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Economics & Social Policy Blogs
Freezing working age benefits is a short term solution
Matthew Oakley, Head of Economics & Social Policy at Policy Exchange, argues that the government’s plans to freeze working-age benefits is not a long-term solution. Matthew suggests that further government cuts should focus on bad expenditure or on where reforms could increase employment.
Let us face down the enemies of social reform
Writing in the Telegraph, Sean Worth, Head of Policy Exchange’s Better Public Services Project, argues that the Government must urgently reform public services as set out in report Do the Public Back More Reform of Public Services?In particular, he stresses that families should be able to choose the best free public services from the most reliable providers, whether government-run or privately run.
‘Predistribution’ is an interesting idea. But what exactly is Ed Miliband going to do about it?
Policy Exchange Director Neil O’Brien examines the concept of ‘predistribution’ and how it could be implemented in the real world. Neil suggests that tying predistribution to housing would be an effective start in helping the poor.
If We Want Growth, We Can’t Give Up On Public Sector Pay Reform
Ed Holmes, Senior Research Fellow for Economics & Social Policy at Policy Exchange, sets out the arguments in favour of dismantling national pay bargaining as set out in Local Pay, Local Growth. In particular, he stresses the report’s recommendation that money saved through pay reform be reinvested in local job creation and infrastructure projects.
How a northern pay-restraint-for-more-infrastructure deal would work
Matthew Oakley, Head of Economics & Social Policy at Policy Exchange, sets out how reforming public sector pay as set out in report Local Pay, Local Growth would free up £6.3 billion a year for tackling unemployment and modernising infrastructure.
Grey power is growing – and it can make Britain a better place
Policy Exchange Director Neil O’Brien examines the politics of having an increasingly aged population and argues that we need to learn to use the capabilities older people have to cope with the aging population.
It was the best of recessions, it was the worst of recessions
Policy Exchange Director Neil O’Brien’s latest blog for The Telegraph compares the recent recession to those in previous decades and argues that despite the relatively good labour market performance our public finances remain in a bad state.
Work and education, not benefits, are the keys to social mobility
In his latest blog for The Telegraph, Policy Exchange Director Neil O’Brien praises a speech recently made by Nick Boles MP. Neil agrees with his message and says the government should redirect resources from benifits to children towards helping parents to earn more.
The public is more than ready to see benefits made fair
Policy Exchange Director Neil O’Brien calls for the re-establishment of the contributory principle in the welfare system. He praises the government for strengthening jobsearch requirements but says that more needs to be done to target those furthest away from the labour market and tailor support towards their specific needs.
Why we should change the child poverty target
Policy Exchange Director Neil O’Brien shows why we should change the Child Poverty Target – which currently only measures inequality rather than actual poverty – to one which measures a range of indicators including unemployment and education.
