The public health and economic effects of the COVID-19 crisis are creating a perfect storm for councils' finances, simultaneously increasing spending and reducing incomes. For example, personal protective equipment (PPE) and social distancing requirements have increased unit costs for a range of...

The UK government is part-way through significant cuts in spending on public services as it attempts to deal with the large hole in the UK's public finances. As part of this, grants from the UK Treasury to the Welsh Government have been reduced in real terms each year since 2009-10, and the...

If the result of the referendum on 23 June leads to the UK leaving the EU, there will be impacts on the UK public finances. This report aims to set out the possible impacts, focusing particularly on the short run, given that the Chancellor wishes to achieve a budget balance by the end of this...

UK business investment is the lowest in the G7 and among the lowest in the developed world. Tax has a role to play in shaping investment incentives, and the UK's corporate tax system is one of extremes. While the rate of corporation tax (19%) is exceptionally low, UK investment allowances are...