New Economics Foundation

Theresa May confirmed yesterday that a whopping £10bn more would be earmarked for Help to Buy. Under this scheme, the government lends buyers of new-build homes a 20% equity loan so that they only need a 75% mortgage and a 5% deposit. May said this huge injection of funding would help the ‘just about managing’. But evidence from the scheme to date suggests that it is more likely to help those on higher incomes than struggling young renters. Here are four reasons...

This is a guest post by Karel Williams, Professor of Accounting and Political Economy at Alliance Manchester Business School. The views of guest contributors are not necessarily those of the New Economics Foundation. Conference season, autumn 2017, and the commentariat’s gaze  is fixed on the novelties: the Tories may not survive as our default party of government if their factionalised party tears itself apart on the terms of Brexit; the Labour opposition...

If we learnt anything from the Grenfell tragedy, it was that for too long, social housing tenants’ voices have been ignored. Residents knew the tower was unsafe – but nobody listened to them. Earlier this week we heard from the leader of the Labour Party a real commitment to increasing tenant power. His promise to give social housing tenants a ballot on the decision to regenerate their estate would be an important first step in putting tenants back at the heart of...

We are all caught up in a culture of consuming, using and disposing of things. But these ‘things’ then become waste that clogs up the Earth’s ecosystems. So we ask: what is more logical than creating or harnessing things that we can use again and again? It saves us money in the long term, avoids unnecessary waste and opens up possibilities that we have only dreamed of. So here’s the good news. A tidal power station in the Pentland Firth between mainland Scotland...

In response to today’s decision by TFL to deny Uber a new license, the New Economics Foundation calls for ‘Khan’s Cars’ as a mutually-owned, publicly-regulated alternative to Uber. Transport for London (TFL) and the Mayor of London have today made a huge intervention in the so-called ‘gig economy.’ The move comes in reaction to Uber’s poor record of responding to concerns regarding passenger safety and security, and will affect thousands of drivers and their...

Community-led housing is a way for local communities to address their housing needs by producing their own decent and affordable homes. It is increasingly seen as a viable alternative for those whose housing needs are not met by the mainstream housing market. But how can communities and individuals access community-led housing? Over two evenings tutors and participants will discuss and work through exercises on key elements of community-led housing including:...

This week marks 10 years since the collapse of Northern Rock. As shockwaves reverberated throughout the banks, our financial system was quickly brought to its knees. One bank’s failure led to an inconceivable financial meltdown. As the severity of the crisis sunk in, then Chancellor Gordon Brown was forced to put together an unprecedented bank bailout package. He also reportedly considered putting troops on the streets due to fears of civil unrest. All the...

Decades of overfishing in European waters have taken their toll. Four out of every ten fish stocks are outside safe biological limits, producing fewer fish than if we managed them sustainably. But allowing European fish stocks to grow could deliver an additional 2 million tonnes – enough to feed 89 million citizens, support 20,000 more jobs, and generate additional profits of €1bn. The British government has played a role in failing to realise this potential by...

As large swathes of the Caribbean have been left devastated by Hurricane Irma, the issue of climate change is once again back on the global news agenda. It’s easy to feel defeated when the environmental crises we face are so immediate and huge. But action is urgently needed. In this special edition of the Weekly Economics Podcast (recorded before Irma took place), we explore some of the possible solutions, debate what real action looks like and how those most...

This week, the Scottish government pledged to phase out all new petrol and diesel cars by 2032 – a welcome eight years earlier than the UK-wide ban due by 2040. Air pollution and carbon emissions from transport are major problems. More than 40,000 premature deaths are attributable to high levels of air pollution in the UK alone. The sooner we leave petrol and diesel cars in the past, the better. But even the Scots are setting a 15-year horizon on the ban. Why so...