High spending on social protection does more than just place a safety net for the economically disadvantaged; it helps economies to become more productive. The welfare state is more than a safety net. ICYMI, here's our latest report ⤵️ www.ippr.org/articles/mor...

Brilliant report from @ipprscotland.bsky.social. A must read for all policy makers!🔻

A very important report today from our friends at @ipprscotland.bsky.social. Scotland needs to grow a #wellbeing #economy - but anyone who says that means cutting investment in #socialsecurity and public services is very wrong. One relies on the other. www.ippr.org/media-office...

Interesting new report from @ipprscotland.bsky.social Focused on Scotland but relevant across the UK in making the case for social security investment. 1. High social spending is compatible with economic success. Evidence shows European countries with high levels...1/4 www.ippr.org/articles/mor...

The @ipprscotland.bsky.social report - More than a Safety Net - is published today. Is the welfare state a brake on economic development? No, countries with high levels of social spending are among the most dynamic, productive and innovative economies in the world www.ippr.org/articles/mor...

📢 It's launch day!🚀 💷 Social spending ≠ economic damage. 💪Plenty of countries prove you can have strong social security and strong economies. Read our new report, More than a Safety Net ⤵️ @stephenkb.bsky.social @davehawkey.bsky.social @caseysmithippr.bsky.social www.ippr.org/articles/mor...

For months, we have been digging into a big myth — that strong social protection holds back economic growth.🔍 Spoiler: it doesn’t.💪 We launch our findings tomorrow in our report 'More than a Safety Net'. Stay tuned.🚀 For now, hear it from @stephenboydippr.bsky.social ⤵️

For months, we have been digging into a big myth — that strong social protection holds back economic growth.🔍 Spoiler: it doesn’t.💪 We launch our findings tomorrow in our report 'More than a Safety Net'. Stay tuned.🚀 For now, hear it from @stephenboydippr.bsky.social ⤵️

Too many separated parents are battling a system that doesn’t work. Children are losing out on the security they deserve. We’re proud to support @opfs.org.uk, @fifegingerbread.bsky.social & @ipprscotland.bsky.social in calling for change. 👉 buff.ly/ncjEPht #TransformingChildMaintenance

💷 Why do the costs of health, education & care services seem to rise relentlessly? In our latest blog we turn to William Baumol to explain why it pays to be cautious about rapid productivity growth/lower costs in people driven services. @stephenboydippr.bsky.social🖊️ www.ippr.org/articles/ret...

Reform's proposed policies for Scotland described as "profoundly unserious, almost comically so" by one of Scotland's top policy experts. 🔽

📢 Starting today, we will publish a series of blogs as part of our project on Employment, Productivity and Reform in the Scottish Public Sector. First up, this blog by @davehawkey.bsky.social looking at teacher pay per pupil in Scotland in an international context. ⤵️ www.ippr.org/articles/app...

👶The Scottish Child Payment is cutting child poverty and bucking the UK trend. Imposing a two-child limit would put that progress at risk. @stephenboydippr.bsky.social responds to the Scottish Conservatives' plan announced today to impose a two-child limit on the Scottish Child Payment⤵️

"Stephen Boyd, the director of the Institute for Public Policy Research Scotland, described the proposals as 'profoundly unserious, almost comically so'." @stephenboydippr.bsky.social contributed to this article on Reform's tax plans. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Our response to the Budget made the airwaves📻 @bbc5live.bsky.social led with our take on the Budget as “tepid” in conversation with Scotland’s Public Finance Minister Ivan McKee. 🎧👇

Our response to the Budget made the airwaves📻 @bbc5live.bsky.social led with our take on the Budget as “tepid” in conversation with Scotland’s Public Finance Minister Ivan McKee. 🎧👇

Scotland’s Budget raises ambition — but ducks the hard fiscal choices⚠️ 👶Eradicating child poverty isn’t cheap. 🌡️Climate action needs additional spend. 🏫Public services can’t improve on real-terms cuts. Read more in @stephenboydippr.bsky.social's blog here ⤵️ www.ippr.org/articles/pol...

relative to rUK, Scots earning between £15k - £35k pay £24 to £40 less tax a year. Those earning £50k and over pay at least £1,496 more. Median taxpayer pays much less than counterparts in Nordic and Benelux countries (i.e. countries SG ministers aspire to replicate) 2/ www.gov.scot/publications...

