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PODCAST

IFS Zooms In: The Economy

Institute for Fiscal Studies

Step beyond the headlines with in-depth, independent analysis from the experts at the Institute for Fiscal Studies. Hosted by IFS Director Helen Miller, this podcast brings you objective insights from the researchers shaping the debate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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All Episodes

44:59

The tough choices facing Wales’s next government

IFS Zooms In: The Economy ·

2026/04/15

In a few weeks, voters in Wales will choose the next Welsh Government in what could be a historic election. With Labour’s long dominance under pressure, this episode examines the fiscal backdrop to the campaign and the difficult choices facing whoever takes power.Helen is joined by Joe Rossiter, Co-Director of the Institute of Welsh Affairs, and IFS economist David Phillips, to discuss how Wales is funded, how the block grant from Westminster has changed over time, and how devolved tax powers have —

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46:57

What does this election mean for Scotland’s future?

IFS Zooms In: The Economy ·

2026/04/08

Scotland receives significantly more funding per person for devolved public services than England, helping to pay for policies like free university tuition and smaller school class sizes. But despite that advantage, performance in parts of health and education remains under pressure, and Scotland’s fiscal outlook is becoming tighter.In this episode, Helen is joined by Mairi Spowage of the Fraser of Allander Institute and IFS Associate Director David Phillips to unpack the big economic and fiscal

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44:24

Will everyone have to work until they are 67?

IFS Zooms In: The Economy ·

2026/03/26

The state pension age is rising. It is currently 66, and by 2028 it will reach 67. But what does that actually mean for the people approaching retirement, and does it really mean everyone will have to work longer?In this episode, Helen is joined by Jonathan Cribb and Heidi Karjalainen to examine one of the biggest questions facing the pensions system: how high should the state pension age be? They discuss why it has been rising, what the state pension is designed to do, and how changes to the

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40:39

Are pensioners richer than everyone else?

IFS Zooms In: The Economy ·

2026/03/20

For decades, pensioners were one of the poorest groups in Britain. That is no longer true. Today, the average pensioner is at least as well off as the average working-age person, and in wealth terms many are far better off.In this episode, Helen Miller is joined by Jonathan Cribb and Heidi Karjalainen to examine what the data really say about pensioner incomes, wealth and living standards. Where does pensioners’ money come from? How much is driven by the state pension, private pensions and housing

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40:47

The Spring Forecast explained

IFS Zooms In: The Economy ·

2026/03/04

Helen Miller is joined by IFS colleagues Ben Zaranko and Bee Boileau to discuss the Spring Forecast. The headline numbers haven’t moved much since the autumn, but that stability may not last. With conflict in the Middle East pushing up oil and gas prices, the UK faces a potential negative shock: higher inflation, pressure on interest rates, and a tougher outlook for households, businesses and the public finances.We discuss what higher energy prices could mean for government policy (from fuel duty

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47:30

How to fix the fiscal rules

IFS Zooms In: The Economy ·

2026/02/19

Fiscal rules can sound technical, but they shape some of the biggest choices in economic policy: what we spend today, what we invest for tomorrow, and how we share costs across generations.In this episode of IFS Zooms In, Helen is joined by Ben Zaranko to unpack why governments use fiscal rules, what the UK’s current rules are designed to do, and why - despite repeated promises - debt has continued to ratchet upwards. They discuss how a narrow, pass–fail approach has encouraged a fixation on

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49:30

Are Plan 2 student loans 'unfair'?

IFS Zooms In: The Economy ·

2026/02/12

On average, students now leave university with just over £50,000 in student loan debt. Repayments are income-contingent: many graduates will repay little or nothing, while others repay 9% of their income above a threshold for decades, often watching the outstanding balance rise. That design has led some to argue the system is unfair and to argue that students were mis-sold loans whose terms have shifted over time.In this episode, Helen is joined by Nick Hillman, Director of the Higher Education

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52:11

Did inflation cause the cost of living crisis?

IFS Zooms In: The Economy ·

2026/02/06

Inflation has fallen a long way from its peak - but many people still feel worse off, and price rises have remained stubbornly above the Bank of England’s 2% target. So what actually caused the big inflation spike, how close are we to “normal”, and what does that mean for households?Helen is joined by David Miles (OBR and former member of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee) and Peter Levell (IFS) to break down the basics: what inflation is, why central banks target 2% rather than 0%,

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37:54

Does the minimum wage cost jobs?

IFS Zooms In: The Economy ·

2026/01/29

The UK minimum wage is one of the biggest economic policy changes of the past few decades. Introduced in 1999 at £3.60 an hour, it’s now over £12 and it shapes pay for a large share of the workforce. But what has it done to jobs? And if firms pay higher wages, where does the money come from - higher prices, lower profits, or higher productivity?In this episode, Helen is joined by Eduin Latimer (IFS) and Professor Alan Manning (LSE) to unpack what we do and don’t know about the minimum wage. We look

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37:44

Why isn’t the NHS improving faster?

