Intergenerational transfers 'having profound impact on people's economic prospects'

25 Nov 2024

Research carried out by the Resolