We want to understand how the functioning of the UK economy impacts economic, social, physical and emotional well-being. This includes the tax and benefits system and the regulation and state provision of goods and services.
We fund research to examine the degree to which the tax and benefits system provides insurance and security over people’s lifetimes and how it affects choices in relation to work, education and personal finances. We seek to identify how the system enhances or impedes outcomes for individuals and families, as well as the characteristics of a system that could be considered fair and equitable, and the changes needed to deliver that.
As society adjusts to turbulent and uncertain growth in the economy, earnings and productivity following the COVID-19 pandemic and in the post-Brexit world, we are interested in the consequences for individuals, businesses and state. We wish to explore the types of economic policies and systems that enhance individual and social well-being and challenge existing inequalities.
We also fund research examining how the costs and benefits of the transition to a net zero emissions economy might be shared fairly across the population and across generations.
