Fraser of Allander Institute

Healey’s first Budget is tomorrow, and he doesn’t have much room to manoeuvre. Our final UK budget preview looks at what’s changed since March, what we’ve heard so far, and what we’ll be watching for Scotland tomorrow. Read more here: 👉 buff.ly/dEb1EOv

What does preventative budgeting look like in practice? Our new case study presents the approach taken in Victoria’s Early Intervention Investment Framework and lessons for Scotland. Read more here: buff.ly/qZOfhfp

The Prime Minister recently announced a change to the way State Pension is increased each year - a reform that he has suggested will pay for a National Care Service in England. What would be the implications of these changes for Scotland? Read our latest blog: buff.ly/gA1ZS3e

What does the UK Government’s devolution agenda mean for Scotland? In the second of our UK Budget preview series, we look at how devolution works across the UK, what’s been announced so far, and what it could mean for Scotland. Read it here 👇https://buff.ly/yFrvXJD

With a week to go until the UK Budget, what does it actually mean for Scotland’s budget? In the first of our UK Budget preview series, we go back to basics on Barnett, Block Grant Adjustments and how UK decisions feed through north of the border. buff.ly/S98laaz

🎙️ New podcast episode out now! This week’s episode of Fraser Focus: Low-Income Households is on housing, featuring special guests Glen Bramley from Heriot-Watt University and Eli Harji from the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations. Tune in now 👇️ buff.ly/8AdqsNM

Financial insecurity could be damaging workers' earnings and holding back wider economic productivity, according to our latest report. The research, funded by JRF, highlights how financial pressures can deepen existing inequalities. Read the report here: buff.ly/ulp7hqY

📢 NEW: Scottish Business Monitor Q3 2026 📢 Business activity improved across all six headline indicators, but firms remain cautious about the outlook. We also look at firms’ relationship with the Scottish Government and AI adoption. 🔗 Read the full report: buff.ly/vg8Eag2

🎙️ New podcast episode out now! This week’s episode of Fraser Focus: Low-Income Households is all about the cost of living, featuring special guests Juliet Stone and Abigail Davis (CRSP) and Russell Gunson (Robertson Trust). Tune in now 👇 buff.ly/TS05vMh

ICYMI: our new Fraser Focus podcast series is underway! The first series explores key economic issues affecting low-income households in Scotland and the UK. Intro episode below. Our first main episode out next week as part of Challenge Poverty Week. buff.ly/GNbki8q

Chirsty McFadyen (FAI) and Andrea Tonner (Department of Marketing) are running a zine making workshop on 26 October. The workshop asks people with learning disabilities, autism and other disabilities to make a zine page about what good work means for you. Sign up here: buff.ly/UCF5FaG

📊 Our latest Economic Commentary is out. Scotland's economy has held up well, but there are signs of a labour market under strain. We also assess the Programme for Government ahead of the Scottish Budget on 3 December. Read the full commentary 👇 buff.ly/RwthxfX

🎧️ New podcast episode out today 🎧️ This episode introduces our new Fraser Focus series on low-income households across Scotland and the UK. Stay tuned for our first episode next week on the cost of living! buff.ly/XbxbYPv

🎙️ Introducing Fraser Focus - a new podcast series from the Fraser of Allander Institute exploring economic issues affecting Scotland and the UK. Our first series focuses on low-income households and poverty. 🎧 Intro episode launches next week, first of ten main episodes on 6 October.

Distributional analysis is a powerful tool, but remains underutilised. New FAI research, published today for the Poverty and Inequality Commission, estimates how the impacts of the Cost of Living Guarantee vary across the population. Read the report: buff.ly/tvBfU4z Our summary: buff.ly/bIQ71rG

What do Scotland's latest annual health check statistics for people with learning disabilities really tell us? More checks and increased referrals, but many eligible adults are still missing out, while important questions remain. Read more: buff.ly/kwkUScU

Our latest blog post reviews today’s fiscal update from the SFC, including some of the fiscal pressures in the run-up to this year’s budget. Read more: fraserofallander.org/2026-08-fisc...

How feasible is a wealth tax for Scotland? We look into how wealth is currently taxed in Scotland, what can we learn from other countries, and what practical challenges a Scottish wealth tax would need to overcome. Read more below: fraserofallander.org/a-wealth-tax...

🌍 New research: Economics Futures student Katie Trotter and Dr David Comerford explore trends in offshoring from 2000 to 2020 for 35 major economies. 📊 Read the full report here: fraserofallander.org/offshore-glo...

Key Sectors in the Scottish Economy: An Analysis through Input-Output Tables Read more: fraserofallander.org/key-sectors-...

🚨 New Research - An overview of the provision of affordable housing in Scotland, research for @sfha.bsky.social and ALACHO. Read more: buff.ly/n6fLoPb

🚨 GERS 2025-26 is out 🚨 What do - and don't - the latest figures tell us about Scotland’s public finances? Read our reaction to today’s release, breaking down the key numbers and what’s driving them 👇 fraserofallander.org/gers-2025-26...

🚨GERS 2025-26 is out tomorrow!🚨 What should we be looking out for in the latest figures on Scotland's public finances? Read our preview ahead of tomorrow's release 👇️ fraserofallander.org/gers-2025-20...

New report on the importance of services trade to Scotland - including barriers that exist for businesses and how they can be addressed - research in partnership with Prosper and the Centre for Inclusive Trade Policy. buff.ly/IrLBlhP

As the Burnham premiership draws its second week to a close, what do we make of the announcements so far? What's the strategy behind the devolution agenda, and what are the risks? And what might be the effects for Scotland? Read more below: fraserofallander.org/fiscal-and-e...

Following the publication of the interim report from Sir Stephen Timms' review of PIP, we've published a blog that draws on evidence we shared with the review, including updated analysis of the disability employment gap. Read more:

📢 New Scottish Business Monitor Q2 2026 📢 Almost two-thirds of firms now use AI, with adoption above 50% in construction, manufacturing and services for the first time. 🔗 Read the report here: buff.ly/9i0bNhk

New report out today looking at the economic contribution of British Allied Trades Federation industries. The report provides important new insights into the economic contribution of these diverse industries. Read the full report here: fraserofallander.org/publications...

How did the Scottish election shake out, and what are the initial signs saying regarding Parliamentary scrutiny? Read our final blog of the 2026 Election Analysis series below: buff.ly/XgN7hVx

How much of the Scottish budget goes towards preventing or reducing problems before they occur? 15% of budgeted spend for 2025/26 was preventative, according to a new Scottish Government pilot study. Read our latest blog responding to the pilot results at the link:

🚨 New Quarterly Economic Commentary 🚨 Our latest Commentary reflects on better-than-expected economic performance amidst global uncertainty, as well as the implications of the May elections. 🔗 Read the full Commentary: buff.ly/QT2qO9t

In April, Strathclyde's Learning Disabilities Research Network held a workshop bringing together network members and external organisations who support people with learning disabilities. Read our latest blog for a summary. fraserofallander.org/belonging-th...

In our latest podcast episode, Jack Evans of @jrf-uk.bsky.social joins the FAI to discuss new research on local labour markets across Scotland and how employability challenges look different across areas. Listen here 🎧️ buff.ly/wEycWaC

The tackling child poverty agenda in Scotland is entering a pivotal phase, with a new government at the helm and statutory targets coming due in 2030. In this blog, we set out our key priorities for child poverty research over the next five years. buff.ly/eTADkWT

📊NEW: Supervising ex-prisoners cuts reoffending substantially and pays for itself - every £1 spent on supervision avoids more than £2 in crime-related costs. Read our blog and explore our dashboard to learn more about this work. buff.ly/8fRJXLe

Our Learning Disability Research team was grateful to spend time this morning with Sir Stephen Timms (Minister for Social Security and Disability), discussing our work and evidence submitted to the Timms Review. Read our work on learning disabilities: buff.ly/R7aSKRO

Post-release supervision cuts reoffending by 15% in the first month — and effects persist years later. 🎙️ Our latest podcast digs into new research by Markus Gehrsitz, Sam Grant and Stuart McIntyre. buff.ly/yK9zJZ7

This seems like a bad idea, just like we said about the Scottish proposal. Will likely solve nothing, cause shortages if cap very low or lead to artificially supplied (and wasteful) low quality products no one wants. National loaf anyone?

Essential weekend reading - does the SG have a fiscal black hole? is the UK in hock to the bond markets? And more on child poverty statistics

In the final podcast episode of our election analysis series, we look at what the results mean for governing arrangements - and what we can expect next. Listen below: fraserofallander.org/2026-scotlan...

Scottish Business Monitor results show a fragile economic picture: • Activity still weak across headline indicators • Energy, import, & distribution costs rising • But business confidence has edged positive for the first time since late 2024

How do the manifestos for the Senedd stack up? And what are they avoiding? Listen to our latest podcast in collaboration with @WalesGovernance.bsky.social to find out: buff.ly/7Cjo5C0

What have been the main themes of the Welsh and Scottish campaigns this week? And what can we expect 6 days out from the elections? Listen below to our latest @fraserofallander.org and @WalesGovernance.bsky.social podcast: buff.ly/Q1v9tAi

How has health spending in Wales evolved? How does NHS performance stack up? And what are parties promising in this space? Listen to the latest @fraserofallander.org and @WalesGovernance.bsky.social podcast below: buff.ly/rnVf18Z

What do the Scottish manifestos discuss and what are parties avoiding? Listen below to our latest podcast to find out: fraserofallander.org/2026-scotlan...