Explainers
Our explainers cover key subjects relating to our work, setting out key facts and figures and answering the most important questions about government.
Explore our explainers
Joining and leaving the House of Lords
Most Lords members are life peers – nominated for their lifetime, but without their peerage passing to their children.
Coronavirus: what support did government provide for individuals and businesses?
This explainer lays out the main economic support schemes provided by the UK government during the pandemic, how much they cost and who benefited.
“Partygate” investigations
Partygate refers to the allegations of gatherings and parties taking place during the Covid lockdowns in 2020.
Ukraine crisis: UK support for refugees from Ukraine
The UK has announced two new pathways through which Ukrainian refugees can obtain a visa to come to the UK.
Churn in ‘levelling up’ policies in the UK
As part of its ambition to ‘level up’ the UK, the government has committed to tackling regional economic inequalities.
Fiscal rules in the UK since 1997
Fiscal rules are restrictions on fiscal policy set by a government to constrain its own decisions on spending and taxes.
Ukraine crisis: sanctions and UK football
The UK government has opted to place sanctions on a range of Russian businesses, financial institutions, and individuals.
Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Act
The government has recognised that the lack of transparency about property ownership in the UK has made money laundering easier.
Russia–Ukraine war: how could it affect the UK economy?
This explainer looks at the direct trade links that do exist between the UK and Russia, and two key areas of the UK economy most likely to be exposed.
Ukraine crisis: transparency of Russian money flows in the UK
Since the beginning of the most recent crisis in Ukraine, there has been a lot of focus in the press on illicit money flows to the UK.