The new Labour Government says it wants clean energy – and wider action on climate change – at the heart of its new economic strategy, pledging to go further and faster on decarbonising electricity, insulating homes, and shifting to electric vehicles than plans in the previous parliament.

These changes will facilitate economic growth and climate recovery in the long run, but the short-term costs in both political and actual capital investment should not be underestimated, and will need to be carefully considered. In particular, the Government should be acting now to ensure the costs are fairly shared, and do not lead to further declines in living standards for low-to-middle income households.

What scale of public investment can be achieved, given the condition of the public finances? How should the Government encourage the levels of private investment required? How can these costs be fairly shared across different regions and households? And will there be enough political will to deliver the investment needed for a fair transition?

Read the report: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications/net-zero-investment/ 

View the event slides: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/net-zeroing-in-on-investment/ 

Labour has returned to power in Westminster for the first time in 14 years. The new Government has a big electoral mandate but faces a momentous task in delivering lasting economic and social change. From kickstarting growth and reducing poverty, to reforming the planning system, energy market and workplace conditions, Labour’s agenda is fraught with political and economic risk. Yet it also arrives in office with a commanding majority and the opportunity to set out an ambitious governing agenda.

What are the biggest challenges that the new Government faces? How should the new Chancellor approach her first Budget and Spending Review? When should we expect Labour’s extensive list of reforms and new strategies to start making a difference to people’s lives? And what are the prospects of the Starmer government forging a new political and economic settlement in the country?

The Resolution Foundation is hosting an in-person and interactive webinar to debate and answer these questions. Bringing together a panel of Britain’s political scientists, commentators, policy experts and economists, we’ll discuss the outlook for a new Labour Government.

View the election briefings: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/major-programme/election-2024/ 

View the event slides: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/times-are-changing/ 

1999 saw the Scottish Parliament, the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Senedd all meet in their full form for the first time. This marked the most significant act of devolution of the 20th Century, and it has changed the United Kingdom significantly over the past quarter of a century. The process of devolution has continued to evolve, with the extent of the devolution of economic powers building over time. And those powers have been used, with different tax, spending, and social security choices made across the nations. As devolution hits its 25th birthday, now is the time to take stock of what has been done, and what has been learned.

How have devolved nations used policy levers differently, whether to raise revenue or address priorities like reducing child poverty? Have different growth strategies been pursued across the nations, and what are the different approaches to strategic economic policy making? Has devolution of economic powers gone too far or not far enough? And what lessons can policy makers in Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Westminster learn from devolution so far – and from each other – to improve economic decision making across the whole United Kingdom?

The Resolution Foundation is hosting a major conference, in partnership with PolicyWISE, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of devolution to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. We will hear from leading politicians, economists and policy makers on the lessons from devolution, including keynote speeches by the Former Deputy First Minister of Scotland, John Swinney, and the Former First Minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford.

1999 saw the Scottish Parliament, the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Senedd all meet in their full form for the first time. This marked the most significant act of devolution of the 20th Century, and it has changed the United Kingdom significantly over the past quarter of a century. The process of devolution has continued to evolve, with the extent of the devolution of economic powers building over time. And those powers have been used, with different tax, spending, and social security choices made across the nations. As devolution hits its 25th birthday, now is the time to take stock of what has been done, and what has been learned.

How have devolved nations used policy levers differently, whether to raise revenue or address priorities like reducing child poverty? Have different growth strategies been pursued across the nations, and what are the different approaches to strategic economic policy making? Has devolution of economic powers gone too far or not far enough? And what lessons can policy makers in Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Westminster learn from devolution so far – and from each other – to improve economic decision making across the whole United Kingdom?

The Resolution Foundation is hosting a major conference, in partnership with PolicyWISE, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of devolution to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. We will hear from leading politicians, economists and policy makers on the lessons from devolution, including keynote speeches by the Former Deputy First Minister of Scotland, John Swinney, and the Former First Minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford.

Speakers:

1999 saw the Scottish Parliament, the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Senedd all meet in their full form for the first time. This marked the most significant act of devolution of the 20th Century, and it has changed the United Kingdom significantly over the past quarter of a century. The process of devolution has continued to evolve, with the extent of the devolution of economic powers building over time. And those powers have been used, with different tax, spending, and social security choices made across the nations. As devolution hits its 25th birthday, now is the time to take stock of what has been done, and what has been learned.

How have devolved nations used policy levers differently, whether to raise revenue or address priorities like reducing child poverty? Have different growth strategies been pursued across the nations, and what are the different approaches to strategic economic policy making? Has devolution of economic powers gone too far or not far enough? And what lessons can policy makers in Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Westminster learn from devolution so far – and from each other – to improve economic decision making across the whole United Kingdom?

The Resolution Foundation is hosting a major conference, in partnership with PolicyWISE, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of devolution to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. We will hear from leading politicians, economists and policy makers on the lessons from devolution, including keynote speeches by the Former Deputy First Minister of Scotland, John Swinney, and the Former First Minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford.

Speakers:

1999 saw the Scottish Parliament, the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Senedd all meet in their full form for the first time. This marked the most significant act of devolution of the 20th Century, and it has changed the United Kingdom significantly over the past quarter of a century. The process of devolution has continued to evolve, with the extent of the devolution of economic powers building over time. And those powers have been used, with different tax, spending, and social security choices made across the nations. As devolution hits its 25th birthday, now is the time to take stock of what has been done, and what has been learned.

How have devolved nations used policy levers differently, whether to raise revenue or address priorities like reducing child poverty? Have different growth strategies been pursued across the nations, and what are the different approaches to strategic economic policy making? Has devolution of economic powers gone too far or not far enough? And what lessons can policy makers in Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Westminster learn from devolution so far – and from each other – to improve economic decision making across the whole United Kingdom?

The Resolution Foundation is hosting a major conference, in partnership with PolicyWISE, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of devolution to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. We will hear from leading politicians, economists and policy makers on the lessons from devolution, including keynote speeches by the Former Deputy First Minister of Scotland, John Swinney, and the Former First Minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford.

Over one-in-ten workers across Britain is employed on some form of precarious contract. The problems with such working arrangements for some workers are well known: they have limited control over their working patterns and insecure incomes too. But why firms use, or even come to rely on them, is rarely discussed and poorly understand. We need a far better understanding of both the causes of precarious employment and the consequences if work practices were to change.

