41:39 | |
Do you remember when politics was the domain of good chaps and a time when politicians could be trusted to stick to the rules? Ok, so maybe there was never quite such a rose-tinted age – but from lobbying scandals to accusations of minsters bullying their staff, standards in politics seem to have been slipping in recent years. So this week the Expert Factor team take a deep dive into standards and ethics in public life – and how they are meant to be uphold. Why have standards been on the slide? Have the good chaps left the political scene for good? What could Rishi Sunak or Keir Starmer do to fix the problem? And do the voters really care? A general election is looming. Manifestos are being drafted. The battle of ideas is intensifying. From tackling climate change to turning around the economy, rethinking Britain’s place in the world to restoring trust in politics, the UK is facing huge challenges. So how can we make sense of it all? THE EXPERT FACTOR is the podcast for people who haven’t had enough of experts. Each week the directors of three leading and respected think tanks – Paul Johnson of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Hannah White of the Institute for Government, and Anand Menon of UK in a Changing Europe – get together to discuss, debate and explain the big questions and themes that will shape the election – and the political landscape for years to come. Produced by Milo Hynes and Podmasters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| The Expert Factor: Why is the UK so bad at infrastructure? | 27 Oct 2023 | 00:31:57 | |
From HS2 cancellations to Heathrow’s still unbuilt third runway, the over-budget Elizabeth line to the repeated delays to the Hinkley C nuclear reactor, why is the UK so bad at infrastructure projects? This week the Expert Factor team – Paul Johnson of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Hannah White of the Institute for Government, and Anand Menon of UK in a Changing Europe – take a deep dive into what goes wrong when the UK wants to build big things. How did the costs for HS2 get so high? Is there the right level of government expertise to see through big infrastructure projects? Does the UK have a bigger NIMBY problem than other countries? And what could be done to learn from past mistakes? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Is Labour's inheritance really worse than expected? | 30 Jul 2024 | 00:37:06 | |
On Monday, the new Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, stood up in front of Parliament and spoke about, what was in her view, the challenging economic inheritance left to Labour by the previous Conservative government. She revealed a series of unfunded commitments by the previous government - a multibillion-pound gap in the public finances covering areas such as spending on asylum seekers and unfunded infrastructure projects. So, what do we make of the announcements? What are the implications of the spending cuts announced? What does this statement tell us about how the Chancellor will handle economic challenges? To answer these questions, we’re joined by Christine Farquharson and Ben Zaranko. Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/podcasts-explainers-and-calculators/podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| The Expert Factor: Is there any money left? | 20 Oct 2023 | 00:40:42 | |
Rising inflation, a cost of living crisis, striking public sector workers, the NHS facing another winter crisis… costs on the public purse are spiralling and government borrowing is being pushed still higher. So is it true to say there is no more money left? This week the Expert Factor team take a deep dive into the state of Britain’s public finances. What would it mean if we stick to current tax and spend policies? What choices are facing this country’s politicians and its public services? What does the country expect its governments to deliver – and how does it expect it to be paid for? And what did we learn from the Labour and Conservative conferences about the two parties’ plans for the economy? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||