Advanced search Publications Research Areas Research Centres People Events News Tools and Resources About Home » About About the IFS The Institute for Fiscal Studies was founded in 1969. Established as an independent research institute, IFS was launched with the principal aim of better informing public debate on economics in order to promote the development of effective fiscal policy. Through the establishment of rigorous independent research, for example the IFS Green Budget and Post Budget analysis, IFS successfully opened up debate about public policy to a wider audience and influenced policy decision making. Today, IFS is Britain’s leading independent microeconomic research institute. Its research remit is one of the broadest in public policy analysis, covering subjects from tax and benefits to education policy, from labour supply to corporate taxation. Our research not only has an impact on policy makers, think tanks and practitioners, it has also gained a worldwide reputation for academic rigour, and contributes to the development of academic scholarship. We communicate our research widely on a national and international scale, providing independent advice to policy makers in the UK, Europe and in developing countries; collaborating with world renowned academics on new economic theories and techniques; and disseminating our research globally through the press, media and the web. IFS is host to the ESRC Centre for the Microeconomic Analysis of Public Policy which analyses fiscal policy to determine its effects on households and companies. The Centre’s work covers the full extent of policy impact, investigating the ways in which policies influence human capital investments, work and occupational choice, firm behaviour, saving and retirement decisions, consumer choices and the public finances. Reflections on IFS history, written for our 40th anniversary in 2009 The Institute for Fiscal Studies, Dick Taverne, Against the Tide: Politics and Beyond. A Memoir, Biteback Publishing, 2014, chapter 8, pp.201-220. Purchase the full publication. Director's Page Contact Sign up to IFS alerts Jobs Join IFS Announcements Activities and achievements of IFS Staff and Associates Finance and governance Donate to IFS On our Just Giving page Announcements IFS researchers present at EEA-ESEM conference 1 September 2014 A number of IFS researchers presented paper at the EEA-ESEM conference, including papers on female labour supply and welfare reform; lifetime inequality and redistribution; how household spending adjusts to economic conditions; and estimates of the the effects of teacher pay on pupils' attainment. Find out more Tweets by @TheIFS Current job vacancies Research Economists Salary: TBC Closing date: 23 Jan 2015 IFS is looking to recruit a number of outstanding economists to join our research teams. Find out more Current job vacancies Summer students Salary: £370 per week Closing date: 23 Jan 2015 We are looking for outstanding economics students for our summer student programme in 2015. Find out more Explore Publications Research Areas Research Centres People Events News Tools and Resources About Jobs Legal Disclaimer Privacy Copyright Accessibility Code of conduct Follow us Sign up to IFS alerts Twitter Contact The Institute for Fiscal Studies Tel: 020 7291 4800 Fax: 020 7323 4780 Email: mailbox@ifs.org.uk 7 Ridgmount Street London WC1E 7AE © 2014 The Institute for Fiscal Studies We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. We use a Google Analytics script which sets cookies. More details can be found in our privacy policy. close