Shaping the policy agenda: For better public services, a stronger society and a more dynamic economy American Friends
Economics & Social Policy
Economics & Social Policy
"taking responsibility"
By encouraging responsibility by individuals, government and business we believe that growth can be secured, public services improved and better outcomes delivered for families across the UK.
Lord Sainsbury set out a new approach for policymakers across the political spectrum as he introduced his new book Progressive Capitalism: How to Achieve Economic Growth, Liberty and Social Justice.
Would reform of employment support boost employment?
Policy Exchange asks whether it is time for fundamental reform of Jobcentre Plus and what models for reform might help more people get into and stay in work.
As part of its programme of work on the UK labour market and welfare reform, Policy Exchange is issuing a call for evidence on how welfare provision and employment support can be better coordinated and financed at a local level.
Rt Hon Michael Fallon MP gave a speech at Policy Exchange setting out the government's plans for reforming the Royal Mail. Fallon revealed his preference for raising private capital for the company was through an IPO, with 10% of shares going to staff members and gave assurances over services for the blind, armed forces and rural areas. Watch video
A leader column in The Financial Times supports the proposal made in Policy Exchange's aviation report Bigger & Quieter by Tim Leunig, to build four new runways to the West of the current Heathrow site to help increase the UK’s aviation capacity.
The Daily Mail covers the decision by the Transport Select Committee to consider Policy Exchange's recommendation from report Bigger and Quieter to build four new runways to the west of the current Heathrow site.
Policy Exchange's response to the DWP’s labour market interventions consultation, Slow Progress says that there must be greater conditions for in-work claimants to ensure that they are doing all they can to increase their hours and earnings. The introduction of Universal Credit this year provides the government with an opportunity to ensure that workers reliant on state benefits are explicitly asked to do more to find more work where possible.
Outcomes, Not Just Incomes says that nearly one in five children (2.3 million) across the UK are living materially deprived lives and are not included in the government’s headline measure of relative income poverty. This is despite £170 billion of expenditure between 2003 and 2010. The report identifies a number of problems with the existing measure of child poverty and recommends a new Child Poverty Bill that would measure social poverty as well as household income.
Matthew Oakley, Head of Economics & Social Policy at Policy Exchange, argues that welfare reforms to date should mark the start of what should be a decade of welfare reform, with future reforms focusing on individual responsibilities and on improving state support.
Matthew Oakley, Policy Exchange's Head of Economics & Social Policy, responds in a letter to The Financial Times to a recent article in the paper on the impact of April's changes to welfare which showed Northern cities being most affected by the cuts. Matthew pointed out that areas with the highest unemployment will naturally see higher benefit cuts, and stressed that what worse-off areas really need is private sector jobs and growth.
Policy Exchange is delighted to welcome Lord David Sainsbury to present the key themes from his book, Progressive Capitalism, which sets out a new approach for policymakers across the political spectrum based on the importance of institutions, the role of the state, and the measurement of economic success defined by social justice as well as economic growth.
Though it is often noted that some 75% of customers claiming Jobseekers Allowance who come the doors of Jobcentre Plus are off benefit again within six months, it is less well known that only around half of these are still in work eight months later; a third are claiming benefits again. With this in mind, we ask whether it is time for fundamental reform of Jobcentre Plus and what models for reform might help more people get into and stay in work?