What kinds of firms and sectors are most likely to employ staff on precarious contracts? Does that vary across different types of employment, from fixed term to zero hour contracts? Do firms choose this approach to better serve their customers, give workers the flexibility they want, or does it boil down to the bottom line? What would it take for firms to change their approach – and what would the consequences be?

The Resolution Foundation is hosting an in-person and interactive webinar to debate these questions, and share new evidence from a specially commissioned survey of firms. Following a presentation of this research, which marks the start of a major new project on precarious work, supported by Unbound Philanthropy, we will hear from leading experts from the world of business on firms’ use of insecure contracts.

Read the report here: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications/firm-foundations/ 

View the slides from the event here: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/precarious-profits/ 

The UK’s transition towards a net zero economy requires a complete overhaul of our power sector. We don’t just need electricity generation that has been decarbonised, but a huge amount more of it as we switch away from heating our homes with gas and powering our cars with petrol. This will require a huge step up in investment – we must raise wind turbines, build nuclear power stations and expand the national grid. And that investment will need to be paid for.

How big is the investment required to decarbonise our energy systems? What will it cost – and how will that cost vary depending on the choices we make and the interest rates markets charge? How big is the impact on household bills likely to be? And what will it take to ensure the costs and benefits are spread fairly across society?

The Resolution Foundation is hosting an in-person and interactive webinar to debate and answer these questions. Following a presentation of the key highlights from new research on how the power sector can be decarbonised in a fair and efficacious way, we will hear from leading experts on how they think the UK can rise to this challenge.

Read the report: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications/electric-dreams/ 

View the event slides: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/powering-britain/ 

Universal Credit, announced back in 2010 and introduced in 2013, will be fully rolled out by whoever wins the next election. The benefit has been on a rollercoaster over those years – with the IT underpinning it causing major teething problems, and later success in processing unprecedented numbers of claims during the pandemic. In the long years since Universal Credit was planned, both the system and Britain have changed a lot. So now is the time to step back and review the system the next government will inherit.

How has the eventual form Universal Credit has taken differed from the system of legacy benefits it replaced? Has Britain changed since 2010 and how has that affected Universal Credit – including which groups the benefit supports? Who wins and loses from the switch, and how has that been shaped by wider cuts to social security in recent years? And what comes next, for Universal Credit and Britain’s social security system more broadly?

The Resolution Foundation is hosting an in-person and interactive webinar to debate and answer these questions. Following a presentation of the key highlights from new research assessing the rollout of Universal Credit so far, we will hear from leading experts on what the future of social security in the UK might look like.

Read the report: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications/in-credit/ 

View the event slides: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/in-credit/ 

The combination of high house prices and stagnating incomes over recent decades, coupled with the decline of social housing, mean that millions more of us are private renters. And they are renting for longer too. Private rents have risen swiftly in the wake of the pandemic. What happens next matters hugely for millions of families, and yet the drivers of private rental costs are poorly understood with a range of explanations being proposed for the post-pandemic surge.

To what extent has landlords selling up driven the recent rise in rental prices? Or are other factors – such as earnings growth or higher interest rates – more significant? What should we expect the future to hold for rents? And what does this mean for renters, landlords, and policymakers?

The Resolution Foundation is hosting an in-person and interactive webinar to debate and answer these questions. Following a presentation of the key highlights from new research on what is driving recent trends in private sector rent levels, we will hear from leading experts on the short and longer-term outlook.

Read the report: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications/through-the-roof/ 

View the event slides: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/building-pressure/ 

The introduction of the minimum wage back in April 1999 was a controversial policy choice, with businesses warning that it would lead to widespread job losses. But 25 years on, it has proved to be a great policy success that has been built on by several governments. Raising the legal wage floor has significantly reduced low pay and inequality, without any substantial employment effects. With the minimum wage on track to reach its target of two-thirds of median hourly earnings this year, virtually eliminating hourly low pay in Britain, it’s time to reflect on the successes of this approach and aims for the future.

How has the UK labour market changed since the introduction of the minimum wage? Why has it been able to evolve into a far higher wage floor than originally intended? What’s next for the minimum wage – or should the priority for change now move elsewhere? And what lessons can be learnt from the way the minimum wage was introduced and the role the Low Pay Commission has played over the past quarter-century for designing policy in future?

The Resolution Foundation is hosting an in-person and interactive webinar to mark the 25th anniversary of the introduction of the minimum wage. Following a presentation on the impact of the minimum wage on the labour market, we will hear from leading experts on what’s next for the minimum wage and lessons for other policy areas.

Read the report: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications/labour-market-outlook-q2-2024/ 

View the event slides: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/setting-a-high-bar/ 

A toxic combination of 15 years of low growth, and four decades of high inequality, has left Britain poorer and falling behind its peers. Wages today are no higher than they were before the financial crisis, and England’s biggest cities beyond London all have productivity levels below the national average. Britain needs a new economic strategy to lift itself out of stagnation.

In many ways, Bristol reflects the challenges facing the country as a whole. It has long been a hub for high-value aerospace manufacturing and also has considerable strengths in services, including education, creative industries and green technology. But it also faces considerable challenges – from poor public transport to high housing costs – that limits growth and reduces living standards. Harnessing the city’s many strengths will be critical to meeting the economic challenges of the coming years, but Bristol won’t truly thrive unless all its citizens benefit from growth and investment.

The Budget on 6th March was the Government’s last chance to shape the economic agenda before the next election – and rise to the challenge of boosting prosperity.

What should a new national economic strategy for Britain include? How will economic change affect the jobs we do, the places we live and the businesses we work for? What are the prospects for cities like Bristol in rising to these daunting but reachable challenges? And has the Budget helped or hindered Britain’s economic prospects?

The Resolution Foundation is hosting this event in collaboration with Bristol Ideas and Business West to debate Britain’s future economic strategy, building on the analysis of The Economy 2030 Inquiry – a three-year collaboration between the Resolution Foundation and the LSE, funded by the Nuffield Foundation. We will be joined by leading experts from policy and business in the region to discuss how different areas of the UK – particularly in Bristol and the South West – can secure widely shared prosperity.

View the event slides here: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/boosting-prosperity-in-britain/ 

Since 2010, Britain’s labour market has gone through a period of boom and bust – with record jobs growth in the last decade followed by a struggle to return to pre-pandemic employment rates in the 2020s. And while the country has experienced an unprecedented pay depression, a rising minimum wage has driven down low pay to its lowest level in decades. Debates about that record, and different parties proposals for the future, are central to this general election.

How has Britain’s labour market changed since 2010? How well have we dealt with the big issues of the past? What will be the most immediate challenges facing whoever takes office after 4th July? And how do the different parties plans measure up against those challenges? Where are the big areas of conflict and consensus? And what does this mean for workers?

The Resolution Foundation is hosting an in-person and interactive webinar to debate and answer these questions. Following a presentation of the key highlights from its latest General Election 24 briefing on the state of the UK labour market, funded by the Nuffield Foundation, we will hear from leading experts on a range of key issues from the future of low pay to boosting the quantity and quality jobs.

Read the report: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications/job-done/ 

View the event slides: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/is-britain-working-2024/ 

Book launch for The Longevity Imperative by Professor Andrew J Scott

Britain, along with many other countries, is getting older and living longer. This demographic shift has huge health, economic and societal impacts, but too often the debate is limited to the fiscal costs of an ageing society, and pressures on the NHS. Instead we need to take a broader view of the changes this will bring, and the changes we can shape so that people live not just longer lives, but happier and healthier ones too.

What has happened to life expectancy, what is likely to happen and what constitutes the longevity imperative? What are the economic consequences of this in terms of the public finances, productivity and the labour market? What can we do to age better? And how might this change how we live our longer lives?

The Resolution Foundation is hosting an in-person and interactive webinar to mark the new launch of Andrew Scott’s new book The Longevity Imperative, and to debate and answer these questions.

View the event slides here: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/living-life-to-the-full/ 

The upcoming Spring Budget may be the last big fiscal event before the General Election, one of few chances for the government to set the terms of the economic debate. And with the government trailing heavily in the polls, and the economy entering a mild recession at the end of last year, the pressure is on to make it a game-changing Budget economically and electorally. But the Chancellor will also have to confront real trade-offs if he’s deliver a Budget that works for both the next six months, and the five years after that.

How big are the Chancellor’s tax cuts? Do they change the big picture of the government’s wider tax raising plans? What is the outlook for public services after the election? Where does the government plan to take the social security system, as it copes with rising numbers of us being sick or disabled? And will any of this make any difference to who forms the next government, and what they’re able to do?

The Resolution Foundation is hosting an in-person and interactive webinar to debate and answer these questions. Following a presentation of the key highlights from the Resolution Foundation’s overnight analysis of Spring Budget 2024, we’ll hear from leading experts on what the Budget means for the election, and the economy.

Read the overnight analysis: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications/back-for-more/ 

View the event slides: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/game-changer/ 

A toxic combination of 15 years of low growth, and four decades of high inequality, has left Britain poorer and falling behind its peers. Productivity growth is weak and public investment is low, while wages today are no higher than they were before the financial crisis. Britain needs a new economic strategy to lift itself out of stagnation.

Nottingham is in many ways a microcosm of this national challenge. It has become a hub for creative industries in the East Midlands, serving as the headquarters for major firms like Games Workshop, as well as global giants like Boots and e.on. The city’s many strengths – including the world-class university and services firms – must be harnessed to meet the economic challenges of the coming years. But it also has high levels of deprivation, and won’t be truly thriving unless it finds ways to ensure that all its inhabitants benefit from growth and investment.

What should a new national economic strategy for Britain include? How will economic change affect the jobs we do, the places we live and the businesses we work for? And what are the prospects for cities like Nottingham, regions like the East Midlands, and nations like Britain to be able to rise to these challenges?

The Resolution Foundation is hosting this event with the Institute for Policy and Engagement at the University of Nottingham to debate Britain’s future economic strategy, building on the analysis of The Economy 2030 Inquiry – a three-year collaboration between the Resolution Foundation and the LSE, funded by the Nuffield Foundation. We will be joined by leading experts from policy and business in the region to discuss how different areas of the UK – particularly Nottingham and the wider East Midlands region – can secure widely shared prosperity.

View the event slides: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/ending-stagnation-nottingham/ 

The rising prevalence of mental health problems among young people over recent decades is becoming increasingly concerning. While evidently distressing for the young people and their families, periods of poor mental health can also have significant detrimental impacts on their education and job prospects. Increasing support provided in schools and universities has gone some way to address this – but gaps remain, particularly in colleges and workplaces, while young people who want to return to education once their health has improved can often struggle.

How has the prevalence of mental health problems in young people changed in recent years? Which cohorts in particular are most likely to experience declines in mental health? How can periods of poor mental health affect young people’s education and labour market outcomes? And what support should policymakers put in place to help young people into good-quality jobs?

The Resolution Foundation – as part of the Young people’s future health inquiry, in partnership with The Health Foundation– is hosting an in-person and interactive webinar to debate and answer these questions. Following a presentation of the key highlights from the final report for this project, which draws on the experiences of young people shared in our focus groups, we will hear from leading experts.

Read the report: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications/weve-only-just-begun/ 

View the event slides: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/healthy-starts/ 

An election is coming, and therefore so are tax cuts in the Budget on 6th March. But the size of those tax cuts are dependent on the amount of fiscal room for manoeuvre the Chancellor has. And their shape will reflect where his political and economic priorities lie. Plus tax cuts come in a context of tax rises already announced, and spending cuts pencilled in for after the election.

Has the economic outlook changed over recent months? How much fiscal wriggle room might the Chancellor get from the Office for Budget for Responsibility? Should the priority be announcing tax cuts, or scrapping planned spending cuts? And will Budget ’24 make the slightest bit of difference to the election to come?

The Resolution Foundation is hosting an in-person and interactive webinar to debate and answer these questions. Following a presentation of the key highlights from the Foundation’s Budget preview, we will hear from leading experts on what’s likely to be in it and where that leaves the election, and the outlook for whoever has to govern after it.

Read the report: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications/the-election-budget/ 

View the event slides: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/tax-cuts-today-spending-cuts-tomorrow/ 

Britain is an open economy, and has become more open over recent decades – despite the impact of Brexit and ‘slowbalisation’. But the quantity and type of goods and services we trade isn’t the only thing that has shifted. So has what we consume and where we work. All of these shifts affect our exposure to trade, from its day to day flows to occasional sudden shocks. Yet we pay next to no attention to these issues, which are critical to our living standards.

How has globalisation changed the country’s exposure to the gains, and risks, from trade? Who is most affected, and how much does it matter for their living standards? How does trade affect us as consumers, and as workers? And what might the impact of future trade shocks be?

The Resolution Foundation is hosting an in-person and interactive webinar to debate and answer these questions. Following a presentation of the key highlights from new research on how changing trade patterns have affected our living standards, we will hear from leading experts on what this means for workers, firms and policy makers.

Read the report: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications/decent-exposure/ 

View the event slides: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/trading-standards/ 

British households aren’t saving enough. Pensions auto-enrolment has got far more of us saving for retirement, but too many of us are not on track for a comfortable old age. More immediately, too few of us have access to rainy-day pots to help us through an unexpected shock. Traditional approaches to encourage people to build up this kind of savings, focused on tax incentives, haven’t worked. And there are tensions not only between saving more for retirement or to boost financial resilience today, but also with consumption that has been squeezed badly during the cost of living crisis.

How do we manage the trade-offs between saving and consumption? Can we save more for our pensions, without leaving people with even less rainy day savings? And what lessons can we learn from approaches that have worked and led to Brits saving more?

The Resolution Foundation – in partnership with the abrdn Financial Fairness Trust – hosted an in-person and interactive webinar to debate and answer these questions. Following a presentation that outlines the Foundation’s recommendations for building a cohesive savings system, we heard from leading experts on the issue of savings and financial resilience in the UK.

Read the report: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications/precautionary-tales/ 

View the event slides: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/saving-for-today-and-tomorrow/ 

In recent decades age has replaced class as one of the key determinants of a voter’s values and voting behaviour. But these trends never sit still, especially as issues – from Europe to the environment, and the economy – rise and fall in terms of their electoral salience. We know that the next election will be very different to the last election. But the issue terrain on which the election will be fought, and what that means for different types of voters, is still up for grabs.

What issues are most salient for different age cohorts, and how might it have changed since the last election? To what extent do other voter characteristics like income, education status and housing tenure play a role, both in how people vote, and whether they vote at all? And what might be the generational battle lines in the coming General Election?

The Resolution Foundation hosted an in-person and interactive webinar to debate and answer these questions. Following a presentation of the key highlights from new research on intergenerational voting intentions, we heard from leading experts on how these issues might play out during the election year.

Read the report: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications/poll-position/ 

View the event slides: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/new-age-or-age-old-appeal/ 

The worst of the cost of living crisis appears to be behind us, with inflation more than halving since its peak. But 2024 may not be plain sailing economically, and it certainly won’t be politically with an election in store. While wages are at last growing faster than prices, economic growth has flatlined while taxes, and housing costs, are rising. Meanwhile, the outlook for the public finances is unstable, as politicians try to tempt voters with tax and spending commitments in the run up to the election. With the economy set to be the key election battleground for the first time since 2015, how households feel about their financial prospects, and that of the country as a whole, will matter hugely.

How is the cost-of-living crisis likely to evolve in 2024? What economic challenges and opportunities – for households, businesses and the country – can we expect in the year ahead? What role will the economy play in the coming general election – and what aspects of it will different parties want to focus on?

The Resolution Foundation is hosting an in-person and online event to debate and answer these questions. We will hear from a leading panel of experts on what will shape British politics and economics in the year ahead, before an interactive audience Q&A.

Read the report: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications/from-merry-christmas-to-a-messy-new-year/ 

View the event slides: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/turning-a-corner/ 

Inflation is down, but Britain’s cost-of-living crisis is still very much with us. The legacy of previous price rises for energy and food are now combining with a new pressure: housing. Private rents are rising at their fastest rate in over a decade, while the impact of higher interest rates is still feeding through into mortgages. But there is a glimmer of hope in pay packets, which are growing again in real terms after another painful squeeze.

How are the twin trends of rising housing costs and rebounding pay being felt? How much variation do these averages hide – and is it the same people seeing their rents surge and pay rise? Are renters or those with a mortgage being harder hit? And what does this all mean for the next stage of the cost-of-living crisis?

The Resolution Foundation is hosting an in-person and interactive webinar to debate and answer these questions. Following a presentation of the key highlights from our latest cost-of-living survey, we will hear from leading experts on how Britain’s latest living standards crunch is evolving.

Read the report: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications/pressure-on-pay-prices-and-properties/ 

View the event slides: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/rising-rents-and-rebounding-wages/ 

Health-related benefit spending is rising – particularly among children and younger adults – and this increase is forecast to accelerate in the years ahead. With record numbers of people claiming disability benefits, incapacity benefits or both, there are serious questions to answer about what lies behind this trend and its impact on the health of those affected, the public finances and the wider economy. Worryingly, too often the understanding of this change is poor, posing a major challenge for whoever governs after the election.

What is driving the rise in health-related benefit spending? Is it the inevitable consequence of an ageing society, a sign that we are a sicker Britain than we used to be or have changes to the benefit system over the last 14 years played a role? How big an issue could this be over the next parliament, and how are the main political parties planning to address it?

The Resolution Foundation is hosting an in-person and interactive webinar to debate and answer these questions. Following a presentation of the key highlights from its latest General Election 24 briefing on health-related benefits, funded by the Nuffield Foundation, we will hear from leading experts on what’s driving the rise in claims and spending, previous efforts to tackle the issues, and what might lie ahead.

Read the report: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications/under-strain/ 

View the event slides: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/the-cost-of-poor-health/ 

The goal of a new economic strategy is not a somewhat richer, somewhat fairer, version of the UK’s stagnant status quo, but a more enduring shift in direction; economic change will have to be embraced and steered. And yet despite popular claims that change is speeding up, it is slowing down; the reallocation of labour between sectors is at its lowest level in over 90 years.

Panel discussion on 'Steering economic change' at the final report conference for The Economy 2030 Inquiry.

