Spending transparency
We have consistently argued that taxpayers have a right to know how their money is being spent and have convinced politicians from all parties to commit to spending transparency. The COINS database now publishes extensive details of how taxpayers’ money is spent in central government and all councils are now required to detail online any payment over £500. Councils must reveal the number of staff they employ on over £50,000 per annum and provide further details on staff earning more than £150,000.
Public Sector Rich List
Council Spending Uncovered
Public Sector Pay Freeze
Our research into public sector salaries revealed for the first time how many bureaucrats were excessively remunerated. In 2010, Chancellor George Osborne announced a two year public sector pay freeze for all staff earning more than £21,000 a year. In November 2011, the Chancellor said pay would rise by only 1% in the two years to 2015.
Town Hall Rich List
How to Cut Public Spending (and still win an election)
Council Spending Uncovered: Middle Management Pay (Jan, 2009)
Public Sector Rich List (Dec, 2009)
Towards Transparent Rewards (Feb, 2010)
Regional Development Agencies and many quangos scrapped
Our research into quango spending was fundamental in changing political attitudes. Many quangos have now been scrapped, including Becta, the National Policing Improvement Agency, and the Sustainable Development Commission. We were also successful in calling for the abolition of Regional Development Agencies.
ACA to YJB: A guide to the UK’s semi-autonomous public bodies, The Case for Abolishing Regional Development Agencies (Aug 2008)
Regional Development Agencies: Having a ball at the 2008 Party Conferences (Dec 2008)
Members of the Board: Holding quangos to account (Dec 2009)
Identifying bodies to cut (March 2010)
Regional Development Agencies Exposed (Jun 2010)
Reform of unfunded public pensions
We have revealed the true cost of unfunded pensions obligations and have pressured the Government to commit to substantial reform to unaffordable public sector pensions.
The Hundred Club: Whitehall Pensions (Nov 2006)
£1m civil service pensions (Dec 2007)
£1m NHS pensions (Feb 2008)
The UK pensions crisis (Nov 2008)
How to save £50 billion (Sept 2009)
Council pensions: The £53billion black hole (March 2010)
New TaxPayers Alliance research reveals that there are more former civil servants drawing a pension than paying in (Nov, 2011)
Substantial cuts in public spending
We have consistently argued for necessary cuts in public spending. The Coalition is committed to reducing government expenditure but they must now go much further. In one example, we led the campaign against expensive government advertising budgets. In June 2011, the Cabinet office said it had cut advertising spending by 68% in the past year.
How to save £50billion: Reducing public spending for sustainable public finances (September 2009),
How to cut public spending (and still win an election) (March 2010)
The Economic Cost of High Spending (April 2010)
The Economic Effects of rapid fiscal adjustment (June 2010)
End to wasteful local council spending
Following our forensic research we revealed for the first time how councils were hiring lobbyists using taxpayers’ money. In August 2010, the Government announced an end to taxpayer-funded lobbying by local authorities. Similarly, we were the first to expose the questionable value of Prevent grants in the fight against extremism. In July 2009 the Government announced that local authority Prevent grants would be scrapped.
Taxpayer funded lobbying and political campaigning (Aug 2009)
The Prevent Strategy, Council Spending Uncovered II: Preventing Violent Extremism Grants (Sep 2009)
Foreign Office Prevent Grants (Aug 2010)
Pledge to end to taxpayer funding of trade unions
We were the first to uncover how much taxpayers’ money was given to trade unions and our campaign against these subsidies has gained broad political support. David Cameron strongly believes that ‘the current level of public subsidy to the trade unions cannot be sustained, either morally or economically’.
Taxpayer Funding of Trade Unions 2011
Trade Union Rich List
TaxPayers Alliance information on public sector strikes, pensions and unions
A fairer, more transparent system of politicians’ expenses
We spoke on behalf of taxpayers' during the MPs' expenses scandal, pushed for full disclosure of all MPs’ expenses, and submitted a detailed submission to Parliament for comprehensive reform.
The Case Against Boosting MPs' Pay (August 2009)
MPs’ Resettlement Grants (June 2010)
Inheritance Tax cuts
With the Daily Express, we collected over 300,000 signatures calling for the abolition of Inheritance Tax. In 2007 George Osborne promised that he would raise the tax threshold to £1million per person. In October 2007, Alistair Darling doubled the inheritance tax threshold for married couples to £600,000.
Reforming welfare and reducing the tax burden on the poor
We played a small but significant part in the campaign for necessary welfare reform and released research backing a smaller tax burden on the poor through an increase in the income tax personal allowance.
