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)...

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...

This report from UK think tank PBE evaluates the impact of nature-based therapy on veterans. Veterans have some of the lowest levels of wellbeing, with around 160,000 self-reporting deep dissatisfaction with their lives. They may struggle with chronic health conditions, common mental health disorders and the anxiety which can come with unemployment and the feeling that their lives lack purpose....

This report from UK think tank The King's Fund explores why public opinion and attitudes towards social care are a key barrier to change. Without adult social care support, a full life would be impossible for many people. It helps people carry out basic tasks such as washing, dressing and eating but also, for some...

This report from UK think tank the Resolution Foundation paints a portrait of the poorer half of the country's population. The 13 million working-age families across the poorer half of the country are widely courted by politicians. No party can win elections without their votes, and the country cannot succeed without their needs being met....

This report from UK think tank Onward calls for a fundamental rationalisation of passported benefits as the UC rollout nears completion. The Hidden Benefits Bill argues that the true cost of the UK’s working-age welfare system is significantly higher than headline Universal Credit (UC) spending figures suggest, because of a large and growing set of...

This report from UK think tank the Resolution Foundation looks at how the nuts and bolts of the Universal Credit system could be improved. April 2026 will mark a true milestone for the UK benefits system: the end of the thirteen-year rollout of Universal Credit (UC) that has brought together all means-tested working-age benefits. From...

This report from UK think tank Green Alliance shows how targeted action could cut bills by between £87 and £404 per year. Energy bills are still £481 higher than before the gas price crisis, with over nine million households in fuel poverty in England and Wales. But there are practical solutions that could bring costs...

This report from UK think tank the Fabian Society discusses providing income security for the self-employed. There are 4.4 million self-employed people in the UK. This is 13 per cent of people in work, and they make a substantial contribution to the economy. While some are relatively well off, average net income for a full-time...

This report from UK think tank the Institute for Government looks at how devolved powers have been used to address health inequalities. Although health is not a devolved function within England, many regional mayors have identified addressing health inequalities as an important objective and have taken action to improve population health, using a range of...

This report from UK think tank the Resolution Foundation examines early lessons from the introduction of Adult Disability Payment in Scotland. When the Scottish Government introduced the Adult Disability Payment (ADP) in 2022 to replace Personal Independence Payment (PIP), it set out to do things differently. Although the two benefits have the same eligibility criteria...

This report from UK think tank the Resolution Foundation puts the Autumn Budget 2025 decisions on tax, spending and borrowing into context. The Chancellor’s second tax-rising budget arrived under dark clouds, but forecasts came in better than feared. But even though she was saved from the worst predictions of past weeks, the Chancellor still faced...

This report from UK think tank the Resolution Foundation evaluates when local delivery works well and what principles should guide any future reform. This report is part of the project Safety Nets: social security for families in a devolved UK, funded by the Nuffield Foundation. It examines the growth of localised social security in the...

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...

This report from UK think tank the Resolution Foundation explores setting child poverty on a downward course at the Autumn Budget. The Government’s long-awaited Child Poverty Strategy is due next month, close to, or contemporaneous with, the Autumn Budget. There have been some welcome announcements already: the over-indexation of the Universal Credit (UC) standard allowance...

Ahead of the Spring Budget we look at how Universal Credit could be reformed in the recovery from Covid-19. For Universal Credit to provide an adequate safety net it must be properly funded By Paul Hackett (The Smith Institute) If Universal Credit is to provide an adequate safety net it must be properly funded. Making...