Commenting on reports today (Thursday) that 250,000 people have made a Universal Credit (UC) claim in the past week – half the 475,000 a week average over the previous fortnight, but still three times the 82,000 a week average recorded for Jobseeker’s Allowance at the peak during the financial crisis, Karl Handscomb, Senior Economist at … Continued

Families living in private rented accommodation are more exposed to the current economic shock than homeowners, and could face big rent shortfalls if they lose their jobs despite welcome government support, according to the Resolution Foundation’s latest Housing Outlook published today (Thursday). The Housing Outlook examines the impact of the current economic shock on families … Continued

The Government must get Universal Credit ‘battle ready’ for the UK’s growing unemployment crisis by encouraging more people to claim, extending eligibility to more middle-income households, getting more advance payments out to those who desperately need them, and publishing real time data on what support is getting through, according to a new Resolution Foundation briefing … Continued

The upcoming increase in the National Living Wage (NLW), which is due to rise to £8.72 an hour on 1 April, should be delayed by six months to help firms in low-paying sectors at the heart of the economic crisis, the Resolution Foundation said today (Saturday) in its latest Earnings Outlook. The Earnings Outlook explores … Continued

New measures announced by the Chancellor today (Thursday) will provide significant grants to the self-employed, going beyond the estimated 1.7 million self-employed workers who face major income losses as a result of the government’s lockdown, but exclude those on high incomes or who own their own firm, the Resolution Foundation says. The Chancellor’s announcement of … Continued

Typical UK household incomes stagnated last year and living standards for low income households are lower than they were in 2014-15, the Resolution Foundation said today (Thursday) in response to the latest Households Below Average Income (HBAI) statistics. Median incomes were unchanged in 2018-19 after housing costs are taken into account, leaving them below the level seen … Continued

The 477,000 increase in new Universal Credit (UC) claims over the past nine days shows that the country is already in the midst of an unemployment crisis that is building much faster than during the financial crisis, the Resolution Foundation said today (Wednesday) in response to the disclosure of new figures by the Department for … Continued

The Chancellor should build on last Friday’s welcome and ambitious job support package with fresh measures to support both self-employed workers and employees who are still not getting the help they need, the Resolution Foundation said today (Wednesday). In a new briefing note – Next steps for supporting family incomes – the Foundation considers who … Continued

The Chancellor’s hugely welcome and unprecedented pledge to pay 80 per cent of the wages of employees without work to do in struggling firms is a crucial step change in the government’s economic response to the current crisis, the Resolution Foundation said today (Friday). Resolution Foundation analysis shows why it is so crucial to act, … Continued

The government should introduce a new Statutory Retention Pay (SRP) scheme to support struggling firms and prevent mass job losses among the five million employees in sectors critically affected by the coronavirus shutdown, as well as wider support to limit the living standards hit to families, according to a new Resolution Foundation report published today … Continued

New measures must be introduced immediately to limit the rise in unemployment, and cushion the income shock for those who will unavoidably lose jobs, the Resolution Foundation said today (Tuesday) in response to the latest ONS labour market data.

The poorest fifth of the population have experienced a 7 per cent fall in their disposable household incomes over the past two years, leaving their incomes no higher last year than they were back in 2004-05, the Resolution Foundation said today (Thursday) in response to the latest ONS income and inequality data. The ONS latest … Continued

The forthcoming Budget ‘infrastructure revolution’ must be accompanied by better planning, evaluation, and execution of projects, if the government is going to avoid losing £10bn of the £100bn it plans to invest in ‘levelling up’ the country, according to a new report published today (Wednesday) by the Resolution Foundation. The report – Euston, we have … Continued

New ONS analysis published today (Tuesday), which uses new data on those with high incomes to improve the accuracy of its income statistics, shows that inequality has not fallen over the past two decades, did rise in the run-up to the crash, and has been flat since the crisis. Commenting on the new ONS analysis, … Continued

The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) is on course to deliver a modest fiscal windfall of around £8 billion on Budget day, but the Chancellor still faces tough choices over raising taxes or watering down his fiscal rules, according to new research published today (Monday) by the Resolution Foundation. With just over a fortnight left … Continued

The new Chancellor Rishi Sunak is set to deliver the first spending boost to economic growth since the crisis in his upcoming Budget, while the OBR is on course to mark down the UK’s GDP outlook by around half a percentage point, according to new analysis published today (Thursday) by the Resolution Foundation. The Foundation’s … Continued

The UK hit an important living standards milestone at the end of 2019 as real average weekly pay finally surpassed its pre-crisis peak, though the 12-year pay downturn has left average earnings £141 a week behind their pre-crisis trend, the Resolution Foundation said today (Tuesday) in response to monthly labour market data released by the … Continued

The ‘Blue Wall’ constituencies that switched from Labour to the Conservatives in the last election experienced a tough 2010s in terms of their jobs, pay and house prices, according to new research published today (Wednesday) by the Resolution Foundation. Painting the towns blue explores the demographics and living standards of the 50 seats across Wales, … Continued

Poverty rates fall from 35 per cent to 18 per cent when people move into work – but even sustained employment does not eliminate in-work poverty for too many households, highlighting the need for wider support, according to new research published today (Tuesday) by the Resolution Foundation in partnership with Clarion Housing Group. With almost … Continued

The house price gap between London and the rest of the UK has narrowed by almost one fifth since the EU referendum and this ‘levelling up’ trend may have further to run, according to new research published today (Thursday) by the Resolution Foundation. The new quarterly Housing Outlook looks at what drove the UK’s regional … Continued

The UK looks set to start the new decade with employment at a record high and with its long overdue pay recovery continuing, as easing inflationary pressures mask a slowdown in nominal pay growth, the Resolution Foundation says today (Tuesday) in response to the ONS latest labour market statistics. Following a series of record-breakers in … Continued

Press release from the Resolution Foundation Embargo – 00:01hrs Tuesday 21st 2020   The ‘Universal Credit parliament’ has finally arrived, but UC’s very different impact across the country is being ignored   The impact of Universal Credit (UC) will be felt very differently in different places: something currently being ignored amid growing debates about how … Continued

Britain’s centuries-long fall in the length of the working week has stalled in the wake of the financial crisis, and has actually increased by an hour for women and young people over the past decade, according to new research published today (Saturday) by the Resolution Foundation. The Times They Aren’t A Changin’ – supported by Trust … Continued

Low-income households have seen the fastest rise in the use of consumer debt since the financial crisis, and are too exposed to financial shocks, according to new research published today (Wednesday) by the Resolution Foundation. An outstanding balance? explores changes in the use of consumer debt – including credit cards, store cards, mail order and … Continued