It's been two months since the government first announced its plans to enact the largest welfare reforms for a generation, aiming 'to help sick and disabled people who can and have the potential to work into jobs’. Since then, there has been considerable debate about the consequences of these reforms.

But why does the government want to implement reforms in the first place? How does the current system work? And what could the impact be for those receiving these benefits?

In this episode, Helen is joined by Tom Waters, Associate Director at IFS, and David Finch, Assistant Director at the Health Foundation, to unpack the government’s proposals and explore what they mean for the future of health-related benefits.

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This week, we’re looking at corporation tax, which was introduced 60 years ago. Across the decades there have been no shortage of predictions that corporate tax revenues will decline, and yet the tax is forecast to raise record amounts in the coming years. 

To pick all of this apart, and to see how Donald Trump and tariffs play into the story, IFS Director Paul Johnson is joined by Amanda Tickel, Head of Tax & Trade Policy for Deloitte UK and Helen Miller, who is Deputy Director at The IFS and leads on our tax work. 

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This week, we look at the Spring Statement. What were the decisions and trade-offs made by Chancellor Reeves? To pick this apart, IFS Director Paul Johnson is joined by IFS Associate Directors Ben Zaranko and Tom Waters.

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This week, we’re looking at The Schools Bill. The bill, which has the full title of The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill 2024-25, covers children’s social care and education.  

The aim of the bill, as stated on the House of Commons Library website, is to “improve the safeguarding of children and to raise educational standards”. We’re going to be focusing on the schools components.  

To look at this, IFS Director Paul Johnson is joined by Laura McInerney and Luke Sibieta.  

Laura was the founding editor of Schools Week and now co-runs Teacher Tapp, a regular online survey of teachers. Luke is a Research Fellow at The IFS specialising in Education. 

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As baby boomers hold an increasing share of wealth, younger generations are finding it harder to build financial security, often relying on family support for major milestones like homeownership.

In her book Inheritocracy, Eliza Filby argues that – because of this – baby boomers have been good parents but not always great citizens.

To explore the issue, IFS Director Paul Johnson is joined by Eliza and David Sturrock, a Senior Research Economist at the IFS.

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As the OBR comes up with its forecast, which will underpin the Chancellor’s decisions at the Spring Forecast, one of the concerns may be that it tells her that she is not meeting her fiscal targets. That will require some action. 

Helping Paul explore this are Andy King and Gerard Lyons. Andy previously worked at the OBR and is now a Specialist Partner at Flint Global. Gerard has spent over thirty years in senior roles in the City and in public policy. He is currently Chief Economic Strategist at Netwealth. 

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This week, President Trump was inaugurated for his second term and announced plans to impose significant tariffs on imports. But what exactly are tariffs, and how do they work?

In this episode, we dive into the economic consequences of tariffs, why governments use them, and whether they actually achieve their intended goals.

Joining Paul to unpack these questions is Peter Levell, Deputy Research Director at the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) and an expert on trade economics.

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The UK’s housing market has long been a source of frustration for renters and homeowners alike, with issues of affordability and availability topping the agenda. The new government has identified housing market failures as a major barrier to economic growth—but what role does the tax system play in these challenges?

In this episode, we’ll dig into how taxes impact the housing market, from the cost of buying and renting to the incentives—or disincentives—they create for landlords, developers, and homeowners. We’ll explore everything from capital gains tax to stamp duty surcharges and council tax policies. Are these tax measures helping or hindering progress? And if reform is needed, where should policymakers begin?

To help answer those questions, Paul is joined by Stuart Adam, Senior Economist at IFS and Tim Leunig, economist at the London School of Economics and former Economic Advisor to Sajid Javid and Rishi Sunak.

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Today, we’re turning our attention to France, where a recent Budget has sparked intense debate and raised major questions about the country’s economic future.

France is tackling some big economic challenges: rising public debt, slow growth, and the need for major reforms in areas like pensions and energy. In this episode, we’ll explore what was in the budget, why it caused such a stir, and how it compares to the recent UK budget.

To help us make sense of it all, we're thrilled to welcome Dr. Antoine Bozio, Director of the Institut des Politiques Publiques in Paris.

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From healthcare to education to local government, the public sector delivers essential services—but how can it stay effective and efficient with tightening budgets and rising demand?

In this episode, we examine the UK government’s push to improve public sector productivity. Rachel Reeves is enlisting private sector leaders to tackle inefficiencies in Whitehall, while Wes Streeting has proposed NHS reforms to boost output. Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, President-elect Trump has stirred debate by appointing Elon Musk to a new ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ to slash costs.

Are public services keeping pace with private sector innovations? What’s driving productivity trends in the UK? And how can policies create better outcomes for everyone?

We’re joined by Ben Zaranko, Associate Director at IFS, and Sam Freedman, a senior fellow at the Institute for Government and former senior policy adviser to Michael Gove, to unpack these questions and more.

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