Keir Starmer claims that living standards will be turning a corner this year. We discussed the likelihood of that here ⤵️ buff.ly/VorS4Kw

In the Budget last week, the Chancellor announced she would freeze personal tax thresholds for three more years. What does this 'stealth tax' mean for workers?⤵️

The scrapping of the two-child limit is a much-needed change to turn the tide on child poverty. It is also the most cost-effective way of lifting children out of poverty.

Are tax rises the result of 'out-of-control' welfare spending? We've dug into the numbers to examine whether the scale of welfare spending has shifted, and how feasible it would be to cut it back significantly 👇

Not well understood that 6 in 10 families impacted by the two-child limit are in work, and that the vast majority have 3 or 4 children.

Here's everything you need to know about this morning's inflation data 🧵⤵️

At our recent event, Stephanie Flanders spoke about how the Government is doing better on the long-term stuff, than on the short-term. Catch up here 👉 buff.ly/eC4gWG3

Has the Budget rumour-mill gone too far? Excessive 'kite-flying' - leaking rumoured tax policies to test their reaction with the public - risks exacerbating market uncertainty.

Exciting news! LA Referencia and UbuntuNet Alliance have been selected as the first grantees of the IOI Fund for Network Adoption, with each receiving up to $1.5M in funding to expand open infrastructure for research across 35+ countries. Learn more: investinopen.org/blog/empower...

I'm proud to have received the innovation prize at last night's @smartthinking.bsky.social awards – for my and my colleagues' work producing an alternative to Labour Force Survey stats www.resolutionfoundation.org/our-work/est...

Terrific new role helping to develop Ada's research practice:

It's likely that the Government will need to find around £25 billion in tax rises at this month's Budget. Speaking this morning, our Chief Executive Ruth Curtice said the Chancellor faces important choices on who is affected by tax changes.

Found this piece about minimum wage catching up with entry level grad pay a bit odd. www.ft.com/content/b436... 1. Re min wage reducing incentive to go to uni. Yes at the margin, but I struggle to believe this can be a big effect? Going to uni raises lifetime earnings, not just at age 25.

If they don't implement significant policy changes, this Government will preside over the sharpest increase in child poverty by any Labour Government in the last 60 years ⤵️ Read 'No half measures' 👉 buff.ly/qVc9CWs

New post out: "The worst social policy ever" Today we have a guest post from @ruthpatrick0.bsky.social on the abomination that is the two-child limit and why Labour need to scrap it ASAP. Lots of data but also powerful testimony. (Free to read) open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/t...

Repealing the two-child limit in full is the most powerful policy lever the Government can pull to drive down child poverty rates. Read 'No half measures' now ⤵️ buff.ly/qVc9CWs

Did you know that government levies have driven more than half of the rise in electricity bills in recent years? Jonny Marshall explains a better way of doing things ⤵️ Read 'Splitting the bill' to find out how the Government can cut costs for three-in-four households ⤵️ buff.ly/sHhw6L1

The Employment Rights Bill will return to parliament this week. The bill will improve workers’ lives and bring our employment regulation into line with other advanced economies. But on unfair dismissal, the Government risks lurching from one extreme to the other ⤵️ buff.ly/WepH7zY

Taxes on typical employees *aren’t* unusually high, on either a historical or international basis, but the bias against them is. Read 🚨 new RF analysis 🚨 on the current state of personal taxation ⤵️ buff.ly/4ppe7Q8

Great opportunity to come and help shape our work here @resfoundation.bsky.social: www.resolutionfoundation.org/about-us/opp... (although you will have to work with me....)

RIP Terry Farrell architect of the least discreet intelligence agency building and many other enjoyable structures. Recommend his book on London. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Is the Government going to announce an end to the two-child limit this autumn? @ruthcurtice.bsky.social explains why they should ⤵️

Good to see the commitment to a job guarantee for young people long-term excluded from work or learning. Vital step. Lots of other elements needed to get this right. My recent thoughts. on.ft.com/3ILpb8T Let’s not forget the young people without GCSEs

Switching 2p from National Insurance to Income Tax could raise £6 billion while protecting workers’ pay packets. Here's what you need to know 👇 👇 👇

At our event Jennifer Dixon from @healthfoundation.bsky.social reflects on her experience on the Barnsley Commission that examined inactivity problems in the area. There was a particular job readiness challenge for young people post-pandemic…

This chart is 👌 (Via FT Alphaville) on.ft.com/3ICXT4B

👍 Good news: consumer debt (e.g. credit cards) is declining. 👎 Not-so-good news: Priority debt (energy, rent, Council Tax) is on the rise. @feliciao.bsky.social explains ⤵️

The even more unbelievable crime fact (which I learned relatively recently) is that burglary has fallen by more than 90% since the 1990s. Did anyone notice? Nope. Does anyone believe it? Nope. But is is true? It is!

