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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 1h

Is there a tension between delivery and devolution? We discussed the new PM's competing priorities with @anandmenon.bsky.social on High Resolution ⤵️ buff.ly/GrmapUw

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 2h

Broken housing taxes mean Londoners are under-paying by £3.1 billion – with the rest of England over-paying in return ⤵️ buff.ly/okMiNLc

Chart showing Tax revenues as a proportion of the value of the housing stock (left axis) and the average market value of dwellings (right axis), by region of England: 2024-25

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 3h

Private renters on housing support already go without essentials. Last year, six-in-ten (58 per cent) working-age adults in private-renting families on housing support could not afford basic items buff.ly/tmfEAWh

Chart showing proportion of working-age adults in private-renting families on housing support who are materially deprived, and who cannot afford selected essentials: GB, 2024-25

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 3h

Under the current incarnation of the triple lock, State Pension spending accounts for nearly half the projected increase in social security spending by 2029-30 ➡️ buff.ly/FY93tV6

chart showing that State Pension spending accounts for nearly half of the projected increase in social security spending by 2029-30. Of a total £30.5bn social security spending, the state pension is projected to be £13.8bn, with £2.2bn spent on pensioner other.

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 5h

The Government has made a nerve-janglingly-specific pledge to deliver living standards growth in every postcode. So we thought we'd plot how the last Parliament performed on that metric - safe to say 100 per cent growth would be a considerable step up ⤵️ buff.ly/s8wGf6Z

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 5h

Pensioner incomes had caught up with non-pensioner incomes BEFORE the triple lock was introduced, thanks to policies like Pension Credit. Find out more ➡️ buff.ly/FY93tV6

When the first Pensions Commission was in place, the typical pensioner had a lower income than the typical non-pensioner, but that has not been the case since 2011-12, as Figure 1 shows. And pensioners are now less likely to be in poverty than the rest of the population, and half as likely as children.

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 6h

Crowd-pleasing cost of living measures risk being self-defeating Read our substack on the potential pitfalls of blanket cost of living support at a time of high borrowing costs and pacey price rises 👇️ buff.ly/yAb71H9

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Crowd-pleasing cost of living measures risk being self-defeating

Borrowing, inflation, and the case for targeted help

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 8h

📢 The PM'S promise to amend the triple lock next parliament is good news for the public finances, and for the vulnerable pensioners who lose far more from a broken care system than they gain from a random ratchet on their pension ⤵️

Ruth Curtice, Chief Executive of the Resolution Foundation, said:
“The triple lock is a terribly designed policy that has cost far more than originally anticipated and yet failed to reduce pensioner poverty. The Prime Minister has been under pressure to show that he can take tough decisions on public spending – and scrapping the triple lock is a good way to demonstrate that.
“Recycling the savings from scrapping the triple lock into social care will especially help vulnerable pensioners who stand to lose far from a broken care system than they gain from a random ratchet on how the State Pension is increased.”

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 8h

Energy prices will rise next month and probably by an even more significant amount again in January. With a constrained fiscal backdrop, the Government should prioritise targeted energy discounts for the people who need them most, over costly universal support 👇 buff.ly/Rh86oQF

Titled "1: the crisis never really ended", with a photo of a household energy bill showing £366.85. Text: wholesale gas prices have climbed back towards their crisis highs, and there is a real risk of another spike in early 2027. Last time, in 2022, the Government provided universal support costing £44 billion, with the richer half of households getting more than half the benefit.

Titled "2: The benefit system doesn't capture everyone who needs help", with a thermometer and snowflake icon. Text: basing eligibility for support on receipt of means-tested benefits would only reach around 1 in 4 households, missing most of the poorest half. And it isn't only the very poorest who struggle: in 2022-23, almost two-in-ten of the second-poorest fifth of households couldn't afford to keep their home warm.

Titled "3: There's a smarter way to target help", with a thermometer icon and a photo of a crowd on a street. Text: we should instead base eligibility on the income of the highest earner in a household. A £24,000 threshold would reach around two-in-five households, and 75 per cent of the poorest four deciles, nearly as well as using total household income but far simpler to run.

Titled "4: Not perfect, but ready for winter", with a photo of snow-covered terraced houses with a For Sale sign, a January calendar icon, and a photo of a crowd. Text: it comes with trade-offs, favouring pensioners, and around 490,000 working-age families with children would miss out. But a £2 billion scheme could give £175 to each eligible household. The Government should start building its support now, so it is ready this winter.

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 9h

The proposed changes to the triple lock remove huge uncertainty and long-run cost from the public finances, while ensuring pensioner incomes continue to rise. In any case, it never made sense for the generosity of state Pensions to depend on random variation between three numbers ⤵️ buff.ly/D1Rt73Y

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Reposted by Resolution Foundation

Ruth Curtice @ruthcurtice.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

The triple lock announcement today is essentially a shift to a long-run link to earnings. But with a minimum of inflation or 2.5% in any given year. Most importantly that removes the permanent ratchet above earnings.

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 29/09/2026

The triple lock on the State Pension is a terribly designed policy that manages to both under-deliver and over-cost. The money saved from adjusting it could be far better spent elsewhere ⤵️ buff.ly/dviy5zU

David Willetts, President of the Resolution Foundation, said:
“The Prime Minister deserves credit for announcing what many politicians have been saying in private for some time – that the triple lock is unsustainable and needs to go. Continuing with the policy into the next parliament and beyond could end up costing tens of billions of pounds a year – money that could be far better spent elsewhere.”

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 29/09/2026

The triple lock on the State Pension will be 'adjusted' from April 2030. What might that mean for the value of the State Pension? In this chart we show how the State Pension would have increased under various uprating measures, including the 'smoothed' triple lock announced by the PM today.

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 29/09/2026

📢 The PM'S promise to end the triple lock next parliament is good news for the public finances, and for the vulnerable pensioners who lose far more from a broken care system than they gain from a random ratchet on their pension ⤵️

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Alex Clegg @alexclegg.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Our report from June explains how the replacement for the triple lock will work (we called it a 'smoothed' triple lock). It's a much better policy than the current triple lock - State Pension is protected from inflation spikes and tracks earnings long term, but the expensive ratchet is removed.

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 29/09/2026

"Pensioners say that they have contributed and are entitled to big increases in benefits. But the contributory condition has been weakened over the years... Someone born in 1956 is expected to withdraw over 30% more than they contributed." 👇 buff.ly/YJr933z

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The triple lock is a symbol of a society that has stolen the young’s future

The baby boom should not be a bust for future generations

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 29/09/2026

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 29/09/2026

The ONS's revised productivity estimates raise questions for the OBR. Its latest assumption for productivity growth now looks more pessimistic. Although it’s unlikely the OBR received this data in time to consider it at the Budget. Read 'Revision of labour' now to find out more ⤵️ buff.ly/zvAuM4g

Comparison of UK annual growth in real output per hour using old vs new productivity measures: colored dots for pre‑financial crisis (blue), post‑financial crisis (red), post‑pandemic (green) and black diamonds for OBR assumptions, with arrows showing lower growth under the new measure.

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 29/09/2026

The PM has announced that from April 2030 the State Pension will be uprated with a new 'smoothed' triple lock. What does that mean for the value of the State Pension and how does it differ from uprating with earnings or prices? RF research explains... www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications...

resolutionfoundation.org

What a ratchet! • Resolution Foundation

The State Pension triple lock has delivered real gains for pensioners since its introduction in 2012. But the case for boosting pensioner incomes over and above others has now run out, while the case ...

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 29/09/2026

The latest estimates from the ONS suggest that average weekly hours have fallen by 5 per cent since the financial crisis. That's good for our productivity measure. Find out more about the ramifications ⤵️ buff.ly/AnlLKqL

Line chart showing change in average actual hours worked in the UK relative to 2007, comparing old (blue) and new (red) measurement approaches, with a sharp drop around 2020 and divergence by 2024: old +1.3% versus new −5.2%.

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 29/09/2026

Our latest podcast tackled the triple lock. @morganvine.bsky.social spoke about what it might take to turn around rising pensioner poverty 👉 buff.ly/GrmapUw

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 29/09/2026

It's time to stop being polite about the triple lock. A 'smoothed' earnings link would still have left the real value of the Basic State Pension £12.30 per week higher in 2026-27 than in 2011-12.

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 29/09/2026

📨 From our Substack: The triple lock is a symbol of a society that has stolen the young’s future David Willetts argues that it's time to end the triple lock ⬇️ buff.ly/vf9HrTV

Pensioners say that they have contributed and are entitled to big increases in benefits. But the contributory condition has been weakened over the years. Moreover, all the taxes and National Insurance they have paid over their working lives are worth far less than the value of the benefits they are taking out. If there were strict contributory principles, benefits would be far lower. For the next generation the calculations look very different: they could end up contributing more than they take out. The baby boomers and generation X are expected to gain the most from the welfare state. Someone born in 1956 is expected to withdraw over 30% more than they contributed; someone born in 1996 less than 15%.

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 29/09/2026

Pensioner incomes had caught up with non-pensioner incomes BEFORE the triple lock was introduced, thanks to policies like Pension Credit. Find out more ➡️ buff.ly/FY93tV6

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 29/09/2026

"the generosity of state Pensions shouldn't depend on random variation between three numbers" @ruthcurtice.bsky.social makes the case against the triple lock. Read 'What a ratchet!' now ⤵️ buff.ly/D1Rt73Y

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 29/09/2026

It’s time to stop being polite about the triple lock. It's not fiscally sustainable for the State Pension to grow faster than earnings indefintiely. State Pension spending accounts for nearly half the projected increase in social security spending by 2029-30 ➡️ buff.ly/FY93tV6

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Jonny Marshall @jonnymarshall.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