Tax Burden Highest for the Poorest Households (2007)
A taxpayer’s guide to the party political responses to the fiscal crisis (2009)
Welfare reform (2010)
Spending transparency
We have consistently argued that taxpayers have a right to know how their money is being spent and have convinced politicians from all parties to commit to spending transparency. The COINS database now publishes extensive details of how taxpayers’ money is spent in central government and all councils are now required to detail online any payment over £500. Councils must reveal the number of staff they employ on over £50,000 per annum and provide further details on staff earning more than £150,000.
Public Sector Rich List
Council Spending Uncovered
Public Sector Pay Freeze
Our research into public sector salaries revealed for the first time how many bureaucrats were excessively remunerated. In 2010, Chancellor George Osborne announced a two year public sector pay freeze for all staff earning more than £21,000 a year. In November 2011, the Chancellor said pay would rise by only 1% in the two years to 2015.
Town Hall Rich List
How to Cut Public Spending (and still win an election)
Council Spending Uncovered: Middle Management Pay (Jan, 2009)
Public Sector Rich List (Dec, 2009)
Towards Transparent Rewards (Feb, 2010)
Regional Development Agencies and many quangos scrapped
Our research into quango spending was fundamental in changing political attitudes. Many quangos have now been scrapped, including Becta, the National Policing Improvement Agency, and the Sustainable Development Commission. We were also successful in calling for the abolition of Regional Development Agencies.
ACA to YJB: A guide to the UK’s semi-autonomous public bodies, The Case for Abolishing Regional Development Agencies (Aug 2008)
Regional Development Agencies: Having a ball at the 2008 Party Conferences (Dec 2008)
Members of the Board: Holding quangos to account (Dec 2009)
Identifying bodies to cut (March 2010)
Regional Development Agencies Exposed (Jun 2010)
Reform of unfunded public pensions
We have revealed the true cost of unfunded pensions obligations and have pressured the Government to commit to substantial reform to unaffordable public sector pensions.
The Hundred Club: Whitehall Pensions (Nov 2006)
£1m civil service pensions (Dec 2007)
£1m NHS pensions (Feb 2008)
The UK pensions crisis (Nov 2008)
How to save £50 billion (Sept 2009)
Council pensions: The £53billion black hole (March 2010)
New TaxPayers Alliance research reveals that there are more former civil servants drawing a pension than paying in (Nov, 2011)
Substantial cuts in public spending
We have consistently argued for necessary cuts in public spending. The Coalition is committed to reducing government expenditure but they must now go much further. In one example, we led the campaign against expensive government advertising budgets. In June 2011, the Cabinet office said it had cut advertising spending by 68% in the past year.
How to save £50billion: Reducing public spending for sustainable public finances (September 2009),
How to cut public spending (and still win an election) (March 2010)
The Economic Cost of High Spending (April 2010)
The Economic Effects of rapid fiscal adjustment (June 2010)
End to wasteful local council spending
Following our forensic research we revealed for the first time how councils were hiring lobbyists using taxpayers’ money. In August 2010, the Government announced an end to taxpayer-funded lobbying by local authorities. Similarly, we were the first to expose the questionable value of Prevent grants in the fight against extremism. In July 2009 the Government announced that local authority Prevent grants would be scrapped.
Taxpayer funded lobbying and political campaigning (Aug 2009)
The Prevent Strategy, Council Spending Uncovered II: Preventing Violent Extremism Grants (Sep 2009)
Foreign Office Prevent Grants (Aug 2010)
Pledge to end to taxpayer funding of trade unions
We were the first to uncover how much taxpayers’ money was given to trade unions and our campaign against these subsidies has gained broad political support. David Cameron strongly believes that ‘the current level of public subsidy to the trade unions cannot be sustained, either morally or economically’.
Taxpayer Funding of Trade Unions 2011
Trade Union Rich List
TaxPayers Alliance information on public sector strikes, pensions and unions
A fairer, more transparent system of politicians’ expenses
We spoke on behalf of taxpayers' during the MPs' expenses scandal, pushed for full disclosure of all MPs’ expenses, and submitted a detailed submission to Parliament for comprehensive reform.
The Case Against Boosting MPs' Pay (August 2009)
MPs’ Resettlement Grants (June 2010)
Inheritance Tax cuts
With the Daily Express, we collected over 300,000 signatures calling for the abolition of Inheritance Tax. In 2007 George Osborne promised that he would raise the tax threshold to £1million per person. In October 2007, Alistair Darling doubled the inheritance tax threshold for married couples to £600,000.
Reforming welfare and reducing the tax burden on the poor
We played a small but significant part in the campaign for necessary welfare reform and released research backing a smaller tax burden on the poor through an increase in the income tax personal allowance.
Tax Burden Highest for the Poorest Households (2007)
A taxpayer’s guide to the party political responses to the fiscal crisis (2009)
Welfare reform (2010)