Economy, Business & Finance

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

7 May 2025

What deal has the government struck over Indian workers and National Insurance?

With opposition parties warning of “two-tier taxes” and the PM describing criticism as “incoherent nonsense”, we look at what we know about what’s been announced.

Business secretary Jonathan Reynolds hosted an India business roundtable last month

1 April 2025

Sadiq Khan has not proposed to build 40,000 new council homes ‘specifically prioritised for Muslims’

The claim has been shared widely on social media platforms, but it is not accurate.

31 March 2025

BBC podcast corrects claim that tax fraud is ‘30 times larger’ than benefit fraud

The BBC has removed an inaccurate claim made on its Strong Message Here podcast after Full Fact got in touch.

27 March 2025

Did Labour promise to freeze council tax?

We’ve taken a look at what Labour said it would do, after Conservative claims that council tax rises this year amount to a “betrayal”.

26 March 2025

Spring Statement 2025: fact checked

Our round-up looks at claims from the chancellor Rachel Reeves’ statement in the Commons, and the Conservative response.

26 March 2025

MPs are being given a pay rise of 2.8%, not 28%

The independent body that sets MPs’ pay has announced an increase for the next financial year—but some on social media have claimed it’s going up by much more than it really is.

18 March 2025

How much is the ‘welfare bill’ set to increase by?

The Prime Minister and others have claimed “welfare” or “social security” spending is set to increase to £70 billion by the end of the decade—but this figure refers to one part of overall spending.

17 March 2025

Viral post comparing benefit fraud with tax avoidance and evasion is inaccurate

The post makes incorrect claims, including that tax avoidance and evasion cost the UK 100 times more than benefit fraud.

3 March 2025

Facebook post wrongly implies migrants receiving benefits are exempt from paying council tax

There is no automatic exemption for all migrants, although some may be exempt or receive discounts for the same reasons as non-migrants.

25 February 2025

Viral list claiming dozens of taxes didn’t exist a century ago is wrong

The Facebook post makes a number of misleading claims about taxes in the UK, and has been shared over 132,000 times.

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Economy, Business & Finance

What deal has the government struck over Indian workers and National Insurance?

Sadiq Khan has not proposed to build 40,000 new council homes ‘specifically prioritised for Muslims’

BBC podcast corrects claim that tax fraud is ‘30 times larger’ than benefit fraud

Did Labour promise to freeze council tax?

Spring Statement 2025: fact checked

MPs are being given a pay rise of 2.8%, not 28%

How much is the ‘welfare bill’ set to increase by?

Viral post comparing benefit fraud with tax avoidance and evasion is inaccurate

Facebook post wrongly implies migrants receiving benefits are exempt from paying council tax

Viral list claiming dozens of taxes didn’t exist a century ago is wrong

Full Fact fights bad information