Independent schools have featured prominently in the media airwaves over the last year. Critics of the sector have been busy revelling in the new government’s imposition of VAT on school fees, whilst proponents of the sector have lamented the same policy. We have read times over that the money is needed for 6,500 new teachers,… [Read More]
JIM McCONALOGUE – ENCOURAGING INVESTMENT IN UK PLC Politicians are all thinking about the next six months when the focus should be on the long-term economic prosperity of Britons. While pension fund and savings reforms towards improved investment in British business are desirable steps, the British Business Bank ultimately needs to be given a new… [Read More]
George Cook and Ellen Pasternack The Department for Education’s (DfE) annual Survey of Childcare and Early Years Providers (SCEYP) was released on 14th December 2023. Alarmingly, but unsurprisingly, the data reveal a further fall in the number of childminders, continuing the almost unbroken trend of the last decade and a half. The DfE once again… [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]
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]
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 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]
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]