Reports

This report from UK think tank the Resolution Foundation discusses the OBR’s forecast for trend productivity growth and why it matters so much for the Budget. The Budget in November is likely to reveal a significant deterioration in the outlook for the public finances, requiring the Government to raise taxes in response. A key reason...

This report from UK think tank the Centre for European Reform focuses on trade, technology and geopolitics. The UK and the EU both recognise that China is a rival and that it is promoting its authoritarian model of governance globally. Neither has drawn the policy consequences from their analysis. They need to co-operate in showing...

This report from UK think tank the Social Market Foundation discusses the challenges in assessing the impacts of regulation of AI. The recent surge in Generative Artificial Intelligence has introduced both opportunities and risks to society. This paper discusses the challenges in assessing the impacts of regulation of AI. It identifies a range of different...

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...

This report from UK think tank the Institute of Development Studies looks at powering an inclusive energy future. As the world accelerates toward a clean energy future, the question is no longer whether the transition will happen, but how equitable, inclusive, and sustainable it will be. Under Brazil’s 2024 presidency, the G20 endorsed a set...

This report from UK think tank City-REDI explores the structural, institutional and policy factors shaping the UK’s innovation ecosystem. This project, funded by the Innovation and Research Caucus (IRC), addresses that gap by exploring the structural, institutional, and policy factors shaping the UK’s innovation ecosystem. Through interviews with impactful innovators and innovation support bodies, the...

This report from UK think tank City-REDI reflects on lessons learned on the role of institutions and governance in housing strategy. The UK Government has announced a £39 billion funding package and five-stage plan for social and affordable housing in England, with a comprehensive 10-year strategy due in 2025. This report reflects on the housing...

This report from UK think tank RUSI explores how the UK can leverage its STI policy to secure strategic advantage in national security. The UK's world-leading tech assets and ambitious agenda aren't translating into national advantage because the country is trying to lead in too many areas without the economic scale of competitors like the...

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...

This report from UK think tank Bright Blue brings together ideas from leading centre-right thinkers for reforming social security. The UK’s social security system seems to be a constant source of anger for our country’s voters. To those on the left, it represents a broken safety net, incapable of keeping the needy out of poverty....

This report from UK think tank the Fabian Society explores the British countryside and its potential. Rural Britain is often neglected in discussions about the big issues of the day. Yet it sits at the heart of the government’s missions to green the economy, boost growth, deliver housing and break down barriers to opportunity. The...

This report from UK think tank Labour Together looks at mass transit systems. The UK has fewer mass transit systems than other European countries. This paper, co-authored with the Centre for British Progress, argues that giving metro mayors the power to fund and approve new infrastructure could usher in a new wave of building. Tracy...

This report from UK think tank Civitas examines the focus on ESG’s impact on businesses, workers and consumers. Many businesses nowadays engage in what has been coined ‘ethical’, or ‘woke’, capitalism. While ethical capitalism has a long history, over recent decades it has largely fallen under the remit of ‘Environmental, Social and Governance’ (ESG) –...

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...

This report from UK think tank City-REDI looks at what the Government can learn from city-region mayors and devolved nations. This briefing sets out seven essential principles for effective place-based growth, drawing on the lived experience and emerging evidence from city-region mayors, devolved nations, the UKRI-funded Local Policy Innovation Partnership Hub and the four funded...

This report from UK think tank the Work Foundation examines the potential impact of employment rights reform in the UK. Work insecurity has been a persistent feature of the UK labour market for over two decades. In 2023, our analysis found that over one in five UK workers (21.4%) – around 6.8 million people –...

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...

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...

This report from UK think tank Carnegie UK looks at how fiscal policy can be reimagined to prioritise and deliver improved wellbeing for people. Governments and societies across the globe are increasingly recognising the importance of improving the wellbeing of their citizens and making this the central goal of their economic and policy ambitions. At...

This report from UK think tank the Resolution Foundation shows that delivering 1.5 million new homes would be a real step-change in housebuilding in England. Welcome to our third Housing Outlook of 2025. This quarter, we show that delivering 1.5 million new homes by the end of Parliament would be a real step-change in housebuilding...

This report from UK think tank the Future Governance Forum considers how the government can reform and renew the asylum system. The Future of Asylum – A vision for renewal considers how the government can reform and renew the asylum system. This essay collection features leading progressive voices and sets out bold ideas for the...

This report from UK think tank Chatham House examines the importance of trade ‘rebalancing’ for Beijing’s strategic ambitions. If China hopes to cultivate closer economic and political links in the Global South by capitalizing, perhaps, on a backlash against US protectionism and foreign aid cuts, the task may be harder than it seems. In theory,...

This report from UK think tank RUSI examines whether ESG standards are the scapegoat for stalling defence growth. Europe’s defence industry needs investment to meet growing security demands. The real problems are not ESG standards, but bureaucracy, banks’ reputational concerns and the general defence market.

This report from UK think tank PBE makes the business case for a Civil Society Evidence Organisation. Civil society is one of the UK’s greatest assets, yet too often, it is held back by structural barriers that prevent it operating at full potential. That is why we are calling for the co-creation of a Civil...

This report from UK think tank Chatham House looks at countering cascading risks with enhanced monitoring and response preparedness. Extreme weather events and turbulent geopolitics are severely impacting global food security. While there are monitoring mechanisms in use for certain single hazards (e.g. flooding) that can impact food production, these systems often have a narrow...