Daniel Lilley, September 2023 Summary Mothers with dependent children aged 0-4 years The Office for National Statistics[5] provides estimates for the number of women with dependent children aged 0 to 2 years and 3 to 4 years and provides estimates for the proportions of each group that are employed, separating for full-time and part-time work, unemployed… [Read More]
The modern royal family needs to be seen to be believed The late Queen famously never gave an interview and rarely said anything of public note, preferring instead to simply be ‘seen to be believed’. It was an approach that served her well – she was always the most popular royal as well as being… [Read More]
In order to recession-proof our public finances, it is clear that a balance had to be found between paying off our debts and caring for the poorest in society, whilst still creating the conditions for growth, enterprise and investment for a stable economic recovery. That balance has not yet been found, simply because there are… [Read More]
Summary Daniel Lilley and Tim Knox This blog post summarises the most recent Office for National Statistics (ONS) data on the effect of tax and benefits on households across the UK covering the period 2021/22. This ONS data provides a detailed guide to benefits and ‘benefits-in-kind’[1] received by households across all levels of income for… [Read More]
Summary Proportion married Cohabitation Same-sex marriages Marriage and religion Marriage and ethnicity Civil partnerships Lone parenthood Rise in proportion of people never married People in England and Wales, especially young adults, have become much less likely to be married Figure 1. Figure 2. Mixed picture of divorce Figure 3. Figure 4. Over 55s Aged 40-55… [Read More]
The top-line national (England only) headlines are: The year to date: Total number of sessions missed from unauthorised term time holiday 2015 – 2022: By Pupil Year Group: Penalty notices Sessions possible per unauthorised holiday absence Unauthorised term time holiday absence- by total figure (top/bottom 20): [1] Pupil absence in schools in England,… [Read More]
The recent Gary Lineker debacle has brought the issue of BBC impartiality back into the spotlight. Impartiality is vital for the BBC in order for it to command confidence as well as justify the licence fee. Allegations of bias against it are widespread and the BBC has tacitly admitted it has a problem. Yet, some… [Read More]
For many British businesses, the past year has spelt the dawn of a new era, whereby energy risks becoming not only too expensive, but dependent upon an infrastructure over which they have little control. It is a significant threat to the UK’s manufacturing sector, much of which relies on large amounts of consistently supplied energy… [Read More]
Summary This briefing note provides a snap-shot of Britain’s independent schools, using data from the Independent Schools Council (ISC) annual census. The latest census (2022) shows that 544,316[1] pupils now attend ISC schools, up more than eight per cent in the last decade and a record high number. This is despite notable fee increases over… [Read More]
Last May the government, with Rishi Sunak as Chancellor, decided the civil service should be cut back to the size it was pre-Brexit.[1] That would be a reduction of about 91,000 or £6.9 billion growing annually with salary increases not to mention (as government rarely does) the whopping unfunded consequential pensions. That remained the policy… [Read More]
During last week’s Autumn Statement, the Chancellor praised the Armed Forces in one breath, whilst also failing to fund the British military to the level which it is required to operate. Announcing that defence spending confirmation would have to wait until the new ‘review of the review’ is conducted, sometime likely next spring, he hinted… [Read More]