Curriculum The UK Economy

The UK Economy

How Britain's economy rose, declined and changed: the first industrial nation, the Bank of England, empire and the drain from India, the post-war welfare state and NHS, the 1970s crisis, Thatcher's reforms, the City of London, the productivity puzzle, Brexit, the 2022 mini-budget, regional gaps and ties with India.

Britain: The First Industrial Nation Why the Industrial Revolution began in Britain - coal, high wages, institutions and trade - and how it made Britain the world's leading economy in the 19th century. 📄 Read-aloud
The Bank of England How the Bank of England was founded in 1694 to fund war, how it became a model central bank, and how it gained independence in 1997. 📄 Read-aloud
Empire, Trade and India How British rule shaped trade with India, the debate over the "drain" of wealth, and how India's economy declined relative to Britain's during colonial rule. 📄 Read-aloud
The Welfare State and the NHS How the 1942 Beveridge Report led to Britain's post-war welfare state and the National Health Service, and the economic debates about funding it. 📄 Read-aloud
The 1970s Crisis and the IMF Loan How high inflation, strikes and weak productivity led Britain to borrow from the IMF in 1976 and set the stage for major policy change. 📄 Read-aloud
Thatcher's Reforms How Margaret Thatcher's governments from 1979 privatised industries, curbed union power, fought inflation and deregulated finance, and the lasting debate over the results. 📄 Read-aloud
The UK Economy: Checkpoint 1 Quick checkpoint - five questions on British industrialisation, the Bank of England, empire, the welfare state and the 1970s. 5 questions
The City of London How London became one of the world's top financial centres, what the City does, and the benefits and risks of a large financial sector. 📄 Read-aloud
Britain's Productivity Puzzle Why UK productivity growth slowed sharply after 2008, the possible explanations, and why productivity matters for wages. 📄 Read-aloud
The Economics of Brexit How the UK's 2016 vote to leave the EU and its 2020 exit changed trade, investment and migration, and what economists estimate it cost. 📄 Read-aloud
The 2022 Mini-Budget Crisis How unfunded tax cuts announced in September 2022 caused bond yields to spike, pension funds to wobble and a prime minister to resign, and what it shows about market credibility. 📄 Read-aloud
London and the Rest: Regional Gaps Why the UK has some of the largest regional income gaps among rich countries, why northern cities lag, and the "levelling up" agenda. 📄 Read-aloud
The UK and India Today How the UK and India's economic relationship has changed, including the 2025 trade agreement, Indian investment in Britain and migration, and a recap of the module. 📄 Read-aloud