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4 things that jump out at me:

So exciting to see these results published - my colleagues Institute for Fiscal Studies find big, long-lasting impacts from Sure Start on academic achievement. Poorer kids benefitted more.

Well designed, holistic early years programmes can be really powerful!

This is going to be a great event showcasing some fascinating new evidence on the impacts of Sure Start. Do tune in!

NEW: Takeaway consumption in the first quarter of 2022 was around 400 calories a week – a 50% increase on pre-pandemic levels.

THREAD on our new report on the long-term impact of the pandemic on food purchases, funded by NIHR Research: [1/6]

NEW: Takeaways and meal deliveries grew by more than 50% during the pandemic, and still were higher than pre-pandemic in early 2022.

Read Christine Farquharson, Andrew McKendrick, Britta Augsburg’s NIHR Research-funded report on the pandemic's impact on food buying: ifs.org.uk/publications/l…

The first stage of the childcare rollout is happening next week.

Ahead of that, our new Institute for Fiscal Studies comment (funded by Nuffield Foundation) sets out everything you need to know about funding, eligibility, and impacts.

ifs.org.uk/articles/what-…

My colleague Christine has a great piece out today on the childcare entitlements coming in April - the newest branch of the welfare state.

Just like adult social care, the market is mostly private providers, but the govt will fund and set prices for a large share of the market.

Childcare prices vary hugely across areas, ranging from <£5 an hour to more than £10 for 2-year-olds.

Funding rates for 2yos mostly reflect this - but some LAs will have much more generous rates (relative to prices) than others.

ifs.org.uk/articles/what-…

Institute for Fiscal Studies

Childcare funding for 2-year-olds got a big boost last September; the average funding rate (£8.35) is now much higher than the market price (£6.16).

Rates for older kids are much closer to prices, and down 12% in real terms compared to 2012.

ifs.org.uk/articles/what-…

Institute for Fiscal Studies

From Monday, the share of 2-year-olds eligible for free childcare will rise from ~30% to 70%.

The biggest winners are richer families, but overall eligibility is highest for families where no one is in paid work.

New from Institute for Fiscal Studies, funded Nuffield Foundation
ifs.org.uk/articles/what-…

Join us today at 10:30am for our IFS analysis of yesterday's #Budget2024 , with presentations and a Q&A on the public finances, outlook for public spending, the changes to taxes and the impact on households.

Sign up for a reminder or watch here ⬇ ifs.org.uk/events/spring-…

Greater certainty for childcare providers is valuable.

But a two-year guarantee still isn’t much, set against reforms that we Institute for Fiscal Studies found will see the government buying more than 80% of pre-school childcare hours in England.

Great to see the OBR using Ben Zaranko and I's estimates of the cost of the long-term workforce plan again today.

But have to disagree with their last sentence below. The workforce plan is already built on the assumption of productivity growth in line with what was said today.

Latest @theIFS analysis on school funding ahead of #Budget2024

- School costs likely to outstrip funding growth by 1% in 2024
- Would cost £700m to compensate schools fully
- Purchasing power of school budgets likely to be 5% lower than in 2010

ifs.org.uk/articles/lates…

Lots of targets have been set for the NHS waiting list in England over the last few years.

But just setting a target does not mean it will be achieved!

Ben Zaranko and I have evaluated each of the targets in our new Institute for Fiscal Studies pre-election briefing on NHS waiting lists: