IFS Zooms In: The Economy

Nearly one in three adults in the UK is obese, and governments have introduced a growing range of policies aimed at improving our diets. From taxes on sugary drinks to restrictions on junk food advertising, the government is increasingly trying to influence what we eat. But are these policies actually working?

In this episode, Helen Miller is joined by Henry Dimbleby, author of the National Food Strategy, and IFS researcher Gautam Vyas to examine the economics of healthy eating.

They discuss why governments intervene in our diets, whether the UK's sugar tax has been successful, and the unintended consequences of restricting unhealthy food. They also explore whether weight-loss drugs could fundamentally change how we think about obesity, nutrition and the government's role in shaping our diets.

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What has the Autumn Budget changed for households, public services and the public finances?

Helen Miller is joined by IFS economists Jonathan Cribb and Max Warner to unpack the announcements and the economic outlook. They discuss the support for households, changes to taxes and energy bills, and the Chancellor’s decision to accept higher borrowing.

With spending growth set to slow and difficult decisions left for next year’s Spending Review, how credible are the plans to bring borrowing down? And what does the Budget mean for living standards and the pressures facing public services?

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Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/podcasts-explainers-and-calculators/podcasts

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What should we expect from the upcoming Budget? With energy prices rising, pressure on public services and government borrowing already high, the Chancellor faces some difficult choices.

Recorded live at the British Library as part of the Economic and Social Research Council's (ESRC) Festival of Social Science, Helen Miller is joined by IFS economists Max Warner and Stuart Adam to discuss what might be announced at the October Budget.

They explore how the government could support households facing higher energy bills, whether businesses might receive further help, and how any new measures could be funded. Could the Chancellor borrow more, raise taxes on banks and landlords, or make bigger changes to the tax and benefit system?

They also discuss the pressures facing public services, the limits imposed by the government's tax pledges, and the measures they'd most like the Chancellor to avoid.

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>>> Sign up to our live event: https://ifs.org.uk/events/ifs-zooms-live-look-ahead-budget <<<

The economic outlook has worsened since the spring. Inflation is expected to be higher for longer, borrowing costs have risen, and the conflict in the Middle East has added fresh uncertainty for households, businesses and the public finances.

In this episode of IFS Zooms In, we examine what this means for the Chancellor’s first Budget. While the Office for Budget Responsibility may still forecast that the fiscal rules will be met, the underlying spending plans look increasingly difficult to deliver.

With departmental budgets set in cash terms, higher inflation erodes their real value. Combined with pressure to increase defence spending and protect the NHS, this could leave other public services facing deep cuts - or require the Chancellor to make difficult choices on tax, benefits or borrowing.

IFS researchers João Sousa and Bee Boileau explain why “headroom” against the fiscal rules is only part of the story, why credible spending plans matter, and what the Chancellor needs to set out ahead of next year’s Spending Review.

This episode draws on new IFS research published as part of the 2026 Green Budget. The 2026 edition of the IFS Green Budget is funded by the Nuffield Foundation, Barclays and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) through the Centre for Microeconomic Analysis of Public Policy (CPP).

Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership

Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/podcasts-explainers-and-calculators/podcasts
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>>> Sign up to our live event: https://ifs.org.uk/events/ifs-zooms-live-look-ahead-budget <<<

Renewable energy is at the centre of the debate about Britain's high electricity prices. Some argue that wind and solar power are driving up costs, requiring expensive subsidies, backup generation and upgrades to the electricity grid. Others point to the falling cost of renewable technologies and argue that expanding them is the best way to bring down bills. So who's right?

In this episode, Helen Miller is joined by IFS researcher Peter Levell and Stephen Jarvis, Assistant Professor of Environmental Economics at the London School of Economics, to explore the economics of renewable energy.

They explain why gas often determines the price of electricity, even as Britain generates more power from wind and solar, and examine how investment in renewables has affected electricity costs over the past decade. They also discuss whether the government should slow down its plans to decarbonise electricity, how falling technology and battery costs could change the picture, and what growing demand from data centres might mean for Britain's energy system.

This episode draws on new IFS research published as part of the 2026 Green Budget. The 2026 edition of the IFS Green Budget is funded by the Nuffield Foundation, Barclays and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) through the Centre for Microeconomic Analysis of Public Policy (CPP).
Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership

Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/podcasts-explainers-and-calculators/podcasts
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.