iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Matt Whittaker

PBE @pbe.co.uk · 07/09/2026

After seven years in post, our CEO, @mattwhittaker.bsky.social, will step down on September 18, 2026. Under Matt's leadership, PBE has grown in both scale and scope to support more social sector organisations, unleash the power of civil society and tackle low wellbeing.

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The Policy Institute @policyatkings.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

NEW: Our latest study – part of a new series called Mistaken Britain – shows public perceptions of crime are at odds with reality The public have an inflated view of the risk of crime, wrongly think many crimes are rising, and hold misperceptions about offenders' ethnicity and nationality ⬇️ 🧵

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The Policy Institute @policyatkings.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

👀 ICYMI 📉 The public wrongly think mobile phone theft, vehicle theft, burglary and murder have all increased or stayed the same since 2010 📖 This finding comes from our latest report which examines misperceptions of crime among the UK public ➡️ www.kcl.ac.uk/news/public-...

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PBE @pbe.co.uk · 21/07/2026

Thanks to Toby Lowton, Founder at TL Economics and Senior Analytical Manager at NHS England, for his work on the evaluation. Read our blog on Toby's findings, written by our Chief Economist, @jonfranklin.bsky.social and CEO, @mattwhittaker.bsky.social: pbe.co.uk/insights/imp...

pbe.co.uk

Impact squared: Measuring ‘the PBE effect’ on shaping charity income | PBE

Impact sits at the heart of everything we do at PBE, but what about the specifics of our own impact? What does each £1 invested in our organisation end up delivering?

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Dan Neidle @danneidle.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

What if Andy Burnham could raise £15bn – without a tax rise? There's one catch. He'd need to solve the UK’s biggest and least-discussed tax problem. Almost half of all small business corporation tax isn't being paid - and nobody knows why. Thread:

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Ciaran Martin @ciaranm.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

My friend, mentor and former boss Gus O’Donnell & I wrote a piece for The House magazine on the us of WhatsApp etc in government. Don’t expect everyone to agree with it but we hope you find it at least interesting and thought provoking www.politicshome.com/opinion/arti...

politicshome.com

Ministers must be able to let off steam – forcing full WhatsApp disclosure is unwise

The Mandelson files reignited the debate over what to do about the government being run on WhatsApp, which allows disappearing messages and stolen ...

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Mike Brewer @mikebrewerecon.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

I'm stepping down to a new role in the autumn to try to get a bit more "life" in the "work - life balance" thing, so there's a vacancy to do my job: overseeing the research and policy output of RF. What a fab job for someone.

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Matt Whittaker @mattwhittaker.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

New @pbe.co.uk note on non-profit pay trends shows charity employees are earning £3,500 less today than if their pay rises had kept pace with the private sector's. Stems from inflation exposure and highlights the need for new 'shock absorbers' in the sector's income model pbe.co.uk/insights/pay...

Line chart showing inflation-adjusted change in hourly pay across the pay distribution in both the private sector and the non-profit sector. It covers the ten-year period from 2016 to 2025 and is drawn from a UK dataset. It shows that average pay grew by 10.2% in the private sector over the period, but fell by 1.2% in the non-profit sector. In both sectors, growth was strongest at the bottom end of the distribution and weakest at the top. But the non-profit sector under-performed the private sector at every point of the distribution.

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Matt Whittaker @mattwhittaker.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

Here's a neat way (via @jonfranklin.bsky.social) of showing the mismatch between ambition and action when it comes to our offer to children and young people. Two word clouds: the first identifying what matters (health, confidence) and the second showing what gets measured (attendance, attainment)

Word cloud showing what organisations working with children and young people say is important for outcomes: things like health, confidence, skills, and wellbeing.

Word cloud showing what is actually being measured when it comes to children and young people's outcomes: things like attainment, literacy, attendance and behaviour.

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Sarah O'Connor @sarahoconnorft.ft.com · 15/05/2026

Are you tired of the non-stop utopian/dystopian AI predictions from CEOs? Do you want to hear what's ACTUALLY happening, from the people it's actually happening TO? If so, I have good news: I felt the same, so I have worn out my shoe-leather & written this book! www.penguin.co.uk/books/462159...

