Institute for Policy Research

The Institute for Policy Research (IPR) is a leading public policy research institute, based at the University of Bath. We aim to advance the public good with innovative research into major policy challenges, and with activities that connect researchers with policymakers and practitioners. Through our teaching, events and publications, we promote public understanding and democratic debate on public policy.

Key research themes include:

Universal Basic Income (UBI)
The reform of education, welfare and work
The interconnected economic, social, environmental and health challenges we face in the UK and globally
Political economy and the evolution of politics, the changing role of the state, and political ideas and values.

Visit website

Latest reports

More time, better pay: What current and prospective parents want from parental leave

This report from UK think take the Institute for Policy Research examines public attitudes towards parental leave reform through a survey of more than 2,500 people. The UK’s parental leave system offers relatively long maternity leave but much of it is poorly paid, while fathers and partners have very little well-paid leave of their own....

Sharing the load: Costs and benefits of parental leave reform

This report from UK think tank the Institute for Policy Research discusses what a redesigned parental leave system might look like. The report discusses what a redesigned parental leave system might look like. Rather than focusing on individual elements of the system in isolation, the report argues that the government should look at maternity, paternity...

From proximity to inclusion: A new framework for urban green space policy

This report from UK think tank Institute for Policy Research sets out an implementation pathway for inclusive governance. Urban green spaces in UK cities are vital to health and wellbeing and provide multiple benefits across many areas of city life. However, access remains unequal, especially for marginalised communities including people with disabilities, ethnic minorities, the...

Designing contracts for chaos

This report from UK think tank the Institute for Policy Research explores why two Colombian transit systems diverged, and what it means for UK infrastructure. No long-term private-public contract can anticipate every future disruption when it is first agreed, yet many agreements are drafted so rigidly that when crises emerge, public authorities have no way...

Council tax reduction and universal credit: Winners and losers of the postcode lottery

This report from UK think tank the Institute for Policy Research explores how the different elements of scheme design in England are affecting UC claimants who work. Eligibility, entitlement and assessment criteria for Council Tax Reduction (CTR) – a means-tested discount on council tax for low-income, working-age people – have been left to the discretion...

Improving access and participation in higher education

This report from UK think tank the Institute for Policy Research makes the case for enhancing evaluation evidence. Fair access and participation have been key elements of national higher education policy in the UK for the last two decades. The aim is to ensure that all young people, regardless of their background, have the opportunity...

Paternity allowance: Six weeks for self-employed and worker dads

This report from UK think tank the Institute for Policy Research assesses the costs and benefits of introducing a new entitlement for self-employed and worker fathers. Although designed to promote gender equality, parental leave policies in the UK have yet to close the gap in uptake, with women taking significantly more leave than men. Authors...

Making higher education work for Indigenous peoples in Mexico

This report from UK think tank the Institute for Policy Research provides recommendations that address six recurring challenges for Indigenous students in Mexico. Working with more than 300 individuals across six Mexican states between 2021 and 2024, the researchers analysed the role that higher education plays in supporting the social and economic development of Indigenous...

Green shoots of hope? Increased optimism about future study and work in England’s Opportunity Areas

This report from UK think tank the Institute for Policy Research examines how the Opportunity Areas programme affected young people’s hopes for their future lives. Over the last 15 years the UK has seen a downward trend in young people’s optimism about their futures, particularly among those living in England’s regions. The UK is already...

What price is free?

This report from UK think tank the Institute for Policy Research examines the evolution of nursery prices in England in the wake of 2024 childcare reform. A major expansion of free childcare entitlement in England is currently underway. The policy has significantly expanded the number of parents who are eligible to receive childcare, as well...

Keeping young people in learning until the age of 18 – does it work?

This report from UK think tank the Institute for Policy Research presents evidence from the raising of the participation age (RPA) in England. Implemented ten years ago in England, the Raising of the Participation Age (RPA) placed a duty on young people to remain in learning (although not confined to staying on at school) until...

Going it alone

This report from UK think tank the Institute for Policy Research examines the experiences of self-employed Universal Credit claimants. When Universal Credit (UC) is fully rolled out in 2026, the proportion of claims with one or more self-employed earners is expected to reach around one in ten, equivalent to around 700,000 households. Self-employed people therefore...

Costs and benefits of improved leave for fathers in the first year: Too good to ignore

This report from UK think tank the Institute for Policy Research recommends reforms to the UK’s current parental leave policies. The policy brief, written by Dr Joanna Clifton-Sprigg, Dr Alistair Hunt, Lily Zelezetskii and James Bailey, evaluates a reform to UK paternity leave, and finds that expanding paternity leave to six weeks (taken flexibly in...

Upcoming events

9 December 2026

Location: Room 3.5, The Chancellors' Building, University of Bath Claverton Down Bath BA2 7AY

Think tank: Institute for Policy Research

Prof Peter A Hall: Governing growth – in conversation with Will Davies

This event hosted by UK think tank the Institute for Policy Research discusses the postwar transformations of capitalism and democracy. Overview Peter Hall and Will Davies discuss how politics and economics have interacted in Western democracies over the past 80 years. About the event How do capitalist economies change over time, and what political consequences...

Book your place →

Join our mailing list for the latest think tank news, research, events and jobs

Search