By the end of 2013, the UK government will have implemented 52% of planned fiscal consolidation.
The IFS report that most of this fiscal consolidation has come through taxes. In coming years, we will see the impact of cuts to the benefit budget. Only 58% of the total cuts to benefit spending have been implemented, and only 31% of overall cuts to other spending (non-investment) have been achieved. (IFS fiscal squeeze)
One consequence of this is that there is likely to be an increase in income inequality from 2013-14, as low income groups experience the impact of the benefits squeeze.
Timing and composition of UK Fiscal consolidation
source: IFS
The good news is that 90% of public investment cuts have been implemented, and in the latest spending review, the government has pledged to increase public investment.
Related
Nominal Government Spending
| total government spending £ bn | % change | |
| 2000 | 338.07 | |
| 2001 | 362.57 | 7.25 |
| 2002 | 384.93 | 6.17 |
| 2003 | 415.21 | 7.87 |
| 2004 | 451.5 | 8.74 |
| 2005 | 488.31 | 8.15 |
| 2006 | 502.56 | 2.92 |
| 2007 | 543.96 | 8.24 |
| 2008 | 575.97 | 5.88 |
| 2009 | 621.4 | 7.89 |
| 2010 | 660.81 | 6.34 |
| 2011 | 681.33 | 3.11 |
| 2012 | 687.96 | 0.97 |
| 2013 | 676.57 | -1.66 |
| 2014 | 715.27 | 5.72 |
| 2015 | 728.87 | 1.90 |
source: UK public spending
It seems to me that politicians in general know very little about economics. In order to counteract the effects of the ongoing crisis in UK, maybe it’s time politicians and administrators took advice from professional economic crisis specialists with a proven track record of positive results. For example, the Orlando Bisegna Index, specialists in the economic crisis, have developed a program that has helped various counties with debt problems, business failures and unemployment.