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Hetan Shah @hetanshah.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

Wowsers. Scientists found that between 2005-19, there was a 28% decline in spoken words. While all age groups were affected, participants aged 25 or younger showed a markedly steeper decline in speech. Seems significant and I've not seen this widely referred to www.sciencefocus.com/news/losing-...

sciencefocus.com

We’re losing 338 spoken words every day | BBC Science Focus Magazine

We've been nattering less and less each year since 2005, according to research on more than 2,000 people across three continents

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PBE @pbe.co.uk · 21/04/2026

In our new report, we set out five recommendations that outline a pathway from improving wellbeing measurement to strengthening the evidence base and enabling more robust long-term analysis. pbe.co.uk/publications...

pbe.co.uk

Levelling the playing field: Measuring wellbeing among people with learning disabilities | PBE

Tools for measuring the impact of services on the wellbeing of the 1.5 million people in the UK with learning disabilities are falling short. Current methodologies focus on factors that are viewed as ...

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Reposted by Matt Whittaker

PBE @pbe.co.uk · 21/04/2026

We want to level the playing field for people with learning disabilities by establishing more consistent ways to measure the impact of things that affect their lives.

Three people with learning disabilities sit and stand in a group around a table. One person is listening to music on their phone with headphones in and dancing, the other two people are smiling at the camera.

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Reposted by Matt Whittaker

Hetan Shah @hetanshah.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

Please help share what must be one of the best jobs ever. We are looking for a writer to join @ourworldindata.org to work with our fantastic team including @maxroser.bsky.social and @hannahritchie.bsky.social. £80k - £120k / ideally full time / location flexible ourworldindata.org/hiring-write...

ourworldindata.org

We’re looking for a writer

We’re hiring a writer who can make the world’s largest problems understandable to our large Our World in Data audience.

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Reposted by Matt Whittaker

Joseph Elliott @jelliott94.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

It's a bit of a myth that rents are constantly increasing faster than earnings or overall inflation - on average, they're not. So what *is* the problem of unaffordability in the private rented sector? And what does this mean for how we go about fixing it? Our take 🧵⬇️

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Matt Whittaker @mattwhittaker.bsky.social · 20/03/2026

With household finances set to come under pressure again as a result of the conflict in the Middle East, it’s helpful to have new ONS data out today on the state of play just ahead of the first strikes on Iran at the end of Feb. what does it tell us?

Line chart showing the proportion of households in Great Britain reporting that their cost of living had risen since the previous month in the period from November 2021 to February 2026. Figures are survey based and confidence intervals are shown as a shaded band. The proportion rose through 2021 and 2022, peaking at around 90%. It subsequently fell to a low of around 45% towards the end of 2023. It then rose again, before plateauing more recently, to stand at around 55%.

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Reposted by Matt Whittaker

PBE @pbe.co.uk · 19/03/2026

PBE Volunteer and data analyst Ricard De Haro Flores created a tailored Excel-based data management and reporting tool for the Renewal Trust. 🧑‍💻

Four children play a game — they are smiling and laughing.

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Matt Whittaker @mattwhittaker.bsky.social · 02/03/2026

It’s fairly-well understood that the civil society workforce differs from the wider economy. A much higher share of (paid) jobs are held by women (67%/48%) and disabled people (25%/18%), but relatively few by young people (5%/11% of 16-24s) and ethnic minorities (12%/16%). But how did we get here?

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Matt Whittaker @mattwhittaker.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

Really pleased to publish our 2025 impact report, showcasing a year in which we arguably did more than ever before to empower UK charities, unleash civil society's potential, and drive the use of economics for good pbe.co.uk/impact_repor... Huge credit and thanks to all in the @pbe.co.uk family

pbe.co.uk

Our impact in 2025 | PBE

The wellbeing challenge is a complex one. In 2025 we used our unique combination of economic expertise and social sector connection to help charities, funders, firms and policymakers tackle the causes...

