This report sets out the nature of poverty in the UK, and evaluates changes under the last Conservative-led Government. It also sets out the scale of action necessary for the current Government to del...

There might almost seem to be a deliberate campaign by some of the press to mislead or distort the rules and rates around benefits entitlements. In particular, there seems to be a trend, amongst the u...

There might almost seem to be a deliberate campaign by some of the press to mislead or distort the rules and rates around benefits entitlements. In particular, there seems to be a trend, amongst the u...

Welfare reform commentary and analysis

Neil Couling said failings by individual claimants ‘at the heart’ of crisis, despite a report finding DWP shortcomings ‘unacceptable’

I had not got my head around the two children rules until I heard from my friend Gareth Morgan at our webinar and from Alan Chaplin who highlighted this wondrous piece on social media. This piece is by Gareth Morgan on December 1, 2025 The abolition of the two-child benefit limit in the budget attracted a lot of comment. From the Government and its supporters came a stream of articles and postings lauding the action at the number of families and children that it will lift out of poverty.

I had not got my head around the two children rules until I heard from my friend Gareth Morgan at our webinar and from Alan Chaplin who highlighted this wondrous piece on social media. This piece i…

Welfare reform commentary and analysis

Welfare reform commentary and analysis

The DWP have published some analysis, for the first time, which looks at Pension Credit take-up in a much more detailed manner. For the first time it’s possible to see local authority and Westminster ...

The DWP have published some analysis, for the first time, which looks at Pension Credit take-up in a much more detailed manner. For the first time it’s possible to see local authority and Westminster ...

The DWP have published some analysis, for the first time, which looks at Pension Credit take-up in a much more detailed manner. For the first time it’s possible to see local authority and Westminster ...

Big differences in Pension Credit take-up revealed by Gareth Morgan on October 31, 2025 The DWP have published some analysis, for the first time, which looks at Pension Credit take-up in a much mor…

The DWP have published some analysis, for the first time, which looks at Pension Credit take-up in a much more detailed manner. For the first time it’s possible to see local authority and Westminster ...

The real winner from a National Living Wage increase is the Treasury which can take over 90% of the extra paid.  The biggest losers are employers.  I have written, for several years, in my blog about ...

The real winner from a National Living Wage increase is the Treasury which can take over 90% of the extra paid.  The biggest losers are employers.  I have written, for several years, in my blog about ...

The real winner from a National Living Wage increase is the Treasury which can take over 90% of the extra paid.  The biggest losers are employers.  I have written, for several years, in my blog about ...

Report of the Work and Pensions Committee

We've been looking into pensioner poverty to find out how to improve access to and take-up of Pension Credit and other support. 📹 Watch @gmorgan_ferret share with us the challenges people may face and why they don't claim for benefits. https://t.co/m5JC56QDdZ

My annual updated version of the blogs which were posted here in April 2021, November 2022,  and November 2023.  This now uses the NLW figure of £12.21 an hour, and the changes to employers NI announc...

My annual updated version of the blogs which were posted here in April 2021, November 2022,  and November 2023.  This now uses the NLW figure of £12.21 an hour, and the changes to employers NI announc...

A researcher wins an Ig Nobel prize for his work on record-keeping systems where people live longer than average — and says the data is flawed

Britain’s illness-related inactivity crisis looks increasingly like a mirage

At this online event, IFS researchers will present new research highlighting key issues with the benefit system around retirement age.

In a judgment of 15 May 2023 the Upper Tribunal ruled that an EEA national who was a carer for his disabled wife who was in receipt of income related ESA, in circumstances where the amount of ESA decr...

Richard Simpson sheds light on the disparity between political praise and action on supporting the third sector.