Policy area: Local government

Reports

Taxing for take-off: a new plan for fiscal devolution

This report from UK think tank Re:State sets out a practical but ambitious blueprint for devolving fiscal power in England. Just 5.8 per cent of national taxes are collected at the subnational level in the UK – the lowest share in the G7, and a fraction of France (20.4 per cent), Japan (36 per cent),...

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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...

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Design principles for the fiscal devolution roadmap

This report from UK think tank Re;State sets out the design principles for the Treasury’s fiscal devolution roadmap. Fiscal devolution would be a genuinely dramatic shift. It would put firepower behind regional efforts to tackle the productivity puzzle, enabling places to go further in experimenting with approaches tailored to their specific context. It would help...

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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,...

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Setting Great British Railways up for success – interim findings

This report from UK think tank Future Governance Forum states that GBR needs a clearly defined purpose and a deliberate approach to instilling a new organisational culture. A new report by The Future Governance Forum (FGF) warns that without a clearly defined purpose, strong institutional foundations and meaningful operational autonomy, Great British Railways (GBR) risks...

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Blueprints for democratic wellbeing

This report from UK think tank Carnegie UK explores efforts to strengthen public enagement and citizen deliberation. Democratic wellbeing means people having voice and choice over the decisions that affect their lives. Strengthening parliamentary democracy is essential for improving democratic wellbeing in the UK. Building a stronger working relationship between parliamentarians and citizens can increase...

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The new high street playbook: Community-led innovation in action

This report from UK think tank Power to Change argues that the civic high street is the right organising principle for the shift toward mixed-use, community-centred high streets.  The 'new high street playbook' shares lessons from the Community-Led High Street Innovators programme, and why they matter now. Connecting real world practice to the current policy window, this report reflects a...

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Admissions not impossible

This report from UK think tank the Sutton Trust urges schools to review their admissions systems to address inequalities in access. This report sets out a clear case for why fairer school admissions must be central to any serious effort to improve inclusion. Drawing on new analysis, national data and our direct work with over...

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Course correction: How to densify British cities

This report from UK think tank Centre for Cities looks at where city densification needs to occur and what policy needs to do differently. Policy attention towards densifying British cities is welcome, and this research uses data on historic neighbourhood age and Centre for Cities’ residential densities dataset to dig deeper into where densification needs...

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Beyond caring: a new funding model for later-life social care

This report from UK think tank Re-State calls for a new Later Life Care Fund to replace England's failing model for funding for older people's social care. New research from Re:State sets out the case for a fundamental overhaul of how later-life social care is funded in England, arguing that the current model is unfair,...

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Educational psychologists in England

This report from UK think tank the Education Policy Institute provides the first comprehensive national assessment of the EP workforce since the Covid-19 pandemic. 'Educational psychologists in England' provides the first comprehensive national assessment of the EP workforce since the Covid-19 pandemic. Drawing on eight years of administrative data and case studies from six local...

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AI in local government: Adoption, benefits and challenges

This report from UK think tank City-REDI examines how artificial intelligence is being adopted in local government. This report from the Local Policy Innovation Partnership provides a timely stocktake of how artificial intelligence is being adopted in local government, what benefits are beginning to emerge, and what barriers still limit wider deployment. It draws on...

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Concept to culture: A maturity model for wellbeing policy

This report from UK think tank Carnegie UK explores what a maturity model for embedding wellbeing approaches in public policy might look like. In recent years there has been a global shift in public policy, moving from traditional economic and output-based measures of government performance towards a more holistic focus on measures of wellbeing. Governments...

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Future wellbeing policy: Lessons from Wales and beyond

This report from UK think tank Carnegie UK reflects on the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act since it was enshrined in law just over ten years ago. In January 2026, the Institute of Welsh Affairs (IWA) together with Carnegie UK, the Centre for Welsh Politics and Society/WISERD, and the Co-production Network for Wales convened...

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Dialling up democracy in the 21st century: Pathways for renewal

This report from UK think tank City-REDI explores how democratic innovation can help renew trust and legitimacy in the UK’s democratic system This policy working paper explores how democratic innovation can help renew trust, participation, and legitimacy in the UK’s democratic system. Building on earlier LPIP Hub work on social value and community-centred innovation, it...

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Related Events

24 June 2026

Location: Online / Chatham House, 10 St James's Square, London SW1Y 4LE

Think tank: Chatham House

Can cities and states lead the shift to climate resilience?

This event hosted by UK think tank Chatham House discusses driving climate action and resilience from the ground up. Cities, local and regional governments are playing an increasingly decisive role in delivering practical solutions on climate action. Their proximity to communities, infrastructure systems and local economies enables faster, more targeted responses to flooding, heat, energy...

30 June 2026

Location: Online

Think tank: Centre for Cities

Designing fiscal devolution for growth and fairness

This event hosted by UK think tank Centre for Cities explores how fiscal devolution can be designed to support both economic growth and fair funding across England. With the Government expected to set out a roadmap for fiscal devolution later this year, questions about how greater local control over funding and taxation could support growth...

9 July 2026

Location: Online

Think tank: Bright Blue

Ludgate Lecture with Professor Tony Travers

This event hosted by UK think tank Bright Blue discusses 'How will Reform UK govern locally?'. We are delighted to invite you to join our next Ludgate Lecture, a series where we hear from prominent thinkers and decision makers on the biggest issues of our time. For our next event, we will be hosting Professor Tony...

9 July 2026

Location: Online

Think tank: Bright Blue

Ludgate Lecture with Professor Tony Travers

This event hosted by UK think tank Bright Blue discusss how will Reform UK govern locally?. We are delighted to invite you to join our next Ludgate Lecture, a series where we hear from prominent thinkers and decision makers on the biggest issues of our time. For our next event, we will be hosting Professor Tony...