Working harder, getting nowhere? @mikebrewerecon.bsky.social walks you through the experience of Unsung Britain, in our latest Substack ⤵️ buff.ly/ANatmtg

Disability is up everywhere, but still affects poorer families more than the better-off families. Read Unsung Britain here ⤵️ buff.ly/7WcqrbQ

2026 may be the start of a new era when deaths outnumber births in the UK This would be a seismic demographic shift and mean that future population growth was reliant on net internal migration, which the latest data suggest is also plummeting. Research Director @gthwaites.bsky.social explains ⤵️

We’ve seen a *massive* swing away from homeownership into expensive private renting. Mortgaged families dropped from 30% to 17% of Unsung Britain, while private renters nearly doubled. Almost as many people live with parents (15%) as own with a mortgage (17%).

"Ours is a farm landscape" 🌾 Fiona Reynolds argues that we can restore nature through farming. Catch the full discussion on decarbonising British agriculture 👇 buff.ly/fIA3BpU

What does this year hold for living standards? Happily, we expect to see a welcome boost... but it will sadly be short-lived. @louisemurphy.bsky.social explains 👇 buff.ly/siFTYAC

We *can* decarbonise agriculture without harming living standards. 🌱 Here's how⬇️

Britain’s ‘unsung’ army is the million people in poorer working-age households who now have full-time unpaid caring responsibilities.

To round off this week's Unsung Britain conference & book launch, today's Top of the charts is a – you guessed it – Unsung Britain special. @mikebrewerecon.bsky.social highlights a few areas that provoked debate this week, or really stood out from the past 18 months of research 👇

In some respects, Universal Credit has worked as intended. The system has successfuly reduced very high marginal effective tax rates and participation tax rates ⤵️

Benefitting less? The richer half of the country actually saw a bigger proportional increase in their benefit income (of 14%) than the poorer half (of 4%) over the past three decades, and the bottom quartile specifically, experienced a real terms fall in benefit income (of 13%).

Council Tax has become increasingly regressive. It now takes nearly 5% of income from the poorest families but barely 1% from the richest. For many, it's become a grinding monthly obligation to rival the Poll Tax.

Have less, pay more: The ‘necessities’ budget share has soared at the bottom end.

People have faced crushing cost rises in recent years. How much of a difference can governments make? We asked Scarlett Maguire ⤵️ Subscribe to our podcast to hear more 👉 buff.ly/WvWw08q

Unsung Britain has faced crushing costs in recent years. @lalithatry.bsky.social explains why inflation has not been experienced evenly across the income distribution 👇

Thinking of a career in think tanks? We're hosting a webinar for undergraduates or those with similar experience interested in working in the sector. We'll have speakers from numerous organisations sharing their insight and experience. Register here 👉 buff.ly/a3cO0df

This week Andy Burnham, the @mayorofgm.bsky.social, addressed our conference about the need to refocus political debate on the people of Unsung Britain. Watch his speech in full here 👉 buff.ly/iVWFmbY

An 11 ppt swing from mortgagers to renters over the 3 decades since 1995 means that 8.6 million people in lower-income families rent from a private landlord. These people spend on average 43 per cent of their total household budget on rent. Read Unsung Britain now ⤵️ buff.ly/7WcqrbQ

At the launch of Unsung Britain, Ruth Curtice reflected on the root causes of the loss of trust in politics ⤵️

There have been various changes – or, more bluntly, cuts – to a host of benefit rates during the years after 2010 ⤵️

The 13 million working-age families across the poorest half of the country are widely courted by politicians. But despite working harder they have had to grapple with shrinking pay rises, higher costs and a growing struggle with their health. Read Unsung Britain today 👉 buff.ly/7WcqrbQ

The Government should prioritise bringing down energy bills by moving more of the cost of government policy into general taxation. Read Unsung Britain now ⤵️ buff.ly/7WcqrbQ

At the launch of Unsung Britain, Ruth Curtice reflected on the root causes of the loss of trust in politics ⤵️

Have less, pay more: The ‘necessities’ budget share has soared at the bottom end.

We’ve seen a *massive* swing away from homeownership into expensive private renting. Mortgaged families dropped from 30% to 17% of Unsung Britain, while private renters nearly doubled. Almost as many people live with parents (15%) as own with a mortgage (17%).

