Archives: Reports

Justice without bars

This report from UK think tank the Social Market Foundation examines expanding community sentencing to reduce reoffending. The UK’s prison system is under mounting pressure, sparking political debate about the role of non-custodial sentences in reducing reoffending. Drawing on evidence from international practices, this briefing explores the potential of community sentencing to reduce recidivism rates,...

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Whose energy transition is it anyway?

This report from UK think tank the Social Market Foundation examines the British public’s level of trust in the net zero transition and in heat pumps in particular. Given ambitious net zero targets, the UK cannot afford to face a stronger 'greenlash'. In this report, we seek to understand the British public’s level of trust...

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Saving apprenticeships

This report from UK think tank the Social Market Foundation outlines strategies for creating a skills system that adequately encourages genuine apprenticeships. In this report, Baroness Alison Wolf calls for the new Growth and Skills Levy to focus on young people, have greater local involvement, and distinguish between apprenticeships and workplace upskilling. The current system...

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The shape of a social tariff

This report from UK think tank the Social Market Foundation lays out some options for unified social tariff design. As households struggle to afford their water bills, social tariffs have a crucial role to play in ensuring that water is affordable for everyone who needs it. While social tariffs are in place already, their design...

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A level of uncertainty

This report from UK think tank the Social Market Foundation puts forward a set of recommendations that prioritise the best interests of apprentices and taxpayers. Through the new ‘Growth and Skills Levy’, the government has signalled its desire to rebalance funding towards young people and entry-level training opportunities. While critics are keen to present the...

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How should regulators balance competition, economic growth and other political priorities?

This report from UK think tank the Social Market Foundation explores whether there is a trade-off and, if so, how the tensions can be resolved. Some business leaders fear competition policy and regulation are jeopardising the government’s economic growth mission. Former CMA Strategy Director and Downing Street Special Adviser Stuart Hudson explores whether there is...

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Care and learning in higher education

This report from UK think tank the Social Market Foundation looks at how society and universities can support care experienced and estranged students to succeed. There is growing recognition that society’s obligations to care experienced and estranged young people involves getting more of them successfully through higher education. However, the promise of support often doesn't...

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In the blink of an AI

This report from UK think tank the Social Market Foundation outlines the benefits the civil service and public sector can reap by further integrating AI and automation into its user-facing workstreams. Artificial intelligence and automation are ideally suited to do many of the tasks that public servants in user-facing roles currently spend hours managing. This...

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From backwater to battleground

This report from UK think tank the Social Market Foundation examines the political importance of a joined-up immigration and skills policy in the UK. The new Labour government views the perceived dependence of some sectors of the UK economy on overseas workers as unsustainable and contrary to the national interest. Joined-up immigration and skills policy...

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Carefully, compassionately

This report from UK think tank the Social Market Foundation looks at how we can learn from Canadian mistakes to ensure assisted dying can be safe. Objectors to assisted dying policy often cite Canada’s Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) programme to exemplify the danger of doing so, including concerns about due process and eligibility. The...

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