🚨Next event🚨 Join us in the new year as we discuss what’s in store UK politics, economics and living standards in 2026. Sign-up here➡️ buff.ly/slm1c9N

🚨 Major event🚨 Two years on from the publication of the Resolution Foundation’s seminal book – Ending Stagnation: A New Economic Strategy for Britain - we're hosting a major event to take stock of Britain’s prospects for growth, and how they can improved. Sign-up now➡️ buff.ly/NigCdZ3

🚨Next event🚨 Join us in the new year as we discuss what’s in store UK politics, economics and living standards in 2026. Sign-up here➡️ buff.ly/slm1c9N

🚨 Major event🚨 Two years on from the publication of the Resolution Foundation’s seminal book – Ending Stagnation: A New Economic Strategy for Britain - we're hosting a major event to take stock of Britain’s prospects for growth, and how they can improved. Sign-up now➡️ buff.ly/NigCdZ3

🚨Next event🚨 Join us in the new year as we discuss what’s in store UK politics, economics and living standards in 2026. Sign-up here➡️ buff.ly/slm1c9N

🚨 Major event🚨 Two years on from the publication of the Resolution Foundation’s seminal book – Ending Stagnation: A New Economic Strategy for Britain - we're hosting a major event to take stock of Britain’s prospects for growth, and how they can improved. Sign-up now➡️ buff.ly/NigCdZ3

🚨Next event🚨 Join us in the new year as we discuss what’s in store UK politics, economics and living standards in 2026. Sign-up here➡️ buff.ly/slm1c9N

🎄It’s nearly Christmas which means it’s time for the Top of the Charts quiz of the year buff.ly/U64m34M 🎄 And you can read the Top of the Charts Christmas special now➡️ buff.ly/xZTJGCJ

📢 Latest employment rate data! We've calculated (based on admin data and population estimates), that the employment rate has fallen to 75.3%, down from a high of 76.6% in 2023.

Care workers are increasingly unhappy with their pay, despite the significant lifting of the wage floor in recent years. @charliemccurdy.bsky.social breaks down why that might be the case ⤵️

🎄It’s nearly Christmas which means it’s time for the Top of the Charts quiz of the year buff.ly/U64m34M 🎄 And you can read the Top of the Charts Christmas special now➡️ buff.ly/xZTJGCJ

🏠 Rents rose 4.4% in the year to November 2025 🏠 That's a welcome drop from a 2024 peak of 9%. This slowdown looks set to continue given the growth rate among *new* tenancies sits at 2.2% (although the uptick in recent months remains worth watching).

Our recent analysis shows that the Scottish government's new approach to disability benefits has not proven to be a "light touch", despite focusing on delivering "dignity, fairness and respect". @louisemurphy.bsky.social explains the impact of the new approach ⤵️

The latest data from the ONS showed an unexpectedly big drop in the rate of price rises, which is very good news! But more worryingly, wage growth is slowing even more sharply with further slowing in likely in the coming months, in bad news for living standards.

Recent reforms to Scottish disability payments suggest that the system can be kinder without being costlier. The new system has not significantly increased costs, with fewer enhanced awards being paid in Scotland than for PIP in England and Wales ⤵️ buff.ly/IHtIJrE

When the Scottish Government replaced PIP in 2022, it set out to do things differently. Although the new benefit has the same criteria and is paid at the same rate, it was designed for “dignity, fairness and respect”. Ben Geiger breaks down how radical the changes actually were ⤵️ buff.ly/OKobsYV

Tax and benefit measures announced this Parliament so far benefit children the most. This is due to the abolition of the two-child limit, the expansion of Free School Meals to children in families receiving UC in England, and the above-inflation increases to the UC standard allowance.

Care workers are increasingly unhappy with their pay, despite the significant lifting of the wage floor in recent years. @charliemccurdy.bsky.social breaks down why that might be the case ⤵️

When the Scottish Government replaced PIP in 2022, it set out to do things differently. Although the new benefit has the same criteria & is paid at the same rate, it was designed for “dignity, fairness and respect”. @benbgeiger.bsky.social explains ⤵️ buff.ly/OKobsYV

What is contributing to the staffing crisis in adult social care? Social care providers say the main cause is better pay elsewhere. Learn how the Government can make the proposed Fair Pay Agreement and Adult Social Care Negotiating Body a sucess ➡️ buff.ly/oQaUu6D

This Government has hugely increased public spending, which will have large in-kind benefits for households. All families will benefit, but poorer households will benefit more as they rely more on public services, which represent a larger proportion of their income.

Is runaway welfare spending to blame for the Chancellor's fiscal challenges? We dig into the numbers⤵️

🏡 New planning data out today! It shows that approvals for new housing developments in England are *close to record lows*, leaving the Government with a mountain to climb to reach its housebuilding target. Check out our interactive charts to see planning trends in your region 👇 buff.ly/a2Z2MjZ

Inflation is now falling decisively. The rate of price rises was down 0.4pp in November at 3.2%, a much larger fall than was expected. That being said, the UK remains an inflation outlier compared to other G7 countries.