Speakers:

• Gregory Thwaites, Research Director at the Resolution Foundation
• Martin Wolf, Chief Economics Commentator at the Financial Times
• Professor David Edgerton, Professor of History at King’s College London
• Stephanie Flanders, Head of Bloomberg Economics
• Lord David Willetts, President of the Resolution Foundation (Chair)

Read the report: https://economy2030.resolutionfoundation.org/reports/ending-stagnation/ 

View the event slides: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/ending-stagnation/ 

Leader of the Opposition, Keir Starmer MP, in conversation with Zanny Minton Beddoes, Editor-in-Chief of The Economist, at the final report conference for The Economy 2030 Inquiry.

The UK has great strengths, but is a decade and a half into a period of stagnation. The combination of slow growth and high inequality is proving toxic for low- and middle-income Britain. The result is a country falling behind its peers, where taxes, rather than wages, are rising, and living standards were under strain long before the cost of living crisis struck. The task facing the UK is to embark on a new path.

A new economic strategy for Britain must leverage rather than downplay its strengths, confront rather than ignore its weaknesses, face-up to rather than wish-away trade-offs, and align rather than silo agendas stretching from industrial policy to tax reform and the net zero transition.

Over the past three years, the Resolution Foundation has been collaborating with the Centre for Economic Performance at the LSE on The Economy 2030 Inquiry, funded by the Nuffield Foundation, to investigate, understand and confront these economic challenges. The project culminated in a major new book and conference – Ending Stagnation – where we set out and discussed Britain’s path to a fairer and more prosperous future.

Read the report: https://economy2030.resolutionfoundation.org/reports/ending-stagnation/  

For poorer and middle-income families today, it is not just low growth but also the skewed way in which it is shared, that produces stagnation. Indeed, low growth and high inequality means typical households in Britain are 9 per cent poorer than their French counterparts, while our low-income families are 27 per cent poorer.

Panel discussion on 'Getting inequality down' at the final report conference of The Economy 2030 Inquiry.

Speakers:

• Lindsay Judge, Research Director at the Resolution Foundation
• Mark Drakeford, First Minister of Wales
• Christina McAnea, General Secretary of UNISON
• Andy Haldane, Chief Executive of the Royal Society of Arts
• Gavin Kelly, Chair of the Resolution Foundation (Chair)

Read the report: https://economy2030.resolutionfoundation.org/reports/ending-stagnation/ 

View the event slides: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/ending-stagnation/ 

The UK has many strengths, from world-class universities and creative industries to high employment. But having grown more quickly than most advanced economies from the 1990s to the mid-2000s, the UK has been in relative decline ever since: the average productivity gap with France, Germany and the US doubled, to 18 per cent, between 2008 and 2022.

Panel discussion on 'Getting growth up' at the final report conference of The Economy 2030 Inquiry.

Speakers:

• Emily Fry, Economist at the Resolution Foundation
• Dr Swati Dhingra, Associate Professor of Economics at CEP LSE
• Tom Riordan, Chief Executive of Leeds City Council
• Dame Sharon White, Chair of the John Lewis Partnership
• Professor Diane Coyle, Director of the Bennett Institute for Public Policy at Cambridge University
• Dr Anna Valero, Distinguished Policy Fellow at CEP LSE (Chair)

Read the report: https://economy2030.resolutionfoundation.org/reports/ending-stagnation/ 

View the event slides: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/ending-stagnation/ 

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt MP, in conversation with Zanny Minton Beddoes, Editor-in-Chief of The Economist, at the final report conference for The Economy 2030 Inquiry.

The UK has great strengths, but is a decade and a half into a period of stagnation. The combination of slow growth and high inequality is proving toxic for low- and middle-income Britain. The result is a country falling behind its peers, where taxes, rather than wages, are rising, and living standards were under strain long before the cost of living crisis struck. The task facing the UK is to embark on a new path.

A new economic strategy for Britain must leverage rather than downplay its strengths, confront rather than ignore its weaknesses, face-up to rather than wish-away trade-offs, and align rather than silo agendas stretching from industrial policy to tax reform and the net zero transition.

Over the past three years, the Resolution Foundation has been collaborating with the Centre for Economic Performance at the LSE on The Economy 2030 Inquiry, funded by the Nuffield Foundation, to investigate, understand and confront these economic challenges. The project culminated in a major new book and conference – Ending Stagnation – where we set out and discussed Britain’s path to a fairer and more prosperous future.

Read the report: https://economy2030.resolutionfoundation.org/reports/ending-stagnation/ 

Presentation by Resolution Foundation Chief Executive, Torsten Bell, at the final report conference for The Economy 2030 Inquiry.

The UK has great strengths, but is a decade and a half into a period of stagnation. The combination of slow growth and high inequality is proving toxic for low- and middle-income Britain. The result is a country falling behind its peers, where taxes, rather than wages, are rising, and living standards were under strain long before the cost of living crisis struck. The task facing the UK is to embark on a new path.

A new economic strategy for Britain must leverage rather than downplay its strengths, confront rather than ignore its weaknesses, face-up to rather than wish-away trade-offs, and align rather than silo agendas stretching from industrial policy to tax reform and the net zero transition.

Over the past three years, the Resolution Foundation has been collaborating with the Centre for Economic Performance at the LSE on The Economy 2030 Inquiry, funded by the Nuffield Foundation, to investigate, understand and confront these economic challenges. The project culminated in a major new book and conference – Ending Stagnation – where we set out and discussed Britain’s path to a fairer and more prosperous future.

Read the report: https://economy2030.resolutionfoundation.org/reports/ending-stagnation/ 

View the event slides: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/ending-stagnation/ 

This panel discussed the role of social innovation and investment in bringing about good work in the UK, and the role of foundations and action-oriented researchers to turn this agenda into reality.

Chair – Gavin Kelly, Chair of the Resolution Foundation Danyal Sattar, CEO of Big Issue Invest Anna Thomas, Director of the Institute for the Future of Work Paul Kissack, CEO of Joseph Rowntree Foundation

Watch the whole conference: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/workertech-conference/ 

This panel discussed the current status of the labour market enforcement landscape, how technology can be used to enhance worker power for low-paid or precarious workers, and how unions can make the most of technology opportunities.

