I’ve just got back from my Christmas holidays. I spent two weeks in Croatia (the EU’s newest member, 2013). It was very beautiful by the coast, if somewhat cold. Just like students find it hard to write the first essay after a three week holiday, I also struggle to get into the flow of economics …
Since 1964 the population of the UK has grown by over 10 million people (18.7%). About 50% of this growth has occurred in the past 15 years. In recent years, the rate of population growth has exceeded 0.6% a year. UK population predictions The biggest population growth is predicted in England, and the south east …
Readers Question: Do you think the help to buy scheme is fuelling a housing bubble? Only about 3% of houses are bought through this method but do you think that it is likely that a bubble will develop? In a way, I think you answer the question yourself in stating that only 3% of houses …
How has the coalition government fared on its economic policies? Firstly, there are quite a few paradoxes. Ignore own promises. The first paradox of the coalition government is the best thing they did was to ignore their own advice. When they came to power, they promised spending cuts, austerity and a balanced budget within a …
Firstly, I thought it might be helpful to talk about the different types of spending cuts that people refer to. An actual cut in government spending. e.g. one year we spend £39bn on defence, the next year that is cut to £38 bn. This is a nominal cut of £1bn. The real cut will be …
An economic stimulus package is an attempt by the government to boost economic growth and lead the economy out of a recession or economic slowdown. The two main ways for stimulating the economy are expansionary monetary policy and expansionary fiscal policy. Though it tends to refer to fiscal policy. Fiscal policy This involves a change …
A quick look at benefit spending in the UK. This is a follow up to Social security spending. Thanks to HM Treasury for help in finding useful data set. Source: Public Expenditure Statistical Analysis 2014 | Data Chapter 5 – 5.2 Social Protection spending Firstly, there has been a modification to the category of government …
A look at how much the UK government spend on social security, benefits and welfare payments. Note. I found it very difficult to find stats on how much the government spends on various benefits. The most helpful places were. Public Expenditure analysis 2014 at gov.uk Institute for Fiscal Studies – Benefit survey 2014 UK Benefit …