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PBE @pbe.co.uk · 25/02/2026

Our 2025 impact report – Strength in Numbers – is published today 📣

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Daniel Howes @howesdaniel.bsky.social · 19/02/2026

Really enjoyed discussing what it's like being an @instituteforgovernment.org.uk researcher at the "Working in the think tank sector" event at @resolutionfoundation.org yesterday. Recording available below, with the "Day in a life" panel starting from 1:43. www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2S1...

youtube.com

Working in the think tank sector: Webinar for those interested in working in the sector

YouTube video by Resolution Foundation

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Reposted by Matt Whittaker

Hannah White @drhannahwhite.bsky.social · 04/02/2026

Delighted that we at @instituteforgovernment.org.uk are once again supporting this annual online event aimed at reaching people currently under-represented in the think tank sector… please share with your networks…

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Matt Whittaker @mattwhittaker.bsky.social · 16/12/2025

Latest data on life expectancy in local areas of the UK shows overall improvements in outcomes over the last 20 years, but a widening of the absolute gap between the best and worst performing parts of the country. Progress has slowed (or even reversed in some areas) in the last decade too

Dumbbell chart showing life expectancy in 2002-04, 2012-14 and in 2022-24 in the top three ranked local areas of the UK and the lowest three ranked local areas. Central estimates are shown, alongside 95% confidence intervals. Chart details the number of additional years of life expected, on average, among females aged under-1.

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Matt Whittaker @mattwhittaker.bsky.social · 11/12/2025

This is probably a well-known thing, but I hadn’t seen the data before… Need to be cautious of sample sizes and can’t infer causality, but interesting to see both how overall drug use rises as wellbeing falls and how much the pattern varies by drug. Cannabis clearly dominates the overall picture

Panel chart with eight different line graphs. Each one depicts the proportion of people who report having used a different illicit drug in the last year, split by their self-reported level of life satisfaction. Those who report low satisfaction with their lives report higher use of cannabis and powder cocaine, but the relationship doesn’t hold for other drugs. Ecstasy use is higher among those with higher life satisfaction for example. Because cannabis is the most used drug however, the overall pattern by life satisfaction falls in a linear fashion as wellbeing rises.

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PBE @pbe.co.uk · 28/10/2025

The UK’s young people have the lowest wellbeing in Europe. This comes at a huge cost, with too many children feeling persistently unhappy. Hear from economists, educators, academics & young people on the difference arts programmes make to wellbeing, & how we measure it ⬇️ 📆20 November, 4 pm online

pbe.co.uk

Unlocking creativity: The economic impact of engagement with arts and culture among young people | PBE

Children and young people in the UK are enduring a wellbeing crisis. Our teenagers record the lowest levels of life satisfaction in Europe, and one-in-four of our 19-year-olds has a probable mental di...

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Reposted by Matt Whittaker

PBE @pbe.co.uk · 13/11/2025

Our latest report explores how early engagement with arts and culture can play a powerful role in supporting young people’s wellbeing, and assesses the value for money these programmes generate. pbe.co.uk/publications...

pbe.co.uk

Unlocking creativity: the economic impact of engagement with arts and culture among young people | PBE

Children and young people in the UK have the lowest wellbeing in Europe. National survey data from 2023 show that about one in five children and young people aged 8 to 25 years were likely to have a m...

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Reposted by Matt Whittaker

IPPR North @ipprnorth.bsky.social · 15/10/2025

We're hiring!💥 IPPR North are looking for a senior researcher who has big ideas for the future of our regions. Join us at this pivotal time for our economy and democracy. Based in Manchester, apply by 31st October. www.ippr.org/jobs/senior-...

ippr.org

Senior Research Fellow, IPPR North | IPPR

The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) is an independent charity working towards a fairer, greener, and more prosperous society.

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The Institute for Fiscal Studies @theifs.bsky.social · 09/10/2025

NEW: The UK social security system offers relatively little income protection after job loss. THREAD on Martin Mikloš and @xiaoweixu.bsky.social's IFS Green Budget chapter on the options for introducing ‘unemployment insurance’:

Chart shows net replacement rates in unemployment for a single homeowner with no children. Title states: "Unemployment benefits in the UK are low compared to OECD countries, and contributory benefits are no higher than means-tested benefits."