Chair – Klara Skrivankova, Director of Programmes at Trust for London Hannah Slaughter, Senior Economist at Resolution Foundation Kate Dearden, Head of Research, Policy and External Relations at Community Union Jeegar Kakkad, Director at Tony Blair Institute for Global Change Emma Back, Co-founder at Equal Care Coop

Watch the whole conference: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/workertech-conference/ 

This panel discussed the current landscape for training and skills, how tech can be used to ensure workers in low-paying jobs can access upskilling and reskilling, and the biggest barriers to workers using tech for training.

Chair – Danielle Walker-Palmour, Director of Friends Provident Foundation Helen Gironi, Director of Ventures at Ufi Ventures Claudine Adeyemi, CEO and co-founder of Earlybird Louise Murphy, Economist at Resolution Foundation

Watch the whole conference: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/workertech-conference/ 

This panel focused on the opportunities and threats of using tech in the world of low-paid work, in particular for working conditions and training, and the role that social and impact investors can play in supporting WorkerTech.

Chair – Sarah O’Connor, Columnist at the Financial Times Sherry Coutu, Chair of WorkFinder Stephen Muers, CEO of Big Society Capital Anna Maybank, CEO and co-founder of Breakroom Andrew Pakes, Deputy General Secretary at Prospect Union

Watch the whole conference: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/workertech-conference/ 

Britain’s welfare system has undergone a major overhaul over the past decade, with major reforms as well as major cuts. In more recent years it’s faced unprecedented pressures, from the Covid-19 pandemic to the cost-of-living crisis. The social security system is at the heart of many general election debates, and this one looks set to be no exception.

How has our social security system changed since 2010? Who has gained or lost out from these changes? What are the main challenges facing Britain’s welfare today and in the years ahead – from an ageing population, to high levels of child poverty? And what are the main parties’ plans for the future of our welfare state?

The Resolution Foundation is hosting an in-person and interactive webinar to debate and answer these questions. Following a presentation of the key highlights from its latest General Election 24 briefing on the UK’s changing welfare state, funded by the Nuffield Foundation, we will hear from leading experts on where these reforms have left our social security safety net, and why that matters for families, the public finances and the wider economy.

Read the report: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications/ratchets-retrenchment-and-reform/ 

View the event slides: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/the-state-of-welfare/ 

The economy is set to be a defining feature of the run in to next General Election. Inflation is falling, but so too is consumer confidence. Tax revenues are going up, but NHS waiting lists aren’t coming down. In the Autumn Statement the Chancellor will be navigating these short-term challenges, but also addressing longer-term questions about Britain’s weak growth and strained public finances.

What is the latest outlook for the UK economy ahead of the General Election next year? To what extent did the Chancellor balance pressure on the public finances with political pressure to please voters? How might the Chancellor’s decisions improve economic growth or boost living standards? And what does the likely penultimate fiscal event before the UK goes to the polls tell us about the economic battleground that the next General Election will be fought over?

The morning after the Autumn Statement, the Resolution Foundation is hosting an event to discuss these issues and more. Following a presentation from Foundation staff of their overnight analysis of the Autumn Statement, we will hear from experts including the chairs of both the Treasury Select Committee and the Office for Budget Responsibility.

Read the report: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications/a-pre-election-statement/ 

View the event slides: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/autumn-statement-watch/ 

Low productivity is the foundational cause of Britain’s recent economic malaise, and raising it is a top priority for policy makers. Public and private investment in research and development is a key route to boosting productivity and future economic growth. But businesses often complain that policy makers are failing to create an environment that encourages private investment.

After the ONS revision how much are we now spending on R&D? How does our recent performance compare with other advanced economies? What barriers do we need to overcome to boost R&D spending? And how can it align it with a new economic strategy for the UK focused on boosting growth?

The Resolution Foundation and the Foundation for Science and Technology are co-hosting an in-person and interactive webinar to debate and answer these questions, as part of the Nuffield Foundation-funded Economy 2030 Inquiry. We will hear from leading experts on how R&D currently fits in the UK’s economic plans, and where it might fit into a future economic strategy.

View the event slides: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/inventing-a-better-britain/ 

Advanced economies across the globe have experienced a series of unprecedented economic shocks since the start of the century. But they have not affected all generations equally. The disproportionate impact on the financial wellbeing of younger people has sparked concerns about generational fairness on both sides of the Atlantic. Fifteen years on from the global financial crisis, its impact is still being felt by the young, and the not-so-young-anymore, across Europe and America.

How have the living standards of millennials, boomers and Gen Xers fared on either side of the Atlantic? Have British generations been permanently scarred, or are they bouncing back? How have different cohorts coped with soaring housing costs, inflated asset prices, and wages that have barely budged in 15 years? And how can today’s working population expect to be supported in retirement, as the state struggles to reconfigure itself around an ageing population?

The Resolution Foundation is hosting an in-person and interactive webinar to debate and answer these questions. Following a presentation of the key highlights from its annual Intergenerational Audit, covering pay, jobs, incomes, housing, welfare and wealth, we will hear from leading experts on what these findings tell us.

Read the report: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications/an-intergenerational-audit-for-the-uk-2023/ 

View the event slides: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/perma-crisis-people/ 

Devolution is essential to both tackle economic inequality across England and drive national economic growth. Significant change has already occurred, with metro mayors and combined authorities taking control over significant areas from transport to housing in areas covering large swathes of the country. But we have not seen fiscal devolution, as responsibility for how money is spent has not been coupled with significant powers over how, and how much, money is raised.

What should the next phase of devolution be? How should it connect to wider question of the UK’s economic strategy? Is there real appetite for genuine fiscal devolution? And are we ready for the major political and economic trade-offs that would bring?

The Resolution Foundation is hosting an in-person and interactive webinar – as part of The Economy 2030 Inquiry, funded by the Nuffield Foundation – to debate and answer these questions. Following a presentation of the key highlights from new Inquiry-commissioned research by Centre for Cities, we will hear from leading experts on the what the future of devolution should look like.

Read the policy provocation: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications/in-place-of-centralisation/ 

Watch the event: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/in-place-of-centralisation/ 

The Chancellor has two just two more fiscal events in which to prepare the economic pitch for the upcoming General Election. The backdrop is a challenging and uncertain economic environment, alongside huge pressure on both public services and finances. With the Prime Minister making a virtue of the need to take tough decisions, the Chancellor will trying to both prepare his party for the coming election and the country, struggling with sluggish growth, for the decades ahead.

