Economy, Business & Finance

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.

16 June 2021

Labour’s record on unemployment

By Abbas Panjwani • 4 mins

Labour has led the UK government on six occasions. Unemployment rose during five of those. Read

Fact checks

10 June 2021

Economy, Business & Finance

Boris Johnson was broadly right about aid spending

By Leo Benedictus • 2 mins

The government’s plan to reduce foreign aid will still mean spending more on it than past governments did. Read

Fact checks

5 May 2021

Economy, Business & Finance

Boris Johnson repeats misleading council tax comparison

By Abbas Panjwani • 5 mins

The Prime Minister claimed that band D average council tax is higher in Labour areas than Conservative ones. But band D rates are not a fair comparison. Average tax in Labour areas is lower. Read

Fact checks

9 April 2021

Economy, Business & Finance

Poverty is not the same as food insecurity

By Pippa Allen-Kinross • 4 mins

Claims about all households in poverty struggling to put food on the table need a closer look. Read

Fact checks

29 March 2021

House price growth has outstripped income growth—but not by much

By Sarah Turnnidge • 3 mins

A chart on Facebook compares two different measures, which makes the rise in income look smaller than it was. Read

Fact checks

5 March 2021

Did Eat Out to Help Out cause Covid to spread?

By Tom Norton • 3 mins

Debate over whether the government scheme caused a rise in infections continues. Read

Fact checks

4 March 2021

Economy, Business & Finance

Details missing on levelling up funding

By Abbas Panjwani • 3 mins

A list of priority areas due to receive early funding from the new “Levelling Up Fund” has been published. The rationale for why certain areas are prioritised has not. Read