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PBE @pbe.co.uk · 25/09/2025

Civil society is one of the UK’s greatest assets, but it needs a Civil Society Evidence Organisation (CSEVO): a hub to access evidence, cut duplication & support smarter decisions. We have a plan: £2.5m over 5 yrs, co-funded by government and the sector. Read the report: pbe.co.uk/publications...

pbe.co.uk

Better evidence, better outcomes: The business case for a Civil Society Evidence Organisation | PBE

Civil society is one of the UK’s greatest assets. It is driven by innovation, rooted in communities, and committed to tackling some of the nation’s most complex challenges, but it faces barriers that ...

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PBE @pbe.co.uk · 22/09/2025

Free2Talk offers something vital for LGBTQ+ young people: a safe, identity-affirming space to belong. @karol122.bsky.social and @charlotteprothero.bsky.social share Charlie’s story, and the value of the programme which could deliver £4 of wellbeing benefit for every £1 spent. Read it here 👇

pbe.co.uk

Every LGBTQ+ young person deserves a safe space | PBE

Charlie* was looking for somewhere they could explore their emerging identity and feel supported as they considered socially transitioning – that is, beginning to live and be recognised in everyday li...

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PBE @pbe.co.uk · 24/09/2025

The evidence is overwhelming: prioritising wellbeing drives measurable benefits for employees, shareholders, customers, and wider society. In her latest article for our ‘Economics to improve lives’ series, Hannah Pearsall, Head of Wellbeing at Hays UK&I says wellbeing is a business imperative.

pbe.co.uk

Prioritising wellbeing: A strategic imperative for balanced business outcomes | PBE

By Hannah Pearsall, Head of Wellbeing, Hays UK&I In today’s rapidly evolving work landscape, the question isn’t whether wellbeing should be part of corporate strategy – it’s why any forward-thinking b...

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PBE @pbe.co.uk · 17/09/2025

What is “the good life”? Lord Blunkett argues it’s not just about money: dignity, purpose, community & a fair start in life all matter. His article in the #EconToImproveLives series makes the case for investing in young people’s wellbeing, from early years to employment. pbe.co.uk/insights/wel...

pbe.co.uk

Wellbeing for the next generation: lessons from Sure Start and beyond | PBE

By Lord David Blunkett I was recently asked in an interview what I thought was the “good life”, which rather threw me. What is a “good life” for one person might be an absolute nightmare for another. ...

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Matt Whittaker @mattwhittaker.bsky.social · 12/09/2025

📣Calling analysts working in and around the social sector. Come join the next @pbe.co.uk Social Sector Economists Network meeting and explore new work on perinatal depression and on the size of the UK’s impact economy 📣 2 October | 10:00–11:30 | Online events.teams.microsoft.com/event/7b825d...

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PBE @pbe.co.uk · 10/09/2025

Online training for analysts on using HM Treasury’s wellbeing guidance In partnership with State of Life and LSE, the workshop will give you the tools to use wellbeing measurement in business cases, appraisals and evaluations. 4.5 hour workshops across 21 & 23 Oct Apply to attend👇

pbe.co.uk

Wellbeing valuation workshop request | PBE

If you are interested in attending the workshop, please complete the form below. We will get in touch after reviewing your request to let you know if we can help.

