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In the second episode of our mini-series on how to fix the UK’s tax system, Helen is joined by Stuart Adam and Ben Zaranko to explore one of the most contentious areas of taxation - savings and wealth.

Why do people who earn through investments often pay lower taxes than those earning a salary? Why do business owners and landlords sometimes end up both undertaxed and overtaxed? And could an annual wealth tax ever work in practice?

This episode unpacks how the UK taxes savings, dividends, capital gains and inheritances, revealing the tensions at the heart of our system - and what a fair, efficient approach to taxing wealth might really look like.

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Rachel Reeves is once again facing tough choices on tax and spending. After promising no further tax rises last autumn, the Chancellor could now see a sizeable downgrade to the borrowing outlook - enough to wipe out the limited ‘headroom’ she built into her fiscal plans last spring. To stick to her ‘iron-clad’ rules, Reeves may now need a sizeable fiscal consolidation through tax rises, spending cuts, or both.

Helen talks to IFS economists Carl Emmerson and Ben Zaranko about why we’re back here again, what’s really driving the UK’s fiscal challenges, and what options the Chancellor has to get the public finances back on track. They discuss whether Reeves can stick to her fiscal rules, what role productivity and growth forecasts play, and how the government could avoid fiscal 'ground hog' day again.

🎟️ Plus, we share details of our upcoming live recording at the British Library on 4th November, part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science.

This episode is part of the 2025 Green Budget, our annual report exploring the Chancellor’s options.

📘 Read more: https://ifs.org.uk/publications/green-budget-2025-full-report

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The two-child limit stops most families on Universal Credit from claiming support for a third or later child — worth about £3,500 a year per child. Introduced in 2017, it’s now at the centre of a political debate, with the Chancellor under pressure to scrap or reform it in the November Budget.

Helen talks to IFS economists Tom Waters and Christine Farquharson about why the policy was introduced, how it’s affected families and child poverty, and what the options are for changing or removing it.

🎟️ Plus, we share details of our upcoming live recording at the British Library on 4th November, part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science. Sign up here: https://ifs.org.uk/events/ifs-zooms-live-how-could-chancellor-raise-more-tax

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From child benefit to winter fuel payments, debates over who really deserves support run through the history of the UK’s welfare state.

In this episode of IFS Zooms In, we ask whether benefits should be universal, means-tested or contributory — and why the UK's benefits system has become one of the most means-tested in the developed world.

Helen is joined by Nicholas Timmins (Institute for Government) and Tom Waters (IFS) to explore Beveridge’s original vision, the rise of means-testing and whether ideas like Universal Basic Income could work.

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The UK has promised to raise defence spending to levels not seen since the 1980s. That means tens of billions more pounds each year, with big implications for the armed forces, the economy, and the public finances.

In this episode, Helen speaks to Matthew Savill (RUSI) and Max Warner (IFS) about what defence spending actually pays for, how it has changed over time, and what the government’s new commitments could mean for growth and future military capabilities.

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This week, we turn the tables and put your questions to the experts.

From childcare and early years, to schools, apprenticeships, and family life — listeners sent in brilliant questions on the challenges facing children and young people today.

Helen Miller is joined by Christine Farquharson and guests Carey Oppenheim, Sam Freedman, Philip Augar, and Anne Longfield to discuss:

- Should mothers be supported to stay at home rather than return to work?

- Has YouTube made teaching harder for schools?

- How can we encourage more firms to offer apprenticeships and sponsorships?

- What are the consequences of declining physical activity and play?

👉 Share your thoughts in the comments, and don’t forget to subscribe for more evidence-based discussions from IFS Zooms In.

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Nearly a third of children in the UK live in relative poverty, and rising numbers face material deprivation. The government’s Opportunity Mission pledges that every child should grow up in a safe, loving home and that families should be able to afford the essentials — but how close are we to that goal?

In this episode of IFS Zooms In, Helen Miller is joined by Christine Farquharson (IFS) and Baroness Anne Longfield (Centre for Young Lives; former Children’s Commissioner for England) to explore:

- How family structures are changing and what that means for children

- The impact of child poverty and financial insecurity

- Why children’s social care is under growing pressure

- What early intervention could do to improve outcomes

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe for the final Q+A episode, where we put your questions to the experts.

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What happens after GCSEs, and how well does England’s education system support young people as they move into adulthood?

The government’s Opportunity Mission sets out to “build skills for opportunity and growth,” aiming to give every young person a pathway that’s right for them. In practice, that means navigating a system divided between academic routes, like A levels and university, and technical or vocational routes, often delivered through further education colleges.

In this episode of IFS Zooms In, Helen Miller is joined by Christine Farquharson (Associate Director, IFS) and Sir Philip Augar (Chair of the government’s 2019 review of post-18 education and funding) to explore the strengths and challenges of post-16 education in England. They discuss GCSE attainment, the divide between higher and further education, funding pressures, and what a skills system fit for the future might look like.

📩 We want your questions for our final Q&A episode! Send them – voice notes welcome – to podcasts@ifs.org.uk.

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