Some early thoughts on the Scottish budget: Yet again, short-term politically driven tax changes with minimal real impact are prioritised over the development of a serious, long-term strategy to achieve the revenues necessary to deliver on the FM’s 4 key priorities. This can’t go on. 1/

Yet again, short-term politically driven tax changes with minimal real impact are prioritised over the development of a serious, long-term strategy to achieve the revenues necessary to deliver on the FM’s priorities. Our full response on the Budget here👇 www.ippr.org/media-office...

Yet again, short-term politically driven tax changes with minimal real impact are prioritised over the development of a serious, long-term strategy to achieve the revenues necessary to deliver on the FM’s priorities. Our full response on the Budget here👇 www.ippr.org/media-office...

Last week we and our partners at @opfs.org.uk & @fifegingerbread.bsky.social took the Transforming Child Maintenance message to Holyrood. Thanks to @stu-mcmillan-msp.bsky.social for hosting us and relaying our recommendations for what the Scottish Govt can do to help children and families.

#ChildMaintenance needs reform at source, but Scotland can act now with practical, low-cost steps to improve access. At yesterday’s Scottish Parliament roundtable hosted by @stu-mcmillan-msp.bsky.social, partners, MSPs & parents discussed both UK-wide reform and immediate Scottish actions.

@markdiffley1.bsky.social @sarahkyambi.bsky.social @beckakaymcc.bsky.social @podmalm.bsky.social @britishfuture.bsky.social @migobs.bsky.social @nuffieldfoundation.org @tnlcommunityfund.org.uk @ipprscotland.bsky.social @sundersays.bsky.social

[email protected] came up north from London for our tenth anniversary conference and wrote a lovely blog about why she found herself returning home. ✒️ Read it here⤵️ www.ippr.org/articles/a-r...

Read @stephenboydippr.bsky.social's full response to the UK Budget 👇 www.ippr.org/media-office...

While the autumn budget contained some welcome measures, it falls short of what the UK and Scotland need. Read our full response: www.futureeconomy.scot/press/221-re...

The UK government's decision to remove the two-child limit is a welcome one; it will lift around 20,000 children in Scotland out of poverty. ✒️ @stephenboydippr.bsky.social responds to the Budget ⤵️

Removal of the 2 child limit is hugely welcome. This one measure will immediately lift 20,000 children in Scotland out of poverty. Props to those in Scotland - and elsewhere - who campaigned relentlessly for its removal. #Budget

Worth noting that this budget confirms, borrowing will *more than half* over the course of this parliament. Should appease financial market worries that UK is not sticking to its fiscal plans. Should help reduce the UK borrowing cost premium.

Today the government is lifting the 2-child limit – a major IPPR win that boosts incomes and improves opportunities for ~ 1.6m children. Extra income in low-income families boosts health and attainment. By the end of the parliament, 450,000 fewer children will live in poverty. A landmark moment.

Fantastic news that @RachelReevesMP has more than doubled fiscal headroom - a core recommendations of @IPPR . This will bring stability against shocks and hugely reduce market uncertainty.

ENERGY BILLS! Paying for the renewables obligation brings the UK in line with other countries. Early investments in renewables were innovation spending, strange and unfair to get consumers to pay for that.

