Should the UK have a wealth tax? The Wealth Tax Commission five years on

Contributor(s): Professor Arun Advani, Emma Chamberlain, Dr Andy Summers | In 2020, the Wealth Tax Commission brought together world-leading academics, policymakers and tax practitioners to ‘think big’ about tax policy. Published in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and the public finance crisis it triggered, the Commission examined the viability of both annual and one-off wealth taxes. Comprising over thirty papers and half a million words, it remains the most comprehensive body of evidence on wealth taxation globally. Five years on, the question of how governments can meet increasing public service demand, while confronting escalating geopolitical and environmental challenges, is more urgent than ever. At this event, the Commission’s authors reunite to reflect on its influence on research, policy making and public debate, and share what they learned from the process and the viability of a wealth tax in the UK today.