Latest Publications
We publish research reports and briefing papers under the following five main categories. Click a category below or use the search box to find what you are looking for.
Publication
Capital improvement: A proposal for a new in-work poverty benchmark for London employers
This report is the culmination of a three-year project supported by Trust for London examining the scale and impact of in-work poverty in London. It proposes the creation of a new employment benchmark, empowering employers to better support their staff.
| Published: | 24 July 2024 |
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| Author(s): | Richard Hyde, Jake Shepherd, Matthew Oakley |
Publication
Electric avenue: Increasing access to electric vehicles among low-income households
For many people in Britain, electric vehicles represent the most tangible aspect of the green transition, but high upfront costs mean they are disproportionately available to the richest households. This report looks at how to make EVs more affordable to poorer households, and the benefits they can offer them.
| Published: | 21 July 2024 |
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| Author(s): | Gideon Salutin, Jake Shepherd, Danila Patti |
Publication
Assuring growth: Making the UK a global leader in AI assurance technology
Artificial intelligence could boost the economy and public sector productivity, but for these benefits to materialise concerns around the safety and reliability of AI tools need to be allayed. This report looks at the rising demand for AI assurance technologies and sets out how the UK can get a head start in this market.
| Published: | 11 July 2024 |
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| Author(s): | Jam Kraprayoon, Bill Anderson-Samways |
Publication
Clearing the air: Confronting the costs to cloud adopters of restrictive software licensing practices
This report explores the costs of restrictive software licensing practices on the public and private sector. It reviews existing literature on the cloud, draws upon interviews with IT professionals who oversee usage of cloud services in their daily roles, and quantifies the potential economic harm resulting from these practices.
| Published: | 03 July 2024 |
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| Author(s): | Jake Shepherd, Hari Menon, Bohyun Bang |
Publication
Too much of a good thing? International students and the financial stability of English higher education
International students benefit the UK, but the speed of the increase in their numbers since 2019 has diluted these benefits and created pressures on student housing. This briefing lays out how to manage their numbers to reduce these pressures without creating a financial stability risk for the higher education sector.
| Published: | 25 June 2024 |
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| Author: | Zeki Dolen |
Publication
Crazy for you: What just happened, and where next, for the UK’s switchback policy on international students?
The debate around international students has taken a more negative tone both in the UK and in other major host countries over the past year. This report sets out the competing priorities around the policies – which lie at the intersection of higher education, immigration and trade – governing questions of the UK’s offer to and admission of international students.
| Published: | 25 June 2024 |
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| Author: | Jonathan Thomas |
Publication
Pensions: a vision for the future
The pensions landscape is complex and unsustainable in its current form. This report proposes a vision for a simpler, fairer and more sustainable pensions landscape, incorporating the three pillars of State Pension, workplace provision and personal provision into a holistic framework.
| Published: | 10 June 2024 |
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| Author: | Michael Johnson |
Publication
Testing patience: Reducing the burden of the English school curriculum
Nearly a decade on from the last major reforms, politicians are again turning their attention to the national curriculum. This briefing assesses claims that the curriculum is ‘too packed with content’, and sets out how curriculum and assessment reform can improve secondary level education in England.
| Published: | 07 May 2024 |
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| Author: | John Asthana Gibson |
Publication
Up for grabs? Public attitudes on the pensions ‘pot-for-life’ proposal
The SMF recently published proposals for ‘member choice’ over pensions, whereby individuals can direct their contributions to a scheme of their choice. Meanwhile, the government is consulting on related proposals for a ‘lifetime provider’ model. This paper presents evidence on public attitudes to these proposals, drawing on a survey of workers, and two expert roundtable discussions on the topic.
| Published: | 26 April 2024 |
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| Author: | Niamh O Regan |