A nation of small investors: Increasing the proportion of British households actively investing
This report from UK think tank the Social Market Foundation recommends measures to strengthen personal finances and provide a boost to the UK economy. Britain is a country of investors – they just don’t know it. This report outlines the current state of the UK’s retail investment landscape, highlights the shortcomings that mean households are...
The welfare state myth
This report from UK think tank the Institute of Economic Affairs looks at how low-tax countries offer the world's best welfare. New analysis by the Institute of Economic Affairs busts the myth of Nordic-model high-tax welfare superiority that has dominated political discourse for decades, and delivers a devastating verdict on Britain’s welfare performance as the...
Black holes and consolidations
This report from UK think tank the Resolution Foundation previews the key decisions for the upcoming Budget. The upcoming Budget – which the Chancellor has already signalled will come with spending cuts and tax rises – is a pivotal moment for a Government looking to improve the mood music around its economic-policy agenda. This is...
High streets at stake
This report from UK think tank the Social Market Foundation highlights the rise of Adult Gaming Centres and the case for reform. Adult gaming centres (AGCs) offer easy, up to 24-hour access to gaming machines such as slots and bingo. These centres are proliferating across the country, concentrated in the most deprived areas, at a...
Taxing questions
This report from UK think tank the Fabian Society sets out how the chancellor can raise the revenue we need to invest in public services. The chancellor will have to make some difficult decisions ahead of the upcoming autumn budget. In particular, she faces a fiscal gap of over £20bn if she wants to stick...
Splitting the bill
This report from UK think tank the Resolution Foundation examines how the government can help families with high energy bills. This briefing note looks into the drivers of Britain’s stubbornly high household energy bills and how reform of the costs added onto bills offers a route for helping families with the cost of living this...
Growth from below: Poverty reduction beyond social protection in Nigeria
This report from UK think tank the Institute of Development Studies discusses poverty reduction beyond social protection in Nigeria. Agriculture and informal economies provide essential livelihoods in Nigeria, but they face challenges such as climate shocks, conflict, low investment, and financial exclusion. Resilience strategies include diversification, microfinance access and entrepreneurial ventures, but policy support is...
Before the fall
This report from UK think tank the Resolution Foundation looks at distribution of household wealth in Britain and the impact on families. This report is the fourth in our series of ‘audits’ of households’ wealth, offering the most comprehensive assessment of wealth inequality in Britain. It comes against a backdrop of an unprecedented mix of...
Expert roundtables: Insight summary
This report from UK think tank Carnegie UK summarises insights gained from expert roundtable discussions held in Glasgow, Cardiff, Newcastle and Belfast. In 2025 we hosted four roundtable discussions in Glasgow, Cardiff, Newcastle and Belfast. These sessions brought together experts in academia, business, economics, government, public policy and the third sector to grapple with some...
Public perceptions of the UK tax system
This report from UK think tank Carnegie UK examines pubic perceptions of the UK tax system. This work seeks to address growing concerns about public disengagement with taxation policy and to better understand how people view the current UK taxation system, and its perceived complexities and discrepancies. The research focused on two key questions: What...