Caroline Elsom

Reshaping the State @UKOnward | Research Fellow @CPSThinkTank

[Caroline Elsom @CarolineElsom]

Great to see my @ukonward research on passported benefits covered in the @spectator cover story.

Taxpayers and consumers are already shelling out £10 billion for extra Universal Credit subsidies through regulated schemes, all before you get to the premium leisure concessions.

[The Spectator @spectator]

Benefits treats: Britain has become a freeloader’s paradise, says Michael Simmons

🔸 Paul Wood: Trump can’t win in Iran
🔸 Douglas Murray: The rise and fall of Tariq Ramadan
🔸 Olivia Potts: Farewell, Gentleman’s Relish
🔸 William Atkinson: Is time up for Viktor Orban?

https://t.co/xpCtog7JWd

[Prosperity Institute @Prosperity_Inst]

🚨 We are just about to restart with our final themed conversation on Improved NHS Management with

@rcolvile, Dr Druin Burch, @mannieigwe, @CarolineElsom and @SteveBakerFRSA

Watch here 👇

[Simon Clarke @SirSimonClarke]

Two fantastic new hires for @ukonward this month as Alex Morton joins as our new Head of Political Economy and Ed Hezlet (@watt_direction) as our new Head of Energy.

We aim to be THE place on the centre-right for policymaking and this is really exciting!

[Onward @ukonward]

Onward is delighted to announce that Alex Morton has joined us as Head of Political Economy.

Alex has worked across Westminster for 20 years including the No10 Policy Unit and as policy lead for Kemi Badenoch's leadership campaigns. He brings unrivalled insight into how government works and the shifting politics on the right.

[Onward @ukonward]

Onward is delighted to announce that Ed Hezlet is joining us as Head of Energy. Ed will be leading on our energy abundance work, bringing policy expertise and insight that has made him one of the foremost analysts of Britain’s energy issues.

Follow Ed on X here @watt_direction

[Rhys Laverty @RDLaverty]

💬Fantastic speakers, including:

@HCH_Hill of @TheCriticMag
@rcolvile of @CPSThinkTank
@drlukeevans MP of @Conservatives
@K_Niemietz of @iealondon
@Scarlett__Mag of @StrategyMerlin
@SyedKamall of @Conservatives
@meribeckwith of @LindusHealth
@CarolineElsom of @ukonward

[Simon Clarke @SirSimonClarke]

🚨 We’re hiring a new researcher at @ukonward!

If you want to help lead the renewal of the centre-right, we want to hear from you 🫵

https://t.co/57zfvHbApC

[Onward @ukonward]

The UK has the most expensive industrial energy prices in the world. It doesn't have to be this way.

@SirSimonClarke writes in @ConHome on how we deliver cheap, sovereign and abundant energy, and why our new Energy Commission is generating the plans to get us there. 👇

https://t.co/LwHOtTHX6G

[Simon Clarke @SirSimonClarke]

Great to chair a stellar @ukonward panel on how the UK can get digital regulation right and be a tech leader this morning!

Huge thanks to @bhatti_saqib, @jujulemons, @andSamiah, @ben_greenstone and Professor Philip Marsden for their insights, and to our sponsors @Microsoft

[Simon Clarke @SirSimonClarke]

Next Tuesday, join Julia, @bhatti_saqib, @ben_greenstone and @andSamiah for a panel discussion on the future of digital regulation with @ukonward.

Sign up here👇

https://t.co/NjwY9dFUs1

[Simon Clarke @SirSimonClarke]

In some positive news, it is genuinely welcome that the Chancellor has announced the abolition of the Carbon Price Support Levy, an obsolete tax adding £1.3bn to bills.

As called for by @ukonward last month in “Cooking on Gas” by @gavinantonyrice.

https://t.co/LAyCjZZVlE

[Simon Clarke @SirSimonClarke]

🔔 Reminder: applications for the Head of Energy role @ukonward close at 6pm on Tuesday 21st.

The chance to lead one of the most interesting and important programmes in Westminster thinktank world👇

https://t.co/LhELnVLlrj

[Simon Clarke @SirSimonClarke]

Really good to be out talking to residents with one of the amazing @wandsworth Conservative teams last night - it felt good in a key marginal ward of a marginal council.

Wandsworth was a beacon of great Conservative delivery in local government for 40yrs - let’s bring it back!

[Caroline Elsom @CarolineElsom]

📰More coverage of "The Hidden Benefits Bill" with @ukonward in today's @DailyMail.

Read the full report here: https://t.co/uqdc661U4T

[Daily Mail @DailyMail]

How Britain became a paradise for freeloaders: Cut-price treats for benefits claimants. Big discounts at gyms and swimming pools. And even holidays and travel are covered. MICHAEL SIMMONS' rage-inducing investigation https://t.co/gHyW70K4jY

[Luke Tryl @LukeTryl]

The frustration of the squeezed middle is palpably rising and the risk of blunt UC cut offs for support whether for day trips, energy bills or pension credit for winter fuel allowance is that you actually end up undermining support for social democratic principles.

[Michael Gove @michaelgove]

Superb journalism from @Simmons__ leading the national conversation

[Simon Clarke @SirSimonClarke]

Discounted museum entry is the thin end of an enormous wedge.

If you want to understand the full extent of “passported” benefits, you need to read our @ukonward February report from @CarolineElsom.

The total cost to the taxpayer is *£10 billion*

https://t.co/MIl1BsCpjT

[CapX @CapX]

Today's NEET crisis is tomorrow's welfare bill

✍️@LanaHempsall

https://t.co/GvZp6Gs0Ya

[max tempers @maxtempers]

People must wake to the full scale of the Martin Lewis Extended Universe (MLEU)

Every price has been butchered. Every payment you make has a secret tax, cross-subsidy or regulatory distortion built into it. Social Democracy is all encompassing. There is no beginning or end.

[Matthew Bowles @Matthew__Bowles]

The welfare state isn’t a safety net anymore, it’s a parallel system with better perks.

When dependency is consistently cheaper than self-reliance, the system doesn’t support people - it locks them in.

[Iain Mansfield @IGMansfield]

@lukerobertblack But many of these pricing structures are strongly encouraged by government through Arts Council grants or local authority licensing conditions.

Just as gov't forces EDI on businesses via regulators.

The idea these are just independent entities choosing to do this is just wrong.