IPPR Scotland

Women in Scotland: the gendered impact of care on financial stability and well-being | IPPR It is not just anecdata — it goes far beyond Instagram reels and mommy blogs. The evidence is everywhere. Women are much likelier than men to engage in car

👱🏿‍♀️On the occasion of International Women's Day, we revisit this old blog by @sukhadatatke.bsky.social.

✍🏿"Women in Scotland are far likelier than men to take on childcare and other caring responsibilities, which puts them at an economic disadvantage."

www.ippr.org/articles/wom...

Women in Westminster Women in Westminster

Lovely to be named one of this year's 100 'Women in Westminster', and proud to to be alongside such an incredible group of women helping to shape policy and politics for the better.

#wiw100

www.politicshome.com/in-focus/wiw...

There are plenty of assumptions about public servants and their attitude to change - we spoke with workers across the public sector & heard their thoughts on public service reform - unsurprisingly views are more nuanced than commentators and politicians would have you believe!

On the ground: how Scotland’s public servants experience public service reform | IPPR Given widely recognised fiscal pressures, we can expect to hear plenty of discussion during this May’s Holyrood election about the need to make public serv

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 With fiscal pressures mounting ahead of the Holyrood election, reforming Scotland’s public services is back in the spotlight.

⏰But what do public servants themselves say needs to change?

In our latest blog, @caseysmithippr.bsky.social goes inside the system ⤵️

www.ippr.org/articles/on-...

Will technology reduce the cost of delivering public services? | IPPR The Scottish government has huge ambitions for digitising public services. In late November 2025, first minister John Swinney stated that:  “…the potential

Rapid technological advances and the implementation of AI has the potential to transform healthcare - however this does not necessarily translate into reduced costs for public services.

Read our latest blog on the limits of new technology in making healthcare cheaper

www.ippr.org/articles/wil...

👥 Local democracy is about to change... 🗳️

Government’s plan to scrap district councils in favour of unitary authorities risks moving local residents further from power - unless action is taken to empower communities.

@ryanswift93.bsky.social explains why that matters...

This new report reinforces the importance of social security spending which is fundamental to our calls and ensuring positive economic outcomes 👏

Our democracy needs a boost. Giving 16-year-olds the vote is a big step toward rebuilding trust and bringing more people into the process.

📺️ @harryqp.bsky.social on GB News 👇

More than a safety net: The welfare state as springboard to economic success and a better country | IPPR It is widely proposed that higher social spending – especially in the form of social security benefits – is damaging to the economy. Yet the evidence prese

High spending on social protection does more than just place a safety net for the economically disadvantaged; it helps economies to become more productive.

The welfare state is more than a safety net.

ICYMI, here's our latest report ⤵️

www.ippr.org/articles/mor...

Brilliant report from @ipprscotland.bsky.social. A must read for all policy makers!🔻

The welfare state can be a platform for economic success, as well as a mechanism to reduce inequality and provide opportunity.

📙The welfare state is definitely more than a safety net. Read our latest report: www.ippr.org/articles/mor...

A strong welfare state is not a barrier to sustained economic success. From the IPPR Scotland report 'More than a safety net'. IPPR Scotland logo.

A very important report today from our friends at @ipprscotland.bsky.social. Scotland needs to grow a #wellbeing #economy - but anyone who says that means cutting investment in #socialsecurity and public services is very wrong. One relies on the other.
www.ippr.org/media-office...

The successful marrying of high social spending with positive economic outcomes has been sustained over the long term; it is not a result of cherry picking data from specific years. It shows that high social spending is not a barrier to economic growth.

The gap in social spending as a share of GDP between the UK and other countries is large and sustained, as are the differences in economic performance.

Among these countries, the UK has had the lowest GDP over the past decade.

More than a safety net: The welfare state as springboard to economic success and a better country | IPPR It is widely proposed that higher social spending – especially in the form of social security benefits – is damaging to the economy. Yet the evidence prese

Interesting new report from @ipprscotland.bsky.social
Focused on Scotland but relevant across the UK in making the case for social security investment.

1. High social spending is compatible with economic success. Evidence shows European countries with high levels...1/4 www.ippr.org/articles/mor...

Many European countries balance high social spending with relatively high GDP per capita, high labour productivity, high employment rates and consistently strong performance across international indices of competitiveness and innovation.

The relationship between social spending and economic growth is complex: different countries find different ways to develop their economies and provide social assistance.

