Kate Ogden is the go-to person to unpick the complicated, contrasting and controversial proposals circulating around student loans.
Essential reading from @theifs.bsky.social for anyone who wants to understand the - very different! - directions of travel being proposed.
ifs.org.uk/publications...
The Conservatives have today said they would scrap the real interest rate charged on Plan 2 student loans saving graduates "tens of thousands of pounds".
But *which* graduates would financially benefit?...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
1/5
We're delighted to have @ckfarquharson.bsky.social giving the @cepeo-ucl.bsky.social seminar next week!
She'll be talking about her work estimating the impact of Sure Start on education, health and more.
🕕3-4pm Thurs 5th Feb
📍Online or in-person (541, 20 Bedford Way)
Sign up: tinyurl.com/yanfx8j7
All down to a top team: Pedro Carneiro, Sarah Cattan, @gabriconti.bsky.social, Claire Crawford, and @nickridpath.bsky.social - as well as contributions to the wider programme of work from Elaine Drayton, Rita Ginja, and Maud Pecher.
And with big thanks to @nuffieldfoundation.org for funding us!
Absolutely delighted our research has won the ONS' Research Excellence prize for impact!
I always say to people that the ideal @theifs.bsky.social work is rigorous enough to publish in top journals, and relevant enough to be on the front page. I think we've ticked that box here!
The OBR has done us all a service by producing new forecasts of the challenge on SEND.
What's still missing is the plan for how to tackle it - reform? changes to education spending? budget top-ups?
Risks too to councils' finances - and their incentives.
Big questions remain!
NEW: The hardest questions for SEND are still to be answered.
@ckfarquharson.bsky.social, Kate Ogden, David Phillips, @lukesibieta.bsky.social and Darcey Snape’s briefing explains how the #Budget2025 will affect SEND spending and the options for councils' SEND-related deficits ⬇️
Continue to be astonished by how quickly my colleagues can turn these podcasts around… we only finished recording at 2pm!
Listen in for our take on the Budget, and our attempt to string together coherent sentences on little sleep…
NEW PODCAST: The Autumn Budget 2025 explained
@helenmiller.bsky.social, @benzaranko.bsky.social and @ckfarquharson.bsky.social break down the major decisions in a packed Autumn Budget and what they mean for the UK in our new IFS Zooms In episode.
🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/aut...
Good news: We now have a forecast for SEND spending, rather than flying blind.
From 2028, central gov't will fund all SEND provision from within departmental spending. Without reform or spending top-ups, that's a £6bn pressure on budgets that year.
@theifs.bsky.social #Budget2025
“This was a big Budget, but not in the way people were necessarily expecting.” – @helenmiller.bsky.social
📗 Our immediate IFS response to #Budget2025 is out now: ifs.org.uk/articles/aut...
...if we add up the cost of all the council worker hours wasted on failed applications for the "Treasury Happy Press Release Fund" type gimmicks, I suspect more often than not the net benefit to the country overall will be minimal or negative
If there were an election tomorrow, more net tax increases would have been announced in this parliament than in any other since at least 1970.
#Budget2025
Your regular reminder that, while it doesn't have every policy option under the sun, @theifs.bsky.social Be the Chancellor tool will tell you how much could be raised from a whole raft of policy changes (e.g. cutting higher-rate threshold by £10k raises ~£17bn).
ifs.org.uk/be-chancellor
P.S. Speaking of great teams - there was also an award for all of "Team IFS", as @theifs.bsky.social won the top prize for "Think tank* of the year".
*(We're amending it to "research institute" in our hearts)
What an achievement for all my colleagues after a very busy year!
And, of course, it has been fantastic to work with Sarah Cattan, Pedro Carneiro, @gabriconti.bsky.social, Claire Crawford, and @nickridpath.bsky.social.
This award recognises an enormous amount of research, communication and impact - so it's vital to have an incredible team.
This was my first project at IFS a decade ago (!). So this is also an award that recognises the importance of supporting long-term research. We have been so lucky to have the Nuffield Foundation's support throughout.
Absolutely delighted that our @theifs.bsky.social work evaluating the effects of Sure Start centres won the "Publication of the Year" prize at last night's @smartthinking.bsky.social awards!
It's wonderful to be recognised for the quality and impact of our work.
ifs.org.uk/publications...
🎉 Proud to see our #Sure #Start @theifs.bsky.social research shortlisted for the ONS Research #Excellence Awards!
🏆 Learn more: www.ons.gov.uk/aboutus/what...
🗳️ We need your help! Please cast your #vote in the People’s Choice Award by Friday 31 October 2025👉🏻 forms.office.com/pages/respon...
Delighted that our @theifs.bsky.social research on Sure Start has been shortlisted for the ONS Research Excellence Awards!
Do check out our work (and the other amazing projects) and cast your vote in the People's Choice awards! tinyurl.com/3kra3trj
Today’s Times gives “urged” the entirely new meaning of “a lukewarm mention in the middle of a 66 page report”.
Phenomenal news - the birth cohorts are one of the UK's richest and most unique data resources.
I can't wait to see all the amazing evidence that we'll gain from this newest study!
NEW PODCAST: Are the kids ok? Family life
@helenmiller.bsky.social, @ckfarquharson.bsky.social and Anne Longfield explore family life in the UK, rising child poverty and pressures on social care in our 'Are the kids ok?' podcast mini-series.
🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/are...
"There's been a really big increase in the share of children who are being identified as having special educational needs"
@ckfarquharson.bsky.social details the rise in special educational needs and its effect on schools.
🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/are...
We recorded this episode this morning (!) and I came out full of excitement!
@helenmiller.bsky.social and I had a great conversation with Sir Philip Augar - we covered the design of the post-16 system, the gulf between higher and further education, and even some tentative signs of hope. Do listen!
"Only way that you are going to make a significant difference in the life of a child under the age of two, is by working with parents"
@ckfarquharson.bsky.social argues effective early years policy must focus on working with parents and families.
🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/are...
NEW PODCAST: Are the kids ok? The school years
Are England’s school children thriving, or are too many being left behind?
@helenmiller.bsky.social, @ckfarquharson.bsky.social & @samfr.bsky.social assess the state of England's schools in our podcast.
🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/are...
Panoramic conversation on early years policy - what do we know & where should policy go.
With the excellent @careyoppenheim.bsky.social @ckfarquharson.bsky.social & @helenmiller.bsky.social
open.spotify.com/episode/00sX...
Bit weird that none of these articles mention that family hubs already exist and were set up by the last government. This an expansion and bolstering of them not a completely new thing.
In light of today's announcements on Family Hubs, this @theifs.bsky.social podcast is looking even more timely!
A great discussion with @officialedballs.bsky.social and @pjtheeconomist.bsky.social on the benefits of Sure Start and the political economy of keeping early childhood programmes going.