A good move. Within a decade, the cost of financing new assets – not fuel costs – will be the main driver of electricity prices: by 2035, capital is set to make up over half of power system costs, up from 8 per cent in 2025

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 29/09/2026

Over the past two decades, pensioner incomes have grown by 20 per cent, while those of working-age families have grown by just 7 per cent. Given these trends, surely it is time to include the Triple Lock in debates around stemming the growth in welfare spending? ➡️ buff.ly/FY93tV6

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 28/09/2026

How to tackle Britain’s cost of living crisis has not had a big enough place in discussions at Labour Party conference this week. We intend to put that right with our event right now with @moreincommonuk.bsky.social @yuanfenyang.bsky.social and E.On

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 28/09/2026

The evidence is clear: countries with lower NEET rates than the UK get there almost entirely through higher rates of post-18 education. In these countries, more young people stay in education for longer and often combine it with work.

Comparison of OECD countries’ differences from the UK in 2024 for 18–24‑year‑old participation in education or work

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 28/09/2026

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 28/09/2026

With more people entering retirement while living in the private rented sector, we may soon see "a different sort of multigenerational living", according to Claer Barratt. In the latest episode of High Resolution, we tackle the triple lock. Listen here ⤵️ buff.ly/GrmapUw

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 27/09/2026

You can’t reduce the benefits bill by arbitrarily naming a cash figure you’d cut like £50bn. To do it in a sustainable way you need to give more opportunities to young people so they’re in work. But reforming the system for young people will require painful choices, says Alan Milburn.

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 27/09/2026

The @jeevunsandher.bsky.social plan to tackle the NEETs crisis - more private sector job creation, driven by better transport links and lower energy costs. Public sector can play supporting role, as can targeted subsidy schemes like the Jobs Guarantee

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 27/09/2026

Speaking at our event Jennifer Dixon from @healthfoundation.bsky.social says that while our NEETs crisis feels huge as it’s linked to even bigger issues like poor mental health, we’ve shown that the we can deal with these issues in the past - see fall in child poverty in 2000s. We can do it again.

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 27/09/2026

For every £25 we spend on income support on young people who are out of work, we spend just £1 on employment support to get them into work. We’ve got the balance all wrong, says Alan Milburn at our Labour Party Conference fringe event

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 27/09/2026

Britains NEETs crisis is not about a labour market that’s been weak for two years, says Alan Milburn, it’s the culmination of a 25 year structural shift that has made it so much harder for young people to get their first foot on the jobs ladder.

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 27/09/2026

Speaking at our event Employment Minister Andrew Weston sets out the importance of the governments Job Guarantee scheme to provide additional support for young people at the margins of the labour market. It’s just getting started, and the Government intends to ramp it up.

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 27/09/2026

Sorry to those we’ve had to turn away from our Labour Party conference event on how to tackle Britains NEETs crisis this evening. Packed house shows depth of feeling for the issue. And a great panel to discuss.

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 27/09/2026

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 27/09/2026

Although typical pensioner incomes have caught up with working age incomes, pensioner poverty has recently started rising again. @morganvine.bsky.social spoke about what it might take to turn that trend around, in our latest podcast discussion 👉 buff.ly/GrmapUw

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 27/09/2026

Speaking at our event @kategobell.bsky.social AI should prompt us to ramp up workplace training- from trusted staff focused training to better management practices.

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 27/09/2026

Speaking at our event Steve Rigby says that while he’s positive about the potential of AI he fears for sectors of the workforce - for example service desk jobs - that are at huge risk, and where we don’t know enough about where the new demand for jobs and skills will come from.

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 27/09/2026

Speaking at our event AI Minister Kanishka Narayan MP says that there is a gap AI license purchases and workers using it effectively- closing that gap can boost workers skills and productivity- a win for them, the firms they work for and the wider economy

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 27/09/2026

Packed house for our event with Rigby Foundation on AI and the future of the labour market. @ruthcurtice.bsky.social kicks things off on a positive note - the UK’s productivity has been revised up significantly, and before the impact of AI. Imagine what we can achieve if we can harness AI well.

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 27/09/2026

Why was the ONS overestimating the hours worked in the economy? Survey-based estimates had previously implied that the average employee took three fewer days of annual leave than the legal minimum, which seems implausible.

Line-and-bar chart showing UK full‑time employees’ average annual leave 1997–2024: a blue line of reported entitlement rising from about 25 to 27 days, green bars of reported leave taken falling from roughly 22 to about 17 days, and a dashed 20‑day statutory minimum.

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 26/09/2026

Broken housing taxes mean Londoners are under-paying by £3.1 billion – with the rest of England over-paying in return. But it is possible to put England's broken housing taxes on firmer foundations 👉 buff.ly/SAUyopI

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 26/09/2026

Winners from the current system of housing taxation are concentrated in London, while the rest of the country is more likely to be losing than winning 👇 buff.ly/SAUyopI

chart showing Proportion of households winning and losing from current property tax system compared to a proportional one, by region: England, 2030-31

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 26/09/2026

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