1/ One of the privileges of writing 'It Takes A Village' with @ippr.org has been hearing from parents about what it’s really like raising healthy children today. Together with a @publicfirst.bsky.social survey of 1,500+ parents, we held 6 focus groups across England. Here are my key takeaways 👇

There was a target back in 2018 to halve childhood obesity. But new data shows that one in ten children in reception and one in five year 6 children are living with obesity.

Our webinar is TOMORROW & there are only a few tickets remaining! Join our Co-Director @lmacfarlane.bsky.social and Senior Economist @hannawheatley.bsky.social for a discussion on whether private finance can fix the nature crisis. 🗓️25 Nov 12:30-1:30pm 👇Book now: www.eventbrite.com/e/can-privat...

Recently, we attended @ipprscotland.bsky.social 10 year anniversary event. CR participant James sat on a panel titled: 'Can Scotland meet its poverty targets' alongside CPAG and the Poverty Truth Community. He wrote a wonderful speech which can be read here: changingrealities.org/writings/cha...

As the Chancellor pulls back on changes to income tax, there are lessons from Scotland - the most taxed part of the UK is also least opposed to further rises. Politicians should be less frightened by tax reform so long as they make an argument for it. See blog below👇

"The Scottish tax experiment has shown that people won’t necessarily revolt over income tax increases. It is possible to make the case for progressive increases and win the argument. The world won’t come to an end." ✒️ @caseysmithippr.bsky.social. Read more ⤵️ www.ippr.org/articles/sco...

Families need support long before things break down. Our 2nd call for change is simple: build better support outside the CMS so parents can resolve problems quickly. Learn more → opfs.org.uk/betterforeve... #TransformingChildMaintenance @fifegingerbread.bsky.social @ipprscotland.bsky.social

"The Muscatelli report is a serious and thoughtful analysis of what is and isn’t working in Scotland’s economic development eco-system. It sets a high standard for the campaign to come," @stephenboydippr.bsky.social reflects on the Muscatelli report in this blog ⤵️ www.ippr.org/articles/in-...

For many single parents, navigating the CMS feels like hitting a wall. Explore their stories, poems and art and experience an interactive simulation that reveals what it’s like to seek support through a broken system. Visit: bit.ly/4ooaIzl #TransformingChildMaintenance @ipprscotland.bsky.social

New polling by @ipprscotland.bsky.social shows 78% of parents favour a system that prioritises getting maintenance in place for every child 📊 Read the blog: opfs.org.uk/get-involved... #TransformingChildMaintenance @fifegingerbread.bsky.social

After months of planning and plotting, safe to say our conference yesterday was a success. A big thank you to everyone present. Some highlights⤵️ @johnswinney.bsky.social @anassarwar.bsky.social @stephenboydippr.bsky.social @davehawkey.bsky.social @caseysmithippr.bsky.social @sukhadatatke.bsky.social

After months of planning and plotting, safe to say our conference yesterday was a success. A big thank you to everyone present. Some highlights⤵️ @johnswinney.bsky.social @anassarwar.bsky.social @stephenboydippr.bsky.social @davehawkey.bsky.social @caseysmithippr.bsky.social @sukhadatatke.bsky.social

We were delighted to attend @ipprscotland.bsky.social’s 10th anniversary conference yesterday. Our co-director @lmacfarlane.bsky.social spoke on a panel discussing Scotland’s net zero challenge. Happy anniversary 🎂

Anas Sarwar @ipprscotland.bsky.social event outlining the need for governance reform in Scottish health services and more use of Scottish economic levers

Great to be at @ipprscotland.bsky.social's conference today, discussing the big choices & challenges shaping Scotland’s future. @sarahdavidson.bsky.social joined the opening panel to share insights from our latest #LifeInTheUK research & our recent work on Budgeting for Wellbeing.

Next session at the @ipprscotland.bsky.social focussing on the health of Scotland’s democracy

Speech from FM @johnswinney.bsky.social at @ipprscotland.bsky.social conference. In follow up Q&A says: "...standards of living (in Scotland) are not under our control."