A quango is a quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisation. While there is no single definition of a quango, the Cabinet Office classifies what it calls ‘arm’s length bodies’ (ALBs) as public sector organisations that operate outside of direct ministerial authority. ALBs fall into three main categories: executive agencies, non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs)... Read more...
When Labour was elected in 2024 it promised to deliver ‘nothing less than a national renewal’, making a bold commitment to ‘fix our foundations and make people better off’ as well as vowing to ‘take the brakes off our economy’.[1] But nearly one year on, the prime minister’s popularity has... Read more...
Introduction The UK’s welfare system represents one of the largest areas of public spending, yet there is limited transparency on how well it serves both recipients and taxpayers. With rising welfare costs, increasing numbers of people on long-term sickness benefits, and concerns over fraud and inefficiency, there is a growing... Read more...
Executive summary Historical productivity Healthcare productivity fell sharply during the pandemic, but had been in decline even before then, starting as early as 2017-18. Productivity growth from 1996-97 to 2019-20 averaged 0.89 per cent per year: From 1997 to 2010 it was 0.68 per cent From 2010 to 2015 it... Read more...
In their financial plans for 2025-26, NHS trusts expected to spend £6.6 billion more than they had available. This spending deficit prompted a response from new NHS England chief executive Sir Jim Mackey who called for a “fundamental reset of the financial regime” to get a grip of the situation,[1]... Read more...
NHS spending is set to reach £215.6 billion in 2025-26, rising 3.2 per cent per year in real terms from 2023-24. Even after accounting for changes in population size and age, NHS spending will be 24.5 per cent higher than it was in 2013-14.[1] Yet despite having significantly more resources... Read more...
In April 2025, the government announced that it was going to scrap the Valuation Office Agency, folding its functions into HM Revenue & Customs.[1] This followed announcements the previous month that NHS England, the ‘world’s largest quango’, and the Payment Systems Regulator would also be brought into the Department for... Read more...
Key findings The cost of the Covid Inquiry is projected to be almost £227 million. This means the cost per day would be £158,269. This is the fourth estimate of the Covid Inquiry cost by the TaxPayers’ Alliance. The first estimate, in December 2023, forecasted a cost of over £156... Read more...
The first budget of the current Labour government, in October 2024, specified economic growth as a key objective for the next five years. To achieve this, the government has argued that investment in infrastructure will be necessary. Investment in infrastructure is a positive goal as it can be a key... Read more...
A quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisation (quango) is a body set up to perform a function of government while operating at arm’s length from ministers and departments. Quangos sit in a unique position between the public and private sectors. They are often granted statutory powers but are not directly accountable to the... Read more...
Quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations (quangos) are funded by taxpayers but not directly controlled by the central government.[1] They range from non-ministerial departments that regulate various sectors, to public corporations that deliver public services, to smaller expert committees that provide advice. These include organisations such as HM Revenue and Customs, HM Prisons... Read more...
Executive summary With the tax burden set to grow to an 80-year high, the burden on entrepreneurs is unsurprisingly heavy. But it may be heavier than many might expect. This is because when entrepreneurs earn, they often exceed numerous tax thresholds, save and invest their earnings, and ultimately pass them... Read more...
First compiled in 2007, Town Hall Rich List 2025 marks the 19th edition of this paper. Every year the TaxPayers’ Alliance has compiled a comprehensive list of all local authority employees receiving total remuneration over £100,000. For the average (band D) property, taxpayers in England will have to pay a... Read more...
The chancellor is set to present her spring statement in March, where she is reportedly planning several billion pounds of cuts to meet the government’s fiscal rules.[1] Yet despite a stated commitment to fiscal discipline public spending remains at historically high levels, forecast to reach a record £1.5 trillion by... Read more...
The NHS has seen its budget grow considerably in recent years. Spending plans for NHS England estimate an outturn of £162.5 billion in 2024-25.[1] Despite this level of funding, concerns continue about the performance of the NHS compared to its peers on key healthcare outcomes, including life expectancy and deaths.[2]... Read more...
In his autumn statement in November 2023 the previous chancellor cut the main rate of national insurance from 12 to 10 per cent, effective from 6 January.[1] In 2024 he cut it again by another two percentage points to eight per cent,[2] while stating a ‘long term’ ambition to abolish... Read more...
CORRECTION: Since publication of this research, we have been informed that the figures on the pension contributions for Sunil Chotai, as published in the accounts for Charles Darwin Academy Trust, were incorrect. These have now been updated in the research paper and in the press release below. A link to the... Read more...
Local authorities accumulate reserves for several reasons, from cushioning against shocks to building up funds for planned future expenditure. In recent years, an increasing number of councils have faced financial difficulties. Since 2018, 13 section 114 notices have been issued,[1] with half of English councils saying that they are likely... Read more...
Trade union representatives in the public sector are entitled to take time off from their regular job in order to carry out their trade union role. This is known as facility time and can be paid or unpaid depending on what tasks are being performed. In some cases, public sector... Read more...
Executive summary Debt will be serviced and paid back or rolled over in the future using tax receipts extracted overwhelmingly from the future’s GDP, not current GDP. Debt is often expressed as a share of GDP, to measure how affordable it is. But future GDP provides a better measure of... Read more...
The UK collects data around economic growth and migration statistics which are released by the Office of National Statistics (ONS). This measures those entering and leaving the country and gross domestic product (GDP) which acts as a measure of economic health, but it can disguise underlying issues affecting individual prosperity.... Read more...
Executive summary This paper examines local government structures in London, focusing on whether they deliver value for taxpayers and residents, as well as if it can be improved. It makes the following key findings: There are inequalities in political representation between London and other major UK cities. Bringing political representation... Read more...
In February 2025 the prime minister of Mauritius stated that the UK government offered a revised deal regarding the Chagos islands. This included Mauritius gaining complete sovereignty over the island of Diego Garcia, the location of a US military base, and a doubling of the initial £9 billion payment to... Read more...
On, 9th of January 2025, the TaxPayers' Alliance submitted to the Senedd consultation on the visitor accommodation (register and levy) bill. READ THE SUBMISSION Read more...