Analysis and action on living standards
An examination of why the UK’s NEET rate has been rising since 2019, and why it has long been higher than in many other countries.
Since the US-Israeli strikes on Iran began nearly two months ago, global energy markets have been volatile. But the shock facing Britain has so far been smaller than that which followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine: UK gas prices peaked at 78p per therm above pre-war levels – not 300p, as in 2022. Even so, a return to recent peaks would hit family finances hard: British households’ energy and fuel spending this year would be £11 billion higher than if prices had stayed at early-2026 levels. In light of ongoing uncertainty over developments in the Middle East, this edition of the MPO unpacks the potential impact of the shock on the UK economy, and discusses how the Bank of England and Government should respond.
The Resolution Foundation is an independent think-tank dedicated to lifting living standards in the UK. We focus particularly on households with low and middle incomes; those on low pay or in precarious work; and those vulnerable to financial shocks.
This briefing explores Britain’s recent baby bust and whether it should be a cause for concern for policymakers. Most developed countries are grappling with a falling birth rate, and the UK is no different.
This briefing note considers the distributional impact of the post-financial-crisis tightening of Britain’s mortgage lending rules on aspiring homeowners and assesses how policy could respond to help poorer families unable to get on the housing ladder today.
The Resolution Foundation calculates the real Living Wage – a voluntary hourly pay rate that is based on what families need to get by. The current national rate is:
Explore our interactive housing indicators or read about our alternative estimate of UK employment.
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Resolution Ventures exists to back innovative start-ups seeking to change the world of work for the better, and early-stage ventures seeking to improve the prospects of low-to-middle income Britain.
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