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 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.

Did EU exports really drop 68% in January?
17 February 2021

There is other evidence that trade did not fall this much and it may have been driven by stockpiling before January and Covid.

How to check claims about tariffs and trade
17 December 2020

Knowing which tariffs to pay and what rules to follow is vital for businesses. Misinformation about tariff rates can be used to mislead the public. Here’s how to understand what’s …

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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

Universal Credit: Do politicians' claims about working more hours add up?
17 September 2021

The Conservatives and Labour gave very different figures for how much longer claimants would have to work to offset the end of the £20 uplift

Scottish taxes don’t subsidise English spending
16 September 2021

Public spending per person in Scotland is higher than across the UK as a whole, and higher than the revenue raised in Scotland.

No, health won’t account for 40% of all public spending
10 September 2021

Health will account for around 40% of the day-to-day spending that can be budgeted by departments, which itself only accounts for about half of government spending.

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