The Social Market Foundation (SMF) is a non-partisan think tank. We believe that fair markets, complemented by open public services, increase prosperity and help people to live well. We conduct research and run events looking at a wide range of economic and social policy areas, focusing on economic prosperity, public services and consumer markets. The SMF is resolutely independent, and the range of backgrounds and opinions among our staff, trustees and advisory board reflects this.
Latest reports
Slipping through the cracks
This report from UK think tank the Social Market Foundation explores the challenges and barriers frontline services face in identifying gambling related harm. Gambling is a common practice in Britain, but can be highly addictive. This briefing explores the challenges and barriers frontline services face in identifying gambling related harms, drawing on existing literature alongside...
Addressing the harm
This report from UK think tank the Social Market Foundation examines the many arguments for raising Machine Games Duty on Category B machines. In the last budget, the Chancellor almost doubled Remote Gaming Duty (RGD), a tax on online casino gaming because of its particularly harmful impact. In this report, we argue that the same...
Citizens advance
This report from UK think tank the Social Market Foundation examines a state alternative to the bank of Mum and Dad. The Citizens Advance would give people a choice – receive a lump sum now in exchange for postponing the point at which they start receiving their state pension. Only those who had garnered 10...
No news is bad news
This report from UK think tank the Social Market Foundation explores the hidden threat of unchecked local misinformation. People are increasingly getting their local news online through social media. For the first time we quantify the scale and nature of ‘fake news’ in these local online spaces, explore how the media and institutions combat it,...
Growing up hungry
This report from UK think tank the Social Market Foundation measures UK child food insecurity in 2026. Since the SMF last looked at child food insecurity, the economic landscape has shifted considerably. There have been seismic global conflicts, major domestic political and policy changes, spanning four prime ministers. This research provides an updated view of...
Room to grow
This report from UK think tank the Social Market Foundation examines school-based nurseries and the disadvantage gap. The School-based Nursery (or SBN) programme is a major government policy aiming to deliver on two early years priorities: to expand access to childcare for working families and to increase the proportion of children reaching a good level...
Byte the Budget?
This report from UK think tank the Social Market Foundation investigates the state of digital transformation in universities across the UK. British universities are often seen as leaders in research – but are our universities equipped to maintain this status in an increasingly digital age? This report investigates the state of digital transformation in institutions...
Swiss role model? What the UK can learn from how Switzerland rebuilt public trust in its asylum system
This report from UK think tank the Social Market Foundation looks at the Swiss asylum reforms and key takeaways for the UK. The UK is suffering a downward spiral, with collapsing public confidence in the government’s ability to deliver an effective asylum system. This report investigates reforms to the Swiss asylum system designed to address...
Harm, hardship, and the price of inaction
This report from UK think tank the Social Market Foundation examines the costs of Scotland’s drug crisis. Scotland has a drug problem. The issue is likely to be a key one in the upcoming Scottish elections. Questions of the costs of potential interventions, and how worthwhile they are, will be central to decisions made on...
Pension shock
This report from UK think tank the Social Market Foundation examines the potential pension shock facing Gen X. Britain’s middle-aged workers stand on the cusp of a social crisis. Gen X – born between 1965 and 1980 – are next in line for retirement. Born too late to benefit from relatively robust Defined Benefit (DB)...
Trustee as sovereign
This report from UK think tank the Social Market Foundation calls for a pensions governance and regulatory framework fit for 2035. This paper examines the Pension Schemes Bill 2025, supporting its aims while warning against excessive delegated powers and mandated investment in private assets, which could conflict with trustees’ fiduciary duties. It urges caution over...
The system and the cell
This report from UK think tank the Social Market Foundation provides a high-level overview of the key health challenges in British prisons today. Good prisoner health is not only a moral issue but it can also deliver wider benefits, including improved public health and reduced reoffending. Drawing on research and insights from academics at The...
Failure to lead
This report from UK think tank the Social Market Foundation makes the case for a UK lead screening programme. This briefing examines the scale of lead exposure among children in the UK and finds that current systems are failing to identify and prevent harm. Weak surveillance means the true extent of the problem is unknown,...
Fixing the SEND system
This report from UK think tank the Social Market Foundation examines the current policy landscape to assess which reforms are likely to work in practice. England’s SEND system is widely recognised to be in crisis. Government is considering reform but must choose between politically risky structural change and limited tweaks that leave core problems unresolved....
From engagement to action
This report from UK think tank the Social Market Foundation looks at improving retirement saving outcomes with a pensions dashboard health check. Widespread disengagement with pensions is contributing to the UK’s retirement savings crisis. With the transition to defined contribution pensions increasing the individual responsibility to save enough for retirement, this report sets out how a ‘pensions dashboard health check’ could improve citizens’ ability to effectively prepare...