We check facts about the UK economy. This includes money issues like prices, taxes, jobs, people out of work, and housing. We also look at how these things are different in each part of the UK.
Economy, Business & Finance
According to the Labour party, nothing has changed since 2013. People were £1,600 worse off then, and they're £1,600 worse off now: real wages haven't changed over the past year. The problem is that these figures come from two different sets of calculations using two different sources that produce the same fall in wages. Read
Economy, Business & Finance
"People are £1,600 a year worse off."—Ed Miliband Real wages have fallen, but that's not the same as saying that everyone is earning £1,600 less than they were in 2010. … Read
Economy, Business & Finance
"New figures show 49 per cent rise in long-term unemployment for black and minority ethnic young people since 2010" Labour Party, 11 March 2015 Labour's claim has led to criticism … Read
Economy, Business & Finance
"The Treasury's own figures show that it cost a family with children £450 a year or £1,800 over the four years it has now been in place." — Ed Balls, … Read
Economy, Business & Finance
Public services face a "rollercoaster" ride over the next five years, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has predicted after the Chancellor laid out the government's spending plans in the … Read
Economy, Business & Finance
The Chancellor has delivered his final Budget of this parliament, the details of which will be pored over in the days to come. Even before that, George Osborne and Ed … Read
Economy, Business & Finance
The government has claimed that the Troubled Families programme has saved £1.2 billion. We don't know what the actual savings are. Read
Economy, Business & Finance
The UK Statistics Authority has written to Labour MPs pointing out that they haven't been presenting statistics on zero hour contracts entirely clearly. Contrary to Labour's suggestions, 1.8 million people … Read
Economy, Business & Finance
"Labour's plans for raise the National Minimum Wage closer to average earnings to £8 an hour by 2020 will actually deliver a real term cut. [sic]?—Liberal Democrats We normally use … Read
Economy, Business & Finance
David Cameron has pledged to lower the benefit cap to £23,000 a year if he is re-elected. Does the evidence support his claim that the current £26,000 cap has caused a rush to the job centre? Read
