{speedy:add_tag}ifs-zooms-in-live-a-look-ahead-to-the-budget{/speedy:add_tag} IFS Zooms In Live: A look ahead to the Budget | Events | Festival of Social Science Skip to Content

IFS Zooms In Live: A look ahead to the Budget

Date & time
20 October 2026 | 18.30-20.00

Event format

Live Podcast

Event type

Talk / panel debate

Event topic

Business, finance & economics, Politics & protest

Audience

Young People, Adults

Academic discipline

Economics management and business studies, Politics and international relations

Venue

British Library Knowledge Centre

London

What's on offer?

We will record a special in-person episode of the IFS podcast ahead of the Budget, zooming in on the choices facing the Chancellor.

What's it about?

On 28 October, John Healey will deliver his first Budget as Chancellor, and the first of Andy Burnham's new government. It comes at a difficult fiscal moment. Sticking to the fiscal rules means bringing down borrowing. But the government has ambitions to increase spending on both welfare and warfare. How could the government fund its ambitions? Having ruled out rises to the three biggest revenue-raisers – income tax, National Insurance and VAT – which other taxes could it turn to, and at what cost? Could cuts to benefits make space for more spending elsewhere? Will Burnham's promise to spread money and power out of Westminster help by promoting higher growth or increase challenges by leading to higher inequality?

A week ahead of the Budget, join us for a special in-person recording of the IFS podcast, IFS Zooms In. We will bring together IFS experts to zoom in on the key tax and spend choices facing the Chancellor, and to explore what they could mean for households, businesses and the wider economy.

Who's leading the event?

Helen Miller, IFS Director and podcast host, will be joined by IFS researchers to discuss these topics in detail.

Open to

Anyone is welcome to attend.

Of particular interest to

This event is of particular interest to those who listen to IFS Zooms in podcast.

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