Health & population
Is NHS spending going up or down?
What has happened to health spending on each of the standard bases, and which one is being quoted?
Claims. Context. Evidence.
Ledger / Topics
The latest records6 records
Latest recordWelfare & public spendingUpdated 13 October 2026
Would changing the pension triple lock pay for social care?
Labour wants to change how the state pension rises from 2030 and spend the savings on care. Here is how the triple lock works and how big the saving really is.
The trick: A saving quoted in a far-off year's moneyRead the record
Economy & taxUpdated 11 October 2026
Is the UK tax burden at a record high?
Not yet. On official forecasts it soon will be. How much of that is down to Labour depends on where you start counting.
The trick: Talking about a forecast as if it has happenedRead the record
Foreign policy & securityUpdated 11 October 2026
What does the Chagos agreement actually cost?
The UK will pay Mauritius rent for a military base for 99 years. You can describe that bill as £35 billion or £3.4 billion, and both are correct.
The trick: Adding up 99 years in one numberRead the record
Migration & asylumUpdated 11 October 2026
How much of the UK population was born abroad?
People think about a quarter of the UK was born abroad. The real figure is about one in six, and the number people argue about is often a different one.
The trick: Mixing up “how many live here” and “how many arrived”Read the record
Welfare & public spendingUpdated 11 October 2026
How much of the benefits bill is lost to fraud?
People guess that £24 in every £100 of benefits goes to fraud. The real figure is £2.20, though that has tripled since 2013.
The trick: Quoting an old number as if it’s currentRead the record
Crime & justiceUpdated 11 October 2026
Is violent crime rising?
The best long-term measure shows violent crime has fallen by more than three quarters since the 1990s. Most people think it is going up.
The trick: Picking the measure and the yearsRead the record
In preparation 6
Foreign policy & security
What counts towards the defence spending target?
What is inside the defence spending figure, what has been added to it over time, and what would the target mean on a fixed definition?
Economy & tax
Who pays what share of income tax?
How is the tax burden actually distributed across earners, on each of the standard bases?
Welfare & public spending
Could restricting benefits to citizens fund a large tax cut?
Does the claimed saving from restricting welfare to British and Irish nationals survive contact with independent costing?
Energy & climate
What has actually happened to UK emissions and energy bills?
How far have emissions fallen on each accounting basis, what has happened to bills, and what is the evidenced relationship between them?
Housing
Is housebuilding at a record low?
How many homes are being built compared with previous decades, on a consistent definition?