This blog summarises the latest policy news that is important to place, including reports, inquiries, consultations, government research and events.
Reports from Academics and Think Tanks
|
Title |
Details |
Published |
| Flex factor: How government can keep network costs on bills down | This report from UK think tank IPPR states that the government must strike a balance between bringing down energy bills and building a system fit for the future. | April 2026 |
| Productivity implications of the move to net zero | New research from The Bank of England’s Sandra Batten and National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR)’s Stephen Millard explores whether the shift to cleaner energy will reduce or enhance productivity. | |
| AI in local government: Adoption, benefits and challenges | This report from the Local Policy Innovation Partnership provides a timely stocktake of how artificial intelligence is being adopted in local government, what benefits are beginning to emerge, and what barriers still limit wider deployment. | April 2026 |
| The myth of a single UK minimum wage | How the UK’s National Living Wage affects cities differently depending on local wages and economic conditions. | |
| Wednesday briefing: Why the debate over working from home says more about inequality than productivity | Hybrid working has quietly settled into Britain’s post-pandemic landscape but the real story lies in who gets flexibility and who never did. | |
| Why women are key to a more productive economy | ‘Women, innovation and productivity’ by Athene Donald, highlights why unlocking women’s full economic potential is essential for long‑term productivity and growth. | |
| Course correction: How to densify British cities | This research uses data on historic neighbourhood age and Centre for Cities’ residential densities dataset to dig deeper into where densification needs to occur and what policy needs to do differently. | |
| High-Growth Potential Firms in the UK’s Creative Industries | This report demonstrates that the Creative Industries account for almost a tenth of UK firms classified as having ‘high-growth potential’, higher than 5.1% and 2.4% respectively for Life Sciences and Advanced Manufacturing. | |
| The macroeconomic policy outlook Q2 2026 | This report from the Resolution Foundation discusses the macroeconomic policy outlook in the second quarter of 2026. |