Despite the cuts announced in the Chancellor’s Spring Statement, spending on public services is set to be on average £43 billion higher over the years of the upcoming Spending Review, compared with what was set out by the previous Government at the 2024 Spring Budget. But with much of this extra spending front-loaded to this year and next, questions remain about funding pressures in the years after that. These services are vital for families – providing ‘in kind’ benefits which provide a huge boost to the living standards of lower-income households. So future provision will make a difference to the outlook for living standards. Which public services are used most by low-, middle- and high-income households respectively? Where is dissatisfaction with current public service provision most concentrated? How do particular public services fit with the Government’s missions and milestones? And how can the coming Spending Review deliver a settlement for public services that takes the prioritises low-to-middle income families? The Resolution Foundation is hosting an in-person and interactive webinar to debate and answer these questions. Following a presentation of the key highlights from new RF research, including a novel model of who receives in-kind benefits from public services, we will hear from leading experts about the Government should use the upcoming Spending Review to improve public services. The event will be open for people to physically attend, alongside being broadcast via YouTube and the Resolution Foundation website. Viewers will be able to submit questions to the panel before and during the event via Slido.