IFS Zooms In: The Economy ·

2026/01/16

The NHS holds a unique place in British life: a source of national pride, and the single biggest public service in England. This year it’s set to cost over £200 billion, around £3,500 per person, more than we spend on education, defence, justice and transport combined. And yet, despite sustained funding increases and around a quarter of a million more staff than in 2019, concerns about performance haven’t gone away.Labour came into office promising to get a grip on record waiting times, but progress

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42:45

What Really Matters for the UK Economy in 2026

IFS Zooms In: The Economy ·

2026/01/09

Moving into 2026, the government faces a critical period of delivery. After 18 months in power and several major fiscal events behind them, the focus is shifting from setting policy to seeing it through. However, with unemployment reaching 5.1% and a series of high-stakes reviews underway, the road ahead remains complex.In this episode, we are joined by Christine Farquharson and Tom Waters to examine the economic landscape for the year ahead. We look at the rising pressures on the public purse, from

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39:22

Tax changes in the Budget

IFS Zooms In: The Economy ·

2025/12/05

As ever the big-picture choices in the Budget dominated media coverage - but some of the most interesting changes were buried in the detail. From electric vehicles to tourist tax, how much do these quieter tax shifts really matter?In this episode, we dig into the lesser-noticed policies: why the government is offering upfront EV grants while planning a per-mile tax, how tweaks to salary sacrifice and cash ISAs could shape saving behaviour, and what the changes to EIS and EMI mean for investment and

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45:47

The Autumn Budget explained

IFS Zooms In: The Economy ·

2025/11/27

This week on IFS Zooms In, host Helen Miller is joined by IFS economists Ben Zaranko and Christine Farquharson to unpack one of the biggest Autumn Budgets in years. With seventy-five policy measures, major tax and spending changes, and a striking shift in the economic forecasts, this was a Budget that surprised almost everyone.Helen, Ben and Christine break down:Why the expected “fiscal repair job” never arrivedHow a “lucky” surge in forecast tax receipts reshaped the Chancellor’s optionsThe major

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41:20

How could the Chancellor cut spending?

IFS Zooms In: The Economy ·

2025/11/20

As the Chancellor prepares her Budget, attention is turning not just to how she could raise more tax - but how she might cut spending. Where does the government actually spend its money? Why is it so difficult to reduce that spending in practice? And what would it take to genuinely pare back the size of the state?Helen Miller is joined by IFS colleagues Ben Zaranko and Tom Waters to unpack the realities behind public spending. They look at how the government’s budget is divided across welfare,

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40:15

Is the UK in hock to the bond market?

IFS Zooms In: The Economy ·

2025/11/13

The bond market plays a crucial role in shaping government spending decisions - but how much power does it really have? With a Budget around the corner, are investors or Rachel Reeves setting the limits on fiscal policy?In this episode, we unpack how the government borrows, why it’s so expensive right now, and what “fiscal credibility” really means. Joining Helen are Jack Meaning, Chief Economist at Barclays, and Ben Zaranko, IFS, to discuss the state of the bond market, the lessons from the Liz

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52:17

How could the Chancellor raise more tax?

IFS Zooms In: The Economy ·

2025/11/06

As the Chancellor prepares for her next Budget, attention is turning to how more tax revenue could be raised. What options are on the table - and what would they mean for households, businesses and the wider economy?Helen Miller is joined by IFS colleague Stuart Adam and tax expert Dan Neidle to explore the choices facing the Treasury. They discuss options from income tax and frozen thresholds to landlords, partnerships, pensions, and property taxes, asking which levers make sense and which should

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44:28

How to fix VAT

IFS Zooms In: The Economy ·

2025/11/04

Why are chocolate-covered shortbread and plain shortbread taxed differently? The UK’s VAT system is full of bizarre inconsistencies that make it complex, inefficient, and unfair.In this episode, we dive into how VAT works, why economists tend to love it in theory, and why the UK’s version falls short in practice. We explore zero and reduced rates, exemptions, myths about regressivity, and discuss how simplifying VAT could make it fairer and less distortionary.In the fourth and final episode of our

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49:36

How to fix property taxes

IFS Zooms In: The Economy ·

2025/10/30

From council tax and stamp duty to business rates and taxes on landlords, the UK’s system for taxing property is complicated, inconsistent, and long overdue for reform.Homes aren’t just places to live - they’re also assets and a major form of saving - which makes deciding how to tax them especially tricky. In this episode, Helen is joined by Stuart Adam and Ben Zaranko to explore how property is currently taxed, what’s gone wrong, and how it could be made fairer and more efficient.Become a member:

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1:05:37

How to fix wealth taxes

IFS Zooms In: The Economy ·

2025/10/27

--> Sign up to our live podcast on 4th November: https://ifs.org.uk/events/ifs-zooms-live-how-could-chancellor-raise-more-taxIn the second episode of our mini-series on how to fix the UK’s tax system, Helen is joined by Stuart Adam and Ben Zaranko to explore one of the most contentious areas of taxation - savings and wealth.Why do people who earn through investments often pay lower taxes than those earning a salary? Why do business owners and landlords sometimes end up both undertaxed and

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43:27

How to fix income tax

IFS Zooms In: The Economy ·

2025/10/21

--> Sign up to our live podcast in London on 4th November: http://eepurl.com/jonGY-/In the first episode of our new mini-series on how to fix the UK’s tax system, Helen is joined by Stuart Adam and Ben Zaranko to explore income tax - the cornerstone of government revenue, and one of the most confusing parts of our system. Why do we have two separate taxes on earnings? Why do odd kinks and cliff edges exist that distort behaviour? And what would a well-designed income tax actually look like?This

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181 results

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