Neutron scattering and lattice dynamics have a long history, in particular with experimental data being used to refine inter-atomic force constants. Nowadays there is still a strong synergy between experiment and simulation, with the difference that ab initio computational methods are often now used to analyse inelastic scattering data from complex systems. In addition, abinitio methods give access to electronic and magnetic structure, the latter being directly probed by neutron scattering techniques.