Commentary & Podcasts

SMF Chief Economist Nida Broughton looks ahead to the 2015 Autumn Statement and assesses how easy the job of setting out spending cuts looking for the Chancellor, and whether there room for some cuts to be cancelled?

The Treasury Select Committee has a reputation for being one of the fiercest in parliament but what's surprising is that the committee hasn’t taken on board changes in the retail banking market and new research since the last time they looked at these issues, writes SMF Economist Katie Evans.

The UK pensions’ landscape has changed dramatically following the implementation of the ‘freedom and choice’ reforms on 6 April 2015.

"A new tax credit deal must ensure any cuts are phased in gradually – but doing this can still give Osborne what he wants by 2020."

Faced with a backlash on proposed cuts to Tax Credits, the Chancellor is being pressed to tweak, rethink and amend his approach to mitigate the impacts on low-income families.

Senior researcher Matthew Oakley argues that cutting tax credits appears a logical step for a government which wants a low welfare, high wage economy. However, the recent media focus on tax credits distracts from the real help which must now be given to families and individuals which will enable them to increase their hours and earnings in order to mitigate the impacts.