📢 Latest employment rate data! We've calculated (based on admin data and population estimates), that the employment rate has fallen to 75.3%, down from a high of 76.6% in 2023.

Our recent analysis shows that the Scottish government's new approach to disability benefits has not proven to be a "light touch", despite focusing on delivering "dignity, fairness and respect". @louisemurphy.bsky.social explains the impact of the new approach ⤵️

Welfare spending has held roughly steady as a share of the economy since 2007. Find out more ⤵️ buff.ly/CZR0otG

Excellent and important look at the Scottish government's new approach to disability benefits and how it is performing compared to Personal Independence Payments thus far:

There was a welcome fall in the *price* of food last month, as costs dropped by 0.2 per cent on the previous month. But this chart reminds you that the big picture remains one of a huge rise in the cost of essentials, hitting those on lower incomes hardest.

Fair Pay Agreements (or FPAs) were implemented in New Zealand... then repealed a year later. @nehaldavison.bsky.social, who was involved in their design, explains what the UK can learn from this unsuccessful attempt to improve pay and conditions in sectors like adult social care.

Among new ADP applicants who received a decision between January and July 2025, 44 per cent of mobility awards and 35 per cent of daily living awards were paid at the ‘enhanced’ level. These are both smaller proportions than for new PIP applicants in England and Wales. ➡️ buff.ly/OAMzq06

🏠 Rents rose 4.4% in the year to November 2025 🏠 That's a welcome drop from a 2024 peak of 9%. This slowdown looks set to continue given the growth rate among *new* tenancies sits at 2.2% (although the uptick in recent months remains worth watching).

The latest data from the ONS showed an unexpectedly big drop in the rate of price rises, which is very good news! But more worryingly, wage growth is slowing even more sharply with further slowing in likely in the coming months, in bad news for living standards.

The ONS published new data on private rent inflation this morning, showing that 🚨 rents rose 4.4% 🚨 in the year to Nov 25, down from a 2024 peak of 9%. Here's what you need to know ⤵️ 🧵

As with most economic downturns, young people are bearing the brunt of a falling employment rate. (Although the current episode of rising unemployment is not yet of equal scale to previous labour market downturns)

Find out why Gavin Edwards is "hugely optimistic" about the implementation of Fair Pay Agreements in the adult social care sector ⤵️

There was a welcome fall in the *price* of food this month, as costs here dropped by 0.2 per cent on the previous month. But this chart reminds you that the big picture remains one of a huge rise in the cost of essentials, hitting those on lower incomes hardest.

Inflation is now falling decisively. The rate of price rises was down 0.4pp in November at 3.2%, a much larger fall than was expected. That being said, the UK remains an inflation outlier compared to other G7 countries.

Bank of England rate cut is all but nailed on as inflation unexpectedly drops to 3.2 per cent ⤵️ buff.ly/wS78YmL

Let's try that again! Welcome, surprise fall in UK inflation this morning with CPI at 3.2% in November, down from 3.6% in October (market and BoE expectations were for a smaller fall). This release surely nails on a rate cut from BoE tomorrow. Short thread to follow...

Welfare spending has held roughly steady as a share of the economy since 2007. Find out more ⤵️ buff.ly/CZR0otG

Adult social care workers provide a vital public service, but this is not reflected in their pay and job conditions. So, it is welcome that the Government is creating the Adult Social Care Negotiating Body - our latest briefing note looks at how to ensure its success. ➡️ buff.ly/veEOJFN

Figures suggest that in 2024, 21,300 care workers were paid less than the minimum wage, likely higher once we account for unpaid travel time. The Fair Work Agency should play a central role in ensuring compliance with the Fair Pay Agreement, ensuring it is taken seriously by employers.

Could the Chancellor have done more on tax reform in the Budget? At our event last week, Yael Selfin, Vice Chair and Chief Economist at KPMG, said the Chancellor had missed an opportunity to boost growth through tax reform. Catch up on the full discussion here: buff.ly/8H3Wiqh

Reforms to Scottish disability payments imply the system can be kinder w/o being costlier. The Scottish benefit is paid at the same rate, but delivered with greater dignity and empathy (according to claimants). Fewer enhanced awards have been paid in Scotland ⤵️ buff.ly/IHtIJrE

What is constraining government capital investment in the UK? Speakng at the Treasury Select Committe this week, Ruth Curtice argued it was less to do with fiscal rules and more to do with the UK's higher borrowing costs.

In 2022, the Scottish Government introduced the Adult Disability Benefit (ADP), replacing Personal Independence Payment (PIP). Adult disability benefit applications in Scotland initially spiked, but by 2025, trends look similar across Great Britain.

📢 Latest employment rate data! We've calculated (based on admin data and population estimates), that the employment rate has fallen to 75.3%, down from a high of 76.6% in 2023.

Asking how a Fair Pay Agreement could improve working conditioners for people in the adult social care sector is important for several reasons. @nyecominetti.bsky.social has laid them out ⤵️

Today’s labour market stats show a weakening jobs market, with rising unemployment and flatlining real pay. Some @resolutionfoundation.org key takeaways from me and @louisemurphy.bsky.social 🧵 ...