Latest data on life expectancy in local areas of the UK shows overall improvements in outcomes over the last 20 years, but a widening of the absolute gap between the best and worst performing parts of the country. Progress has slowed (or even reversed in some areas) in the last decade too

This is probably a well-known thing, but I hadn’t seen the data before… Need to be cautious of sample sizes and can’t infer causality, but interesting to see both how overall drug use rises as wellbeing falls and how much the pattern varies by drug. Cannabis clearly dominates the overall picture

The UK’s young people have the lowest wellbeing in Europe. This comes at a huge cost, with too many children feeling persistently unhappy. Hear from economists, educators, academics & young people on the difference arts programmes make to wellbeing, & how we measure it ⬇️ 📆20 November, 4 pm online

Our latest report explores how early engagement with arts and culture can play a powerful role in supporting young people’s wellbeing, and assesses the value for money these programmes generate. pbe.co.uk/publications...

A very worrying escalation of online harassment. Somebody has used a video of me saying "racism in football is a game of two halves" + put a fake voiceover on it saying "what I would say to the girls of Rotherham is it is a game of two halves" x.com/EuropaIneffa...

We're hiring!💥 IPPR North are looking for a senior researcher who has big ideas for the future of our regions. Join us at this pivotal time for our economy and democracy. Based in Manchester, apply by 31st October. www.ippr.org/jobs/senior-...

NEW: The UK social security system offers relatively little income protection after job loss. THREAD on Martin Mikloš and @xiaoweixu.bsky.social's IFS Green Budget chapter on the options for introducing ‘unemployment insurance’:

Civil society is one of the UK’s greatest assets, but it needs a Civil Society Evidence Organisation (CSEVO): a hub to access evidence, cut duplication & support smarter decisions. We have a plan: £2.5m over 5 yrs, co-funded by government and the sector. Read the report: pbe.co.uk/publications...

Free2Talk offers something vital for LGBTQ+ young people: a safe, identity-affirming space to belong. @karol122.bsky.social and @charlotteprothero.bsky.social share Charlie’s story, and the value of the programme which could deliver £4 of wellbeing benefit for every £1 spent. Read it here 👇

The evidence is overwhelming: prioritising wellbeing drives measurable benefits for employees, shareholders, customers, and wider society. In her latest article for our ‘Economics to improve lives’ series, Hannah Pearsall, Head of Wellbeing at Hays UK&I says wellbeing is a business imperative.

What is “the good life”? Lord Blunkett argues it’s not just about money: dignity, purpose, community & a fair start in life all matter. His article in the #EconToImproveLives series makes the case for investing in young people’s wellbeing, from early years to employment. pbe.co.uk/insights/wel...

📣Calling analysts working in and around the social sector. Come join the next @pbe.co.uk Social Sector Economists Network meeting and explore new work on perinatal depression and on the size of the UK’s impact economy 📣 2 October | 10:00–11:30 | Online events.teams.microsoft.com/event/7b825d...

Online training for analysts on using HM Treasury’s wellbeing guidance In partnership with State of Life and LSE, the workshop will give you the tools to use wellbeing measurement in business cases, appraisals and evaluations. 4.5 hour workshops across 21 & 23 Oct Apply to attend👇

New case study! Charity @pbe.co.uk used our data to show that the £28 billion annual bill for disability benefits creates £42bn in positive effects

Typically thoughtful - and thought provoking - stuff from @dianecoyle1859.bsky.social on the urgent need to understand how AI disruption is playing out across society (for better and worse) and then respond accordingly. Another great contribution to the @pbe.co.uk 'Economics to improve lives' series

"Without suitable measures of organisations’ adoption of AI, policymakers will be unable to shape this powerful technology in ways that benefit society as a whole." - @dianecoyle1859.bsky.social's in her new article for #EconToImproveLives pbe.co.uk/insights/eco...

The brilliant 808 State tonight

Here's a slightly crazy diagram illustrating today's major Cabinet reshuffle You're welcome

A Radiohead and Resolution Foundation crossover? Yes please! Great Top of the Charts from @ruthcurtice.bsky.social and team. Would love to see footage of the editorial meeting that rejected options like High and Dry, Reckoner & Electioneering though www.resolutionfoundation.org/comment/stic...

Out tomorrow: our expert, cross-party Poverty Strategy Commission report. We propose a new social contract & plan to lift 4.2 million people out of poverty, incl 2.2 million stranded in deep poverty. Thanks @patrickjbutler.bsky.social for the insightful write up www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

Fascinating paper exploring the economic impact of populist leaders coming to power. Lots in here but two key things for me: 1. Over 15 years GDP/capita decreases by 10%; with 2. No discernible change to inequality over same period. Paper: iacmr.org/wp-content/u... HT @justinwolfers.bsky.social

Have fun everyone! Looking forward to see what you do with our data! Big shout to @jamesdgriffiths.bsky.social and Stuart Perrett for all of their great work on this too!

‘Let us not risk getting trapped in the last war.’ My piece for @pbe.co.uk on why the wellbeing v GDP framing has run out of road pbe.co.uk/insights/bey...

The lovely people @britishelectionstudy.com released the random probaility data which means we can begin to unravel some unanswered questions about turnout in 2024. A substack to follow but a starter of social class and vote/non-vote. Which party represents the working class? None of the above.

Lots of reasons to tread carefully with this ONS data on online adverts, but it’s an interesting glimpse of some potential post-Covid changes in the jobs market. Biggest increase in adverts come in care and health (human & animal) occupations, and baristas. Some big drops in personal services and IT

LGBTQ+ young people in the UK face a severe, unequal mental health crisis. Services like Free2Talk offer life-changing, cost-effective help, but they need greater support. 1/7 pbe.co.uk/publications...