And please read the full report by Adam Corlett: Call of duties: Revenue and reform for Autumn Budget 2025 www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications...

🚨Join our team as Lead Funding Manager - A Fairer Future! We're looking for an experienced funder who is committed to social justice and ambitious to help create change. This is a leadership role with a focus on Gender Justice and Children and Young People’s Rights.

The upcoming Budget presents various challenges. @ruthcurtice.bsky.social explains our recommendations for reform and revenue raising ⤵️

Almost half (47%) of families in the bottom half of the income distribution have less than £1,000 in liquid savings, almost three times the proportion as the top of half. These are the sort of funds that would be used to cover urgent needs - like a car break-down of broken boiler.

Building on five years of proven impact, Resolution Ventures is launching the UK’s first dedicated investment fund for technology that improves low-paid work. Read the the blog from Director of Ventures @louisemarston.bsky.social⬇️ buff.ly/7xVsGIk

Morning! Society for Hopeful Technologists newsletter #2 is arriving in inboxes now. A little bit on Musk and X, much more about future plans + organising buttondown.com/society-of-h... and great to have a group of fellow organisers coming together 💪

I'm delighted to announce the first close of the #WorkerTech Fund, the UK's first impact investment fund dedicated to improving low-paid work from Resolution Ventures. This builds on great work @resolutionfoundation over the last 5 years. Find out more: www.resolutionfoundation.org/comment/laun...

As someone who has been Extremely Online for more than 25 yrs, whose working life is one long hunt for weak signals/what's next, my advice for folks in the UK who don't really need to be on top of the news on an ongoing basis is to spend some regular time tuning out over the next few days

Those seeking debt advice today tend to have less credit card debt and more energy debt than pre-pandemic. Compared to 2019, the average Citizens Advice client in April-June 2025 owed around 40 per cent more in energy arrears and 30 per cent less in credit card debt, after adjusting for inflation.

I am delighted to announce that we are recruiting to three new roles in the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk’s senior team. Take a look if you want to help us grow our impact & develop our brilliant research (details of the Academy Director role will be up next week) 👇 micro.green-park.co.uk/ifg/

Starting now! Watch our event in which we'll discuss new RF research on lower-income families' savings, debts and arrears, and hear from leading experts on how to improve their financial reslience. www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/stron...

Fantastic to work with @anandmenon.bsky.social and others on this report out this morning. Big takeaway from our panel - is the government prepared to take on fights this Autumn to make progress on these challenges. Nothing left to lose, or the window of opportunity to be bold already passed?

📣 We're hiring! 📣 Do you have an interest in the economic and social policy of the UK and an eye for detail? Find out more about joining our team as a Researcher ⤵️ buff.ly/VVGWc14

How can employers go further to recruit and retain disabled workers? Join us on Thursday to hear from our expert panel on how Government and employers can make improvements. Sign-up➡️ buff.ly/1MIErm8

That awkward thing where you write an annual report called 'Low Pay Britain' but 'low pay' has been all but eliminated (on the standard hourly pay < 2/3 median measure). (Our 2025 Low Pay Britain report is out on Thursday, launch event here www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/new-d... )

The dominance of energy bills in driving inflation in recent years has meant that poorer households have faced signifcantly higher inflation than richer households. Lalitha Try explains ⤵️

Since 2000, energy prices have consistently outpaced both inflation and poorer households’ income growth 👇

🚨 New project alert! We're tackling gaps in UK poverty data with the Centre for Public Data, funded by @jrf-uk.bsky.social Exploring how missing data affects communities & how admin data can drive better policy 📊 🔗 Read more: rss.org.uk/news-publica...

If you're trying to follow along with the welfare and benefits changes, Louise has you covered here with more details on the consultation process, which concludes today:

Changing how we generate electricity means we also have to change how we use it. That means pricing electricity when and where it's expensive, to make our system more efficient and bring bills down - worth £200 a household. But there are risks to manage. [thread] tinyurl.com/y7z2u269

Who will be most affected by changes to the PIP assessment? @louisemurphy.bsky.social‬ explains the probable impacts on different groups by age and condition.