Adam Smith Institute

Tax Freedom Day is a measure of when Britons stop paying tax, and start putting their earnings into their own pocket.

In 2026, the Adam Smith Institute has estimated that every penny the average person earned up to and including June 5th went to the taxman - from June 6th they are finally earning for themselves. This is the latest date ever, under our improved methodology.

British taxpayers have worked for a gruelling 156 days just to pay their taxes this year, the latest since current records began. That’s 4 days later than last year, and 14 days later than before the pandemic. In 2009, Tax Freedom Day fell on May 17th - almost a whole month earlier.

But, things are only getting worse. Based on current Government taxation and spending plans and OBR projections, the ASI predicts that by 2030 Tax Freedom Day will fall on 12th June.

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https://www.adamsmith.org/taxfreedomday

It's Adam Smith's Birthday. And, you're invited!

Danny Kruger, Head of Preparation for Government for Reform UK, will set out his vision for a Smithian Social Policy.

⏰ Tickets are running out fast. Secure your spot now!

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https://luma.com/g6tr7stz

Today is London's Cost of Rent Day!

London's Cost of Rent Day is the day on which, on average, renters earn enough before tax to cover their annual rent bill.

This date is a shocking indictment of our broken planning system.

Thanks to excess red tape, we have been unable to build enough homes to match demand.

So, how do we actually solve the UK's rental crisis?

Click the link below to discover the root causes and the policy solutions needed to fix the market.

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https://www.adamsmith.org/cost-of-rent-day

Join us for an Enlightenment Evening exploring the "Invisible Hand" behind the American Revolution with Dr. Mark Skousen on Wednesday, 17th June.

In his 1776 magnum opus The Wealth of Nations, Adam Smith made a radical, highly controversial argument: Great Britain should grant the American colonies independence. He viewed them not as a jewel in the Crown, but as a "financial drag." Yet, curiously, Smith also predicted that these same colonies would rise to become one of the most formidable empires in history.

Why did the Scottish philosopher dedicate more space to America than almost any other subject? And what led him to such a bold, prophetic vision of the New World’s potential?

Join us to uncover the intellectual partnership that shaped the modern world. Dr. Mark Skousen will demonstrate how Smith’s positive view of America was forged through his London meetings with Benjamin Franklin. Discover how this cross-pollination of ideas led Smith to champion American independence, while Franklin was converted to the gospel of laissez-faire and free trade.

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https://luma.com/zj0wetb9

Today is May 14th - aka Cost of Rent Day.

Up until this morning, every penny the average renter in England earned went straight to their landlord. Today is the first day this year that you actually start earning for yourself.

Visit the Trackers section of our website to find out more! 👇

https://www.adamsmith.org/cost-of-rent-day-2026

The Adam Smith Institute responds to the King's Speech.

🚨 Exciting Update! 🚨

We are thrilled to announce that our Real History of Communism documentary screening will now be moderated by David Davis MP and Kristian Niemietz.

Join us tomorrow for an evening of history and debate:

🥂 6:00 PM – Drinks Reception
🎬 6:30 PM – Screening: Part 1 (Narrated by Hugh Bonneville)
🎤 7:10 PM – Q&A Session

Don't miss out - secure your spot below! 👇

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The Real History of Communism · Luma Join us for an exclusive cinema screening of Part 1 of our landmark two-part television documentary - a profound exploration of 20th-century history that…

Join us tomorrow for an exclusive screening of Part 1 of our landmark two-part television documentary - a profound exploration of 20th-century history that traces Communism’s harrowing descent from idealistic hope to systemic oppression.

Narrated by the acclaimed Hugh Bonneville, this film brings together esteemed historians and the courageous voices of survivors to examine how ideologies born of optimism ultimately paved the way for deprivation and slaughter under the era’s most notorious dictatorships.

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https://luma.com/oponegbx

Join us tomorrow for the Second Global Enlightenment Forum - a whole-day academic conference centred around the application of Enlightenment thought and philosophy to the non-Western world.

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https://buff.ly/7wuB2T0

Adam Smith is often caricatured as a prophet of unfettered individualism. Yet, he believed society only functions when bound by sympathy, family and local institutions.

In this keynote lecture, Danny Kruger MP, Head of Preparation for Government for Reform UK, sets out his party's principles for social policy.

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The Smithian Economy: Family, Community and Country · Luma Adam Smith is routinely caricatured as the patron saint of unfettered individualism. This is a misreading. Smith wrote The Theory of Moral Sentiments seventeen…