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Matt Whittaker @mattwhittaker.bsky.social · 08/09/2025

Typically thoughtful - and thought provoking - stuff from @dianecoyle1859.bsky.social on the urgent need to understand how AI disruption is playing out across society (for better and worse) and then respond accordingly. Another great contribution to the @pbe.co.uk 'Economics to improve lives' series

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PBE @pbe.co.uk · 08/09/2025

"Without suitable measures of organisations’ adoption of AI, policymakers will be unable to shape this powerful technology in ways that benefit society as a whole." - @dianecoyle1859.bsky.social's in her new article for #EconToImproveLives pbe.co.uk/insights/eco...

pbe.co.uk

Economic progress in the age of AI | PBE

By Diane Coyle If you spend less than four hours and 20 minutes a day online, you are below average for the UK. Using apps and online services, many of them free, is part of the fabric of daily life…

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Zoë Crowther @zoecrowther.bsky.social · 05/09/2025

Here's a slightly crazy diagram illustrating today's major Cabinet reshuffle You're welcome

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Matt Whittaker @mattwhittaker.bsky.social · 05/09/2025

A Radiohead and Resolution Foundation crossover? Yes please! Great Top of the Charts from @ruthcurtice.bsky.social and team. Would love to see footage of the editorial meeting that rejected options like High and Dry, Reckoner & Electioneering though www.resolutionfoundation.org/comment/stic...

resolutionfoundation.org

Sticky prices and sh*tty platforms • Resolution Foundation

Hi all, Set your calendars for late November — and no, not just Radiohead’s first tour in seven years. It’s Rachel Reeves’s second Budget (see our chart of the week for more). Reeves is under pressure...

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Helen Barnard @helenbarnard.bsky.social · 04/09/2025

Out tomorrow: our expert, cross-party Poverty Strategy Commission report. We propose a new social contract & plan to lift 4.2 million people out of poverty, incl 2.2 million stranded in deep poverty. Thanks @patrickjbutler.bsky.social for the insightful write up www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

theguardian.com

Scrap two-child benefit cap to help lift 4m people out of poverty, government urged

Exclusive: Cross-party Poverty Strategy Commission says abolishing limit would be part of its ‘once in a generation’ plan

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Joe Sarling @joesarling.bsky.social · 27/08/2025

Fascinating paper exploring the economic impact of populist leaders coming to power. Lots in here but two key things for me: 1. Over 15 years GDP/capita decreases by 10%; with 2. No discernible change to inequality over same period. Paper: iacmr.org/wp-content/u... HT @justinwolfers.bsky.social

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Jack Bailey @jack-bailey.co.uk · 01/09/2025

Have fun everyone! Looking forward to see what you do with our data! Big shout to @jamesdgriffiths.bsky.social and Stuart Perrett for all of their great work on this too!

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Paula Surridge @psurridge.bsky.social · 29/08/2025

The lovely people @britishelectionstudy.com released the random probaility data which means we can begin to unravel some unanswered questions about turnout in 2024. A substack to follow but a starter of social class and vote/non-vote. Which party represents the working class? None of the above.

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Matt Whittaker @mattwhittaker.bsky.social · 29/08/2025

Lots of reasons to tread carefully with this ONS data on online adverts, but it’s an interesting glimpse of some potential post-Covid changes in the jobs market. Biggest increase in adverts come in care and health (human & animal) occupations, and baristas. Some big drops in personal services and IT

Chart detailing the proportional change in the number of live online adverts for different jobs in the period between July 2017 and Juy 2025. Monthly averages across 12-month periods are used, and chart shows the changes in the 20 occupations with the largest recorded increases. Top categories include veterinary nurses, coffee shop workers, paramedics, dental practitioners, driving instructors and therapy professionals.

Chart detailing the proportional change in the number of live online adverts for different jobs in the period between July 2017 and July 2025. Monthly averages across 12-month periods are used, and chart shows the changes in the 20 occupations with the largest recorded decreases. Biggest fallers include web design professionals, telephone salespersons, clothing and fashion designers, publicans and managers of licensed premises, travel agents, hairdressers and barbers and IT professionals.

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PBE @pbe.co.uk · 27/08/2025

LGBTQ+ young people in the UK face a severe, unequal mental health crisis. Services like Free2Talk offer life-changing, cost-effective help, but they need greater support. 1/7 pbe.co.uk/publications...

A square tile with a photograph of a young person wearing a rainbow flag as a cape. It shows two of the key stats from the report: Higher mental health risks, 3x the rate of their non-LGBTQ+ peers. and £15,600 per participant of annual wellbeing benefits from the Free2Talk programme.

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