Think this is fascinating. We continue to think that higher income people are taxed too little and lower income people are taxed too much, but much less than we used to. And our Goldilocks position on middle income tax levels has also shifted, with more now thinking tax is too high for this group

Following this week’s jump in inflation, new ONS data on direct debit failure rates provide another reminder of the financial difficulties being faced by a growing minority of households. Meeting mortgage payments is clearly being prioritised, but missed loan and utility payments continue to rise

But the NHS can’t do it alone. We need a cross-sector approach, with support from charities like Place2Be, working in 650+ schools with counselling and training. 5/5 Read the report by Rachel Gomez & @jonfranklin.bsky.social on shifting from treatment to prevention: pbe.co.uk/publications...

Better mental health could: 📈 Boost GCSE results by up to 1.6 grades per child 📉 Cut exclusion risk by 0.4 percentage points 📉 Reduce needs for SEN support by 1.1 percentage points Early intervention works, and it makes economic sense. 4/5

That’s £5,300 per child, through: ✅ £50bn in higher lifetime earnings ✅ £606m in reduced Special Educational Needs (SEN) support ✅ £17m in lower school exclusion costs We found even modest improvements can make a major difference. 3/5

Our new report with Place2Be shows the economic opportunity of acting earlier as well as the huge costs of failing to meet growing needs. Addressing 10 years of worsening children’s mental health could deliver £51bn in benefits to today’s school-aged children. 2/5

Really important new @pbe.co.uk report out today 👇 The deterioration in young people's mental health is well-documented and recognised by govt as a priority. But more investment and more upstream collaboration with charities is needed. And, with a £51bn prize on offer, it makes economic sense too

UK is still recovering from the "wellbeing recession". Latest data from the ONS shows that average Life Satisfaction in the first quarter of 2025 remained 1.3% down on pre-pandemic levels.

Useful research. cepr.org/voxeu/column...

Today’s GDP figures highlight continued weakness in household consumption. In fact, the extent of the slowdown in consumption growth has been one of the most remarkable features of the last 15 years. Pre-2008, spending per person rose by ~30% every ten years. Now, the ten-year growth rate is <5%

For this week's TOTC, @teraallas.bsky.social has stepped in as guest editor - pondering productivity, wellbeing and... our potential future robot overlords? COTW assesses how disposable incomes are related to healthy life expectancy around the UK ⤵️ buff.ly/uVgwqS3

this is a superb Top of the Charts email. Treasury of productivity information. Subscribe! And follow @teraallas.bsky.social first!

Pro Bono Economics have a great series on Economics to Improve lives. Here’s my article. I’m speaking on this and chairing a debate session at #isqols2025 on multi-dimensional vs single metrics later today which draws on this for understanding public and charity impact pbe.co.uk/insights/not...

🚨 We’re hiring an Events Manager (£46–49k) 🕙 Deadline: 10AM, Wednesday 30 July 2025 We’re on the lookout for a strategic, resourceful events professional to lead our high-profile programme. Think that could be you? 👉 Find out more and apply: pbe.co.uk/vacancies/ev...

📢 Volunteer with Ella’s, a charity supporting survivors of trafficking. Help build an Excel dashboard & improve impact reporting. ~5 days work, Aug–Sept. UK-based only. Use your data skills for good! Apply: pbe.co.uk/vacancies/da... #DataForGood #Volunteering

📢 Volunteer needed! Help Pie Factory Music a youth charity in East Kent review a community ROI report. Use your cost-benefit analysis skills to support it's case to Kent County Council. Apply: pbe.co.uk/vacancies/pi... #Volunteering #DataForGood #SocialValue

New events role! @pbe.co.uk are looking for an EVENTS MANAGER to join their team and create + lead an exciting events strategy that uses the power of events to bring people together to challenge + engage on different issues. Interested? Find out more: bit.ly/4f1TdkD

I agree with this but - as Giles' post effectively goes on to say - there *is* a way out of this fiscal corner, it's called raising taxes, and I don't think it's as politically impossible as people make out Hard (by Labour's own doing) but not impossible First, welfare revolts tells us nothing...

Last month, a new detailed survey of mental health amongst adults in England came out. Headline result is that more 16-64-year-olds have a common mental health conditions than in any previous wave of the survey over last 30 years. A brief thread...

Amid wealth tax discussion, it's worth reflecting on recent changes in tax takes across the income distribution. Combining all payments (ie income taxes and VAT etc), the richest and poorest pay the most as a share of their gross income. But rates are down markedly in the middle of the distribution

What if gov't policy aimed not just for growth—but for greater happiness? @guardianheather.bsky.social highlighted our research on UK wellbeing and why Labour should focus on life satisfaction alongside GDP. Read more: www.theguardian.com/politics/202... #wellbeing #ukhappiness

Helpful new Charity Commission data on public trust in and interactions with charities across England and Wales. Trust score is largely unchanged in recent years, with charities continuing to be held in high regard relative to many other institutions and professions www.gov.uk/government/p...

'A £100 million investment in UK research by the Leverhulme Trust should be seen as a “vote of confidence” in a sector under great strain, according to the charity’s director.' Three cheers for the Leverhulme Trust, and for Anna Vignoles. 1/3

Basic rate of income tax (predictably) bottom of the pile, but a 1p increase would cost taxpayers ~£3.50 a week on average and generate more than £8bn a year by 2029 (about 12% of the day-to-day schools budget). Will any party ever again be able to successfully argue for higher broad-based taxes?