Cut costs and scrap tax relief on other children’s savings but keep Child Trust Funds universal

A think-tank has today warned the coalition Government against scrapping universal Child Trust Funds, arguing that the policy can be made to work better for much less money, and proposing a package of measures to do so, including scrapping tax relief on all other children's savings. - Read more...

SMF welcomes Chancellor’s fiscal forecasting plans but need for independent body remains

The Social Market Foundation (SMF) has welcomed today’s announcement by Chancellor George Osborne that he will hand responsibility for producing official fiscal projections to an independent statutory body. These plans are in line with SMF proposals published in December 2009. The new Office for Budgetary Responsibility (OBR) will have significantly more power and independence than when it was originally proposed by the Conservatives, and this evolution of the idea is welcome. But the government should go further to make the new body truly independent and authoritative. - Read more...

The Future of Child Trust Funds: Proposals for Reform

The Child Trust Fund, tax-incentivised universal children's savings accounts launched in 2002, was arguably the most innovative social policy implemented under the post-1997 Labour governments. The objectives of the Child Trust Fund range widely across savings policy, financial engagement and asset-based welfare, and are notable for seeking to change the behaviour of both children and their parents. However, the Child Trust Fund today is at a crossroads: it is not achieving its aims as well as was hoped, and it is no longer affordable in its current state. Read more...

Roads to Recovery: Reducing congestion through shared ownership

The current political debate is largely centred around the balance between public spending cuts and tax rises. But the importance of economic growth in dealing with the crisis in public finances should not be forgotten. The congestion that clogs up the road network is a major impediment to economic recovery as British employees and companies labour under the huge hidden costs of a creaking transport infrastructure. Read more...

Early Access to Pension Saving

Discussion of enabling early access to pension saving has been a feature of UK pension policy debate for some years. However, this discussion has come into sharper focus in light of the global financial crisis, and its potential impact on the attitude of UK households to locking away saving for many years. This report examines the evidence that current pension rules, associated with the UK ‘annuities deal', deter pension saving. The report also explores in detail the practical considerations and problems that would be confronted by the multiple ‘early access' models of pension saving that have been proposed. Read more...

The Future of Children’s Savings and Asset-Based Welfare

16:00-17:30, Tuesday 15 June 2010
Social Market Foundation, 11 Tufton Street, London, SW1P 3QB

The Child Trust Fund represented one of the most innovative social policies of the last decade, but has been one of the first victims of public spending cuts.

Emergency Budget 2010 – Breakfast Discussion

8-9am, Wednesday 23 June 2010
Social Market Foundation, 11 Tufton Street, London, SW1P 3QB

On the morning after the chancellor's statement, the SMF will be hosting a breakfast meeting to discuss the details of the emergency budget.

Demand Management – what works?

8:30-10:30am, Wednesday 7th July 2010
Social Market Foundation, 11 Tufton Street, London, SW1P 3QB

At the launch of the NHS, its founders confidently expected that demand for healthcare would temporarily increase before entering a cycle of decline.