What is the outlook for the UK economy as inflation falls but interest rates remain high? Will the Office for Budget Responsibility’s latest economic forecasts ease or tighten the pressure on the public finances? What decisions will the Chancellor take on tax and benefits, public and private investment and wider economic reform – and are those decisions the right ones? And what will the Autumn Statement tell us about the government’s economic pitch in the General Election?

The Resolution Foundation is hosting an in-person and interactive webinar to debate and answer these questions. Following a presentation of highlights from its pre-Autumn Statement report, we will hear from leading experts on what the Autumn Statement means for British economics and politics.

Read the report: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications/preparing-the-pitch/ 

View the event slides: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/preparing-the-pitch/ 

Britain faces a simply huge infrastructure challenge. As well as decarbonising our homes, we need to modernise our water, energy and transport networks, replacing basic infrastructure that often dates back to the Victorian era. Achieving this is likely to require major investment, regulatory reform and new institutions to drive forward change, as well as a strong will to stay the course. And Britain’s recent record is somewhat chequered…

How big is our Britain’s infrastructure challenge? How can public institutions support private sector investment? How important are new regulations, regulators and wider institutions in rebuilding Britain? And what barriers are we going to need to overcome?

The Resolution Foundation is hosting an in-person and interactive webinar – as part of The Economy 2030 Inquiry, in partnership with the Centre for Economic Performance at the LSE, and funded by the Nuffield Foundation – to debate and answer these questions. Following a presentation of the key highlights from new Inquiry-commissioned research by Mary Starks on how to regulate for the rebuilding of Britain’s infrastructure, we will hear from leading experts on this huge political and economic challenge.

Read the policy paper here: https://economy2030.resolutionfoundation.org/reports/watts-the-plan/ 

Watch the event: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/creaking-at-the-seams/ 

Britain urgently needs to boost its economic growth. But while there are many routes to doing so, most ultimately come down to people boosting national prosperity – and to do this they need the right skills for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. But Britain’s record on skills is chequered – its often world leading universities are politically unfashionable, routes into good work for non-graduates are limited, and too many employers have foregone their role in skilling our workforce.

How can we ensure growing sectors of the economy have enough tertiary-educated workers? How can we improve outcomes for those who don’t go to university? Can we ever make apprenticeships work at scale? And how can we ensure that Britain’s skills policy is driving better pay, progression and GDP growth?

The Resolution Foundation is hosting an in-person and interactive webinar – as part of The Economy 2030 Inquiry, in partnership with the Centre for Economic Performance at the LSE, and funded by the Nuffield Foundation – to debate and answer these questions. Following a presentation of the key highlights from new research on the roles of graduate and non-graduate routes in equipping young people with the skills needed to boost individual and national prosperity, we will hear from leading experts on how Britain can align its skills policy with its economic strategy.

Read the reports: https://economy2030.resolutionfoundation.org/reports/ 

View the event slides: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/people-powered-growth/ 

Britain’s macroeconomic policy that the Treasury and Bank of England have got used to is crisis management – from a financial crash to a global pandemic and a huge inflation spike. Both have adopted new approaches to supporting the economy, going far beyond textbook cuts to interest rates. Today the legacy is higher levels of debt, amid huge uncertainties about the future path of interest rates. But Britain’s macroeconomic policy framework – from the Chancellor’s fiscal rules to the Bank’s inflation target – remain largely unchanged this century.

Do today’s higher interest rates mean monetary policy makers have more scope to support the economy in a downturn? Or if a world of ultra-low interest rates returns, what does it mean for monetary policy effectiveness and inflation targeting? Can the Treasury repeat the likes of furlough or caps on energy prices when the next crisis hits? And would it take to meet both main parties’ commitment to see debt falling as a share of GDP – to fix the fiscal roof when the economic sun eventually gets round to shining once again?

The Resolution Foundation is hosting an in-person and interactive webinar – as part of The Economy 2030 Inquiry, in partnership with the Centre for Economic Performance at the LSE, and funded by the Nuffield Foundation – to debate and answer these questions. Following a presentation of the key highlights from new research on the big fiscal and monetary policy challenges facing Britain in the decade ahead, we will hear from leading experts on how to confront them.

Read the report: https://economy2030.resolutionfoundation.org/reports/built-to-last/ 

View the event slides: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/riding-the-economic-rollercoaster/ 

The last few years have not been easy times for any advanced economies. The UK, US, and Eurozone have all buffeted by major economic shocks, most recently by the most significant inflation surge in four decades. But while there are many common themes – huge inflation pressures, rising interest rates, tight labour markets and weak GDP growth – the drivers and evolution of these trends vary from country to country. The UK currently has higher inflation than seen across the Atlantic, and some expect it to see interest rates remain higher for longer too.

Why has inflation risen and fallen at different scales and speeds in different countries – and on different sides of the Atlantic? What does that tell us about who is most, and least, likely to experience a ‘soft landing’ from recent interest rate hikes? And what might this mean for elections expected in the US and UK next autumn?

The Resolution Foundation is hosting an in-person and interactive webinar – in partnership with leading US think-thank The Brookings Institution – to debate and answer these questions. We will hear from former Vice Chair of the Federal Reserve Board Donald Kohn on inflation in the US, and from other economists on the differences and similarities between the recent economic shocks felt in the UK, the US and other advanced economies, and what this might mean for their economic outlooks.

View the event slides: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/worlds-apart/ 

Advanced economies across the world have been buffeted by acute shocks crises like the Covid-19 pandemic and war in Ukraine, at the same time as they are grappling with longer-term challenges like deindustrialisation, the rise of AI and globalisation. Labour markets across a range of countries have experienced persistent wage stagnation, the rise of insecure work, and growing calls for ‘good jobs’.

These shocks and challenges may be shared in nature but nations are developing different policy responses. Good jobs is a key pillar of Biden’s economic strategy, underpinned by the Inflation Reduction Act. But the UK lacks a good jobs strategy of its own, or indeed a wider economic strategy to tackle its twin challenges of low growth and high inequality.

What would a good jobs strategy in Britain look like? How would it stretch across trade, labour market, net zero, tax and benefit, and industrial policy? And what can we learn from current debates in the US about how to build a Good Jobs economy?

