The uncertainty over future student loan repayments means that the debate about whether the government contribution to the cost of higher education is too high will almost certainly continue. However, as our analysis makes clear, whatever the current estimate of the RAB charge, it is based on a...

We investigate differences in the returns to undergraduate degrees by socio-economic background and ethnicity using the Department for Education's Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) data set. The LEO data set links school records, university records and tax records for everyone who took GCSEs...

In our annual series of reports on education spending, funded by the Nuffield Foundation, we bring together data on education spending per student across the life cycle and provide analysis about the major issues facing different sectors. In this year's report for 2020, we update our estimates...

Education spending is the second-largest element of public service spending in the UK behind health, representing about £91 billion in 2018-19 in today's prices or about 4.2% of national income. The level of UK education spending has risen significantly in real terms over time, growing...

Going to university is a very good investment for most students. Over their working lives, men will be £130,000 better off on average by going to university after taxes, student loan repayments and foregone earnings are taken into account. For women, this figure is £100,000. (These and other...