Council Tax has become increasingly regressive. It now takes nearly 5% of income from the poorest families but barely 1% from the richest. For many, it's become a grinding monthly obligation to rival the Poll Tax.

Disability is up everywhere, but still affects poorer families more than the better-off families. Read Unsung Britain here ⤵️ buff.ly/7WcqrbQ

Yesterday Andy Burnham, the @mayorofgm.bsky.social, addressed our conference about the need to refocus political debate on the people of Unsung Britain. Watch his speech in full here 👉 buff.ly/iVWFmbY

Is our regulatory system up to the task of tackling the cost of living crisis? We asked the Chief Executive of the Financial Conduct Authority 📽️

Benefitting less? The richer half of the country actually saw a bigger proportional increase in their benefit income (of 14 per cent) than the poorer half (of 4 per cent) over the past three decades, and the bottom quartile experienced a real terms fall in benefit income (of 13 per cent).

Speaking to the Unsung Britain conference yesterday, @claremoriarty.bsky.social from @citizensadvice.bsky.social emphasised the importance of joined up policy making ⤵️

Unsung Britain has faced crushing costs in recent years. @lalithatry.bsky.social explains why inflation has not been experienced evenly across the income distribution 👇

Our book Unsung Britain reveals that squeezed families now face waiting more than a lifetime for the doubling of living standards we used to enjoy every 40 years. Full findings here 👉 buff.ly/7WcqrbQ

At the launch of Unsung Britain, @ruthcurtice.bsky.social reflected on the root causes of the loss of trust in politics ⤵️

How can living standards stagnate, while people are working more? @mikebrewerecon.bsky.social explains ⤵️

Working harder, getting nowhere? @mikebrewerecon.bsky.social walks you through the experience of Unsung Britain, in our latest Substack ⤵️ buff.ly/ANatmtg

Britain’s ‘unsung’ army is the million people in poorer working-age households who now have full-time unpaid caring responsibilities.

Unsung Britain has faced crushing costs in recent years. Explore our findings today, to learn how the living standards slowdown precedes the cost of living crisis ⤵️ buff.ly/7WcqrbQ

An 11 ppt swing from mortgagers to renters over the 3 decades since 1995 means that 8.6 million people in lower-income families rent from a private landlord. These people spend on average 43 per cent of their total household budget on rent. Read Unsung Britain now ⤵️ buff.ly/7WcqrbQ

Working isn't working. Our analysis confirms that work is not a guaranteed route out of poverty. In the latest data, the majority (55 per cent) of non-pensioner families in poverty had someone in work. This is up from fewer than two-in-five families in the mid-1990s.

What does this year hold for living standards? Happily, we expect to see a welcome boost... but it will sadly be short-lived. @louisemurphy.bsky.social explains 👇 buff.ly/siFTYAC

Working harder, getting nowhere? @mikebrewerecon.bsky.social walks you through the experience of Unsung Britain, in our latest Substack ⤵️ buff.ly/ANatmtg

Have less, pay more: The ‘necessities’ budget share has soared at the bottom end.

🚨 Major NEW research published today 🚨 Our book Unsung Britain reveals that squeezed families now face waiting more than a lifetime for the doubling of living standards we used to enjoy every 40 years. Full findings here 👉 buff.ly/7WcqrbQ

Today we at @resolutionfoundation.org have published Unsung Britain, a book about the 13 million working-age families in the poorer half of Britain.

There have been various changes – or, more bluntly, cuts – to a host of benefit rates during the years after 2010 ⤵️

Britain’s ‘unsung’ army is the million people in poorer working-age households who now have full-time unpaid caring responsibilities.

The 13 million working-age families across the poorest half of the country are widely courted by politicians. But despite working harder they have seen their disposable incomes stagnate, as they grapple with higher costs and struggle with their health needs. Read Unsung Britain 👉 buff.ly/7WcqrbQ

⏰️ Live shortly! Tune in to hear a Keynote and Q&A with Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester Chair Ruth Curtice, Chief Executive of the Resolution Foundation ⤵️ buff.ly/TbXMmu8

The Government should prioritise bringing down energy bills by moving more of the cost of government policy into general taxation. Read Unsung Britain now ⤵️ buff.ly/7WcqrbQ