These are key questions for The Economy 2030 Inquiry, and that one of the world’s leading economists – Professor Dani Rodrik – will answer in a major lecture this autumn, hosted by the Resolution Foundation. Dani will set out his approach for a ‘good jobs’ strategy, including where it has applied successfully in the US.

View the event slides here: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/creating-a-good-jobs-economy/ 

A toxic combination of 15 years of low growth, and four decades of high inequality, has left Britain poorer and falling behind its peers. Productivity growth is weak and public investment is low, while wages today are no higher than they were before the financial crisis. Britain needs a new economic strategy to lift itself out of stagnation.

Scotland is in many ways a microcosm of this challenge. It has become a hub for creative industries, is home to several world-class universities and a thriving community of businesses – strengths that need to be harness and leveraged. But it also has high levels of deprivation, with homelessness reaching a record high and nearly half a million people living in very deep poverty last year. Scotland won’t be truly thriving unless it finds ways to ensure that all its inhabitants benefit from growth and investment. This is the central challenge facing policy makers both in Holyrood and Westminster.

What should a new national economic strategy for Scotland include? What would the pursuit of stronger economic growth mean for local, national and UK-wide policy makers? How will economic change affect the jobs we do, the places we live and the businesses we work for? And what are the prospects for cities like Glasgow, and nations like Scotland, in rising to these challenges?

Read Ending Stagnation here: https://economy2030.resolutionfoundation.org/reports/ending-stagnation/

View the event slides here: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/ending-stagnation-glasgow/

Change is accelerating, or so we are told. But while the world is changing, it’s far less clear that Britain’s economy is. In fact we’re seeing less industrial change, as some sectors grow and others shrink, than has been the case for decades. Fewer workers are moving jobs. This matters because, while many of us are ambivalent about change, such economic dynamism has historically been a big driver of productivity – and pay – growth.

What has happened to the pace of economic change – for workers, firms and the economy as a whole? How much does this matter? Can policy makers help to foster a more dynamic economy? And what should be done to deal with the disruption that a more dynamic economy could bring?

The Resolution Foundation is hosting an in-person and interactive webinar – as part of The Economy 2030 Inquiry, funded by the Nuffield Foundation – to debate and answer these questions. Following a presentation of the key highlights from new research on how to encourage more dynamism, we will hear from leading experts on the gains, challenges and trade-offs that more economic change will bring.

Read the report: https://economy2030.resolutionfoundation.org/reports/ready-for-change/ 

View the event slides: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/more-change-please/ 

Losing your job in Britain can be a very expensive business. Low and flat rate benefits leave many workers facing huge income falls if they face a period out of work. This gives them a strong incentive to take a new job quickly – but not necessarily the best fit for their talents. And it discourages people from taking the risk of moving to a new job if they don’t know how it will work out. This is a problem for the worker, given moving jobs is a key way to secure a pay rise, and for all of us, holding back productivity growth that a more dynamic labour market supports.

How big is the problem of low job mobility in Britain, and how does it stunt pay and productivity growth? To what extent does the benefit system help or hinder workers’ ability and willingness to move jobs, and how well does it protect workers’ living standards when they experience unemployment? What would an effective earnings insurance system actually look like? And how much might it cost?

The Resolution Foundation is hosting an in-person and interactive webinar – as part of The Economy 2030 Inquiry, funded by the Nuffield Foundation – to debate and answer these questions. Following a presentation of the key report highlights from a new report on how a new earnings insurance system might work, we will hear from leading experts on how that system might impact UK dynamism.

Read the report: https://economy2030.resolutionfoundation.org/reports/from-safety-net-to-springboard/ 

View the event slides: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/risk-reduction/ 

Greater Manchester has long been centre-stage in visions of a more geographically equal country – from the Northern Powerhouse to levelling up. But the rhetoric has outpaced the reality: productivity and wages across the city region remain 10 and 4 per cent below the national average.

What it would take for Greater Manchester to become a much richer city – and who would benefit from such a transformation – is a central theme of the Economy 2030 Inquiry, a major project by the Resolution Foundation and LSE into what a new economic strategy for the UK might look like. Britain as a whole, not just the city itself, need a more successful Greater Manchester. But that will require significant change – on everything from housing and transport to how land is used and the jobs people do.

What would a more productive Greater Manchester look like? Is there a plausible strategy for the city to reach that point – and how does it differ from what is currently in train? What difference will recent public transport improvements make? Should housing continue to be prioritised in city centre land use decisions? And how should we expect success to impact different kinds of residents?

To debate these questions and launch the conclusions of this major Economy 2030 project on Greater Manchester, the Resolution Foundation is hosting an in-person and interactive webinar. Following a presentation of the report’s highlights, alongside the findings from a deliberative workshop with local residents, we will hear from leading experts on how to deliver greater prosperity for Greater Manchester.

The event will be open for people to physically attend, alongside being broadcast via YouTube and the Resolution Foundation website. Viewers will be able to submit questions to the panel before and during the event via Slido. This project is being run in collaboration with Centre for Cities.

Read the report: https://economy2030.resolutionfoundation.org/reports/a-tale-of-two-cities-part-2/ 

View the event slides: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/making-greater-manchester-great-again/ 

The West Midlands has played a pivotal role in British history as a manufacturing hub, driving innovation and economic growth which led to dramatic improvements in people’s living standards. But its city region has struggled to maintain this role over recent decades, and productivity is now 11 per cent below the national average. Both Britain as a whole, and the region itself, need a more successful Birmingham, and successful cities and towns across the wider region. But that will require significant change – on everything from transport and jobs, to how many people live there and where they live.

What would a more productive West Midlands look like? Is there a plausible strategy for the region – and Birmingham in particular – to reach that point, and how does it differ from the current policy approach? What difference could the planned expansion of public transport make? Should housing continue to be prioritised in city centre land use decisions? And how should we expect success – and change – to impact different kinds of residents?

The Resolution Foundation is hosting an in-person and interactive webinar – as part of The Economy 2030 Inquiry, funded by the Nuffield Foundation – to debate and answer these questions. Following a presentation of the key report highlights from a new report, alongside the findings from a deliberative workshop with local residents, we will hear from leading experts on how to deliver greater – and shared – prosperity for the West Midlands.

Read the report: https://economy2030.resolutionfoundation.org/reports/a-tale-of-two-cities-part-1/ 

View the event slides: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/building-momentum-in-birmingham-and-beyond/