Work and incomes

This Commons Library briefing paper analyses data on employment in the UK by country of birth and nationality. The briefing compares data from 1997 to 2020 and explains how figures for employment by nationality can differ to those for employment by country of birth.

Latest statistics showing changes in UK productivity and comparisons of UK productivity with other G7 countries.

This statistical note shows how average earnings have changed over time by region of the UK and for different age groups.

This note discusses the process by which National Insurance numbers (NINOs) are allocated and the uses to which they are put, before discussing the background to the introduction of the 'Right to Work' test for individuals requiring a NINO for employment purposes.

This Commons Library Briefing Paper discusses the new public sector exit payment cap that comes into force in November 2020. In particular, it considers how the cap could impact lower-income workers and the circumstances in which the cap can be relaxed.

Please note: for information on accessing food banks and food parcels during the pandemic please see our briefing Coronavirus: Support for household finances. For an account of developments in food bank activity over the crisis period see section 7 of this paper, Food Banks in the UK. Recent research means we have increasing amounts of data on food banks, giving us a fuller picture of their provision across the UK, and providing a more detailed picture of the characteristics of food bank users.

Spending on contributory benefits accounts for around 9% of social security expenditure on working-age adults and children.

This briefing looks at trends in the value of the UK National Minimum Wage, the number of jobs paid at the National Minimum Wage and how the National Minimum Wage compares internationally.

The High Income Child Benefit Charge provides for Child Benefit to be clawed back through the tax system from families where the highest earner has an income in excess of £50,000.

What support is available following new business restrictions and what's Parliament's role?

An Opposition Day debate was scheduled on the subject of 'Fire and re-hire tactics' on Wednesday 14th October 2020.

Public spending and taxation in Scotland was a hotly debated issue in the run up to the Scottish independence referendum, and has remained so since. A range of statistics exist on the subject: here we look at what these say and how they are measured.

This note gives a short introduction to the way VAT works, and the significance of EU VAT law for setting VAT rates, before discussing the campaign for a lower VAT rate on tourist services and the Government's introduction of a temporary 5% rate in July 2020.

This page provides constituency-level data on deprivation in England.

UK tax law is specifically targeted rather than purposive: in tackling the exploitation of loopholes in the law, governments have legislated against individual avoidance schemes as and when these have come to light. This note looks at the case that has been made recently for a general anti-avoidance rule, and the Coalition Government's introduction of a 'narrower' General Anti-Abuse Rule in 2013.