Labour’s welfare plans neglect key areas, says new CPS briefing
Despite the Government’s planned welfare reforms, health-related benefits are still projected to grow three times faster than the economy as a whole – increasing by an average of 5.3% a year over the remainder of the 2020s, compared with the expected GDP growth rate of 1.6% Labour have correctly acknowledged the scale of the problem… View Article
Spring Statement: No more tax rises, but for how long?
Responding to the Spring Statement, CPS Director Robert Colvile said: ‘Given where Rachel Reeves found herself, the Chancellor should be congratulated for not making things worse – in particular, by raising taxes again. ‘It was also welcome to see the Government focusing on reducing the welfare bill, cutting the size of the Civil Service and… View Article
Coverage for MTC25: Remaking Conservatism
Sparking renewed interest in the theme of remaking conservatism, speakers and panels at the Margaret Thatcher Conference 2025 have captured headlines in Britain and beyond. A keynote speech by Isabel Díaz Ayuso, President of the Community of Madrid, achieved a significant amount of coverage in the Spanish press, including the front page of leading Spanish… View Article
Labour’s overly statist approach to Net Zero risks hurting households
The Climate Change Committee’s Seventh Carbon budget, released today, sets the targets for Britain’s carbon emissions covering the years 2038-42 The pathway set out relies heavily on electrification, with rapid continued uptake of EVs and heat pumps. To accomplish this, one of the CCC’s key recommendations is ‘making electricity cheaper’ Yet Ed Miliband’s ideological dash… View Article
Recent migration wave may cost country billions, warns CPS
Earlier this week, the Conservative Party shone a spotlight on the need to reform the Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) system Today, new CPS research shows that between January 2021 and June 2024, just over 2 million visas were issued to migrants who will be eligible to apply for ILR in the UK The first… View Article
CPS responds to the Chancellor’s growth speech
Responding to Rachel Reeves’ speech this morning, CPS Director Robert Colvile said: ‘The vast bulk of the Chancellor’s speech was hugely welcome – and indeed echoed arguments the Centre for Policy Studies has been making forcefully for years. She is right that growth needs to be the absolute priority, that excessive and often conflicting regulation… View Article
CPS responds to ONS population data
Responding to the ONS population figures released today, CPS Research Director Karl Williams said: ‘Once again, ONS population projections have net migration running at unsustainable levels – 340,000 per annum from 2029 onwards and accounting for the entirety of the population growth. The reality may in fact be even higher given the projections assume net… View Article
Papers cover CPS analysis on cost of employing lowest paid
New analysis by CPS Tax and Fiscal Researcher Daniel Herring has found that this year will be the most expensive on record for businesses who employ workers on the minimum wage. Due to the rise in employer’s National Insurance in the Budget and the dramatic reduction in the threshold at which it is paid, 21.3%… View Article
Cost of employing low-wage workers to hit record high in 2025, according to new analysis
Businesses employing low-wage workers will see a massive hike in their tax bills in 2025 The Chancellor’s decision to raise employer’s National Insurance has led to a whopping 60% tax increase for businesses employing the lowest paid In 2024, an employer paid £1,617 in NICs for each full-time employee on minimum wage. In 2025 they… View Article
