Get the facts on the economy

Fact checks about the economy, covering levels of inequality, prices, taxation, employment, unemployment and housing across the UK nations and regions

Get the facts on… Inequality in the UK Jobs and work Brexit

Comparing UK regions

Fact checks related to reporting of differences between UK nations and regions including council tax and leveling up funding

Debt and deficit

Fact checks related to policies of austerity and public and national debt

Homes

Fact checks related to house prices, the number of new homes built, landlords and private renting

Brexit

Fact checks looking at the impact and reported impact of brexit on the UK economy

The EU did not completely outlaw use of imperial measures in the UK
17 June 2022

Claims that the EU forced the UK to adopt the metric system and made the use of imperial measures illegal are not entirely true.

Claims of an EU mineral water ban need a drop of context
28 October 2021

Manufacturers can continue to export to Britain, as long as they renew their accreditation by 7 January 2022.

The government’s numbers on savings for wine drinkers don’t add up
2 August 2021

The government estimated its new imports policy will save wine drinkers £130 million. An industry body puts the figure at around £30 million.

More fact checks on Brexit

Inequality in the UK

Fact checks focused on homelessness, poverty, inequality and social mobility

Jobs and work

Fact checks related to the employment rate, unemployment, pensions and the gender pay gap

The economy fact checks

Kwasi Kwarteng wrong on ‘record unemployment’ under Labour
4 October 2022

The Chancellor was wrong to say that Labour left office with record unemployment. During this period unemployment peaked below the record level, set in 1984.

Do Treasury claims about a 'typical' first-time buyer’s savings add up?
30 September 2022

We’ve looked into the figures behind a tweet from the Treasury showing how the mini-Budget could benefit a hypothetical first-time buyer.

Do the mini-Budget tax cuts favour the rich?
30 September 2022

Income tax-payers across the income scale will benefit to some extent as a result of the Chancellor’s announcement—but higher earners will benefit much more.

See all the economy fact checks

Prices

Fact checks related to the economy in the UK, spending, house prices, public transport, and inflation measures such as the CPI and RPI

Scotland's economy

Fact checks related to the scottish economy, taxation and spending

Tax dodging

Fact checks focused on tax evasion, avoidance and offshore accounts

The government's role in the economy

Fact checks related to national economic programmes including leveling up, the New Deal and nationalisation

Transport

Fact checks related to transport, including public transport, airport expansion, HS2, rail fares and ticket prices

Universal Credit

Fact checks around claims made and misinformation about the Universal Credit programme

Welfare

Fact checks related to the welfare of the country, the welfare state, state spending, poverty and pensions