Our recent report on public services and productivity in Scotland we published a series of blogs on the topic @davehawkey.bsky.social outlines the limits of comparing teacher pay between Scotland and England, and not emphasising an international perspective t.co/hyJDAaChsj

With the starting gun fired on the 2026 Holyrood election, the public deserve an honest conversation about governing Scotland. Party manifestos will be soon be released - which begs the question: What makes a good Holyrood election manifesto in 2026? Here are 5 tests: www.ippr.org/articles/wha...

Growing demand for services requires further investment in public services, not less. There is a need for genuine public sector reform by way of preventative spending as set out in the Christie Commission. Cutting public sector workforce, however, is not a credible solution. 👇our latest report

Our latest report warns further public sector job cuts could hollow out essential services just as demand rises. Public services need more investment not less. 📣@CaseySmithIPPR outlines how choices made now will shape Scotland’s public services for years.

In other news, @mariemcnairmsp.bsky.social asked @sa4dunfermline.bsky.social if she agreed with IPPR Scotland's assessment that high spending on social protection does more than just place a safety net for the economically disadvangated, that it helps economies to grow. The cabinet secretary did.

Cutting public sector jobs when public services are already stretched risks real harm, to services and those most reliant on them. Moving towards a preventative public service provision model will require more investment over the next parliament, not less! Important new report by IPPR Scotland.

Plans to reduce public sector workforce when satisfaction and access to public services is under strain is...a choice. With growing and increasingly complex demands on the state, now is not the time to cut state services further. Rather genuine public sector reform is needed. Read our latest report

📰Great to see our work on the front page of @heraldscotland.bsky.social - finely reported by @andrewlearmonth.bsky.social ⤵️ www.heraldscotland.com/news/2598166...

⚠️ Scotland could be sleepwalking into austerity ⚠️ 🔴Our new analysis warns looming public sector job cuts could hollow out essential services just as demand rises. 📢The choices made now will shape Scotland’s public services for years. Read the report ⤵️ www.ippr.org/articles/mor...

As @stephenboydippr.bsky.social @ipprscotland.bsky.social put it yesterday. Investment is good! bsky.app/profile/ippr...

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With Scotland going into a major election, parties pledging to tackle child poverty must be clear that the issue is a structural feature of an unequal society. We respond to today's child poverty stats⤵️ www.ippr.org/media-office...

“It’s essential that the UK and Scottish governments work together to ensure this project is pushed forward and that ground is broken on the factory as soon as possible." Read our full response to Vesta's decision to invest in a new nacelle and hub factory in Scotland⤵️ www.ippr.org/media-office...

New child poverty stats are due tomorrow, but Scotland is already projected to miss its 2030 target by a wide margin. In this blog, @davehawkey.bsky.social looks at why progress has stalled and why reducing child poverty requires a more equal distribution of income⤵️ www.ippr.org/articles/wha...

Reducing child poverty isn't easy but we have a very good understanding of what works. With the Scottish govt set to announce child poverty statistics this week, @stephenboydippr.bsky.social in this piece for The Daily Record argues benefits play a huge role. www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politic...

As global conflict brings another round of inflation into view, the imperative to support low-income families becomes ever more acute. The government must keep kids afloat if the cost-of-living crisis deepens. Our response to the child poverty plans announced today: www.ippr.org/media-office...

David Clarke, chairing; Klyzza Lidman, Amanda Young and Andrew Milligan the participants. A lively audience of 65 fully engaged. And tonight Smith on Capitalism - with @enlightenscot.bsky.social @futureeconscot.bsky.social @ipprscotland.bsky.social : www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-smith-...

👱🏿‍♀️On the occasion of International Women's Day, we revisit this old blog by @sukhadatatke.bsky.social. ✍🏿"Women in Scotland are far likelier than men to take on childcare and other caring responsibilities, which puts them at an economic disadvantage." www.ippr.org/articles/wom...

Lovely to be named one of this year's 100 'Women in Westminster', and proud to to be alongside such an incredible group of women helping to shape policy and politics for the better. #wiw100 www.politicshome.com/in-focus/wiw...

There are plenty of assumptions about public servants and their attitude to change - we spoke with workers across the public sector & heard their thoughts on public service reform - unsurprisingly views are more nuanced than commentators and politicians would have you believe!

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 With fiscal pressures mounting ahead of the Holyrood election, reforming Scotland’s public services is back in the spotlight. ⏰But what do public servants themselves say needs to change? In our latest blog, @caseysmithippr.bsky.social goes inside the system ⤵️ www.ippr.org/articles/on-...

Rapid technological advances and the implementation of AI has the potential to transform healthcare - however this does not necessarily translate into reduced costs for public services. Read our latest blog on the limits of new technology in making healthcare cheaper www.ippr.org/articles/wil...

👥 Local democracy is about to change... 🗳️ Government’s plan to scrap district councils in favour of unitary authorities risks moving local residents further from power - unless action is taken to empower communities. @ryanswift93.bsky.social explains why that matters...

This new report reinforces the importance of social security spending which is fundamental to our calls and ensuring positive economic outcomes 👏

Our democracy needs a boost. Giving 16-year-olds the vote is a big step toward rebuilding trust and bringing more people into the process. 📺️ @harryqp.bsky.social on GB News 👇

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...