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23 March 2012

Does Britain lose £21 billion to alcohol abuse each year?

The Government published their Alcohol Strategy today, emphasising the drain of alcohol abuse on society. Central to the argument was the overall cost of alcohol-related harm - a staggering £21 …

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23 March 2012

Economist declines to correct the record over Government work experience error

At the start of this week Full Fact reported an error in the Economist that echoed a mistake made by Prime Minister David Cameron last month. The article, like Mr …

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23 March 2012

Two months on, what we can learn from the Daily Express' inadequate corrections procedure

It is now two months, or 60 days, since Full Fact requested the Daily Express correct their front page article referring to rises in the FTSE 100. Full Fact has …

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22 March 2012

How do you know if a survey is accurate?

Flick through your newspaper of choice on any given day of the week and chances are that you might happen upon a story generated by a survey. Typically, these stories …

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22 March 2012

Do British people pay over 40 per cent of all alcohol duties in Europe?

As the Chancellor announced fresh rises in alcohol duties, the heads of the Campaign for Real Ale and JD Wetherspoon claimed that, while British people only drink 13 per cent …

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21 March 2012

Has the Chancellor guaranteed the biggest ever rise in the state pension?

In today's Budget announcement, Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne proudly announced that pensioners would enjoy their biggest ever cash increase in the Basic State Pension in April. The £5.30 …

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21 March 2012

Budget 2012 Survival Guide: Who pays what in income tax?

Many newspapers and commentators have been speculating that the upcoming budget will see the reduction in the top rate of income tax, currently at 50 per cent on incomes above …

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20 March 2012

Do some taxpayers effectively pay a 60 per cent marginal rate on income tax?

On the eve of the Budget, the Times published a letter to the Editor on the much discussed topic of income tax. However, it was not merely a rhetorical call …

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20 March 2012

Budget 2012 Survival Guide: Is the average taxpayer ever in the middle?

Every budget contains a mixture of sweeteners and sour tastes for the 60 million people living in the UK. Ministers and analysts often say a measure "will save the average …

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19 March 2012

Budget 2012 Survival Guide: What is a big number?

How do you know whether to be impressed by a budget announcement? It isn't as hard as it seems. Simply asking whether a number is really that 'big' can help …

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19 March 2012

Are 'illegal immigrants' eligible for over four times more in state aid than pensioners?

Pensions and immigration are two emotive topics, so when one document appeared online claiming that illegal immigrants received better financial support than British-born people, it was no surprise that it …

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19 March 2012

Will the Economist correct the record?

The Economist's factchecking department is a place where legends are broken. Hacks speak of their work with wonder. Anne McElvoy, their Public Policy Editor, told an event recently "I have …

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