This means, Scotland and the UK can do it too.

More than a safety net: The welfare state as springboard to economic success and a better country | IPPR It is widely proposed that higher social spending – especially in the form of social security benefits – is damaging to the economy. Yet the evidence prese

The @ipprscotland.bsky.social report - More than a Safety Net - is published today.

Is the welfare state a brake on economic development?

No, countries with high levels of social spending are among the most dynamic, productive and innovative economies in the world

www.ippr.org/articles/mor...

More than a safety net: The welfare state as springboard to economic success and a better country | IPPR It is widely proposed that higher social spending – especially in the form of social security benefits – is damaging to the economy. Yet the evidence prese

📢 It's launch day!🚀

💷 Social spending ≠ economic damage.

💪Plenty of countries prove you can have strong social security and strong economies.

Read our new report, More than a Safety Net ⤵️

@stephenkb.bsky.social @davehawkey.bsky.social @caseysmithippr.bsky.social

www.ippr.org/articles/mor...

For months, we have been digging into a big myth — that strong social protection holds back economic growth.🔍

Spoiler: it doesn’t.💪

We launch our findings tomorrow in our report 'More than a Safety Net'. Stay tuned.🚀

For now, hear it from @stephenboydippr.bsky.social ⤵️

For months, we have been digging into a big myth — that strong social protection holds back economic growth.🔍

Spoiler: it doesn’t.💪

We launch our findings tomorrow in our report 'More than a Safety Net'. Stay tuned.🚀

For now, hear it from @stephenboydippr.bsky.social ⤵️

Too many separated parents are battling a system that doesn’t work. Children are losing out on the security they deserve. We’re proud to support @opfs.org.uk, @fifegingerbread.bsky.social & @ipprscotland.bsky.social in calling for change.

👉 buff.ly/ncjEPht
#TransformingChildMaintenance

Rethinking public sector productivity | IPPR The Spending Review published alongside the 2026-27 Budget commits the Scottish government to a programme of reform ‘designed to protect frontline services

💷 Why do the costs of health, education & care services seem to rise relentlessly?

In our latest blog we turn to William Baumol to explain why it pays to be cautious about rapid productivity growth/lower costs in people driven services.

@stephenboydippr.bsky.social🖊️

www.ippr.org/articles/ret...

Reform's proposed policies for Scotland described as "profoundly unserious, almost comically so" by one of Scotland's top policy experts. 🔽

Apples and oranges? Scottish teachers’ pay in international context | IPPR Ongoing pressures on the Scottish government budget are firing debate about the public sector paybill. Is the public sector in Scotland unmanageably big? A

📢 Starting today, we will publish a series of blogs as part of our project on Employment, Productivity and Reform in the Scottish Public Sector.

First up, this blog by @davehawkey.bsky.social looking at teacher pay per pupil in Scotland in an international context. ⤵️

www.ippr.org/articles/app...

👶The Scottish Child Payment is cutting child poverty and bucking the UK trend. Imposing a two-child limit would put that progress at risk.

@stephenboydippr.bsky.social responds to the Scottish Conservatives' plan announced today to impose a two-child limit on the Scottish Child Payment⤵️

Reform says it would cut green policies to fund £2bn income tax cut in Scotland Party’s pitch to voters in May Holyrood elections dismissed as ‘profoundly unserious, almost comically so’ by analysts

"Stephen Boyd, the director of the Institute for Public Policy Research Scotland, described the proposals as 'profoundly unserious, almost comically so'." @stephenboydippr.bsky.social contributed to this article on Reform's tax plans.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Our response to the Budget made the airwaves📻

@bbc5live.bsky.social led with our take on the Budget as “tepid” in conversation with Scotland’s Public Finance Minister Ivan McKee.
🎧👇

Our response to the Budget made the airwaves📻

@bbc5live.bsky.social led with our take on the Budget as “tepid” in conversation with Scotland’s Public Finance Minister Ivan McKee.
🎧👇

Policy credibility and the Scottish Budget | IPPR Rather than parse the fine detail of the budget (others, including our friends at FAI, are already doing this very effectively) this blog will zoom out to

Scotland’s Budget raises ambition — but ducks the hard fiscal choices⚠️
👶Eradicating child poverty isn’t cheap.
🌡️Climate action needs additional spend.
🏫Public services can’t improve on real-terms cuts.
Read more in @stephenboydippr.bsky.social's blog here ⤵️
www.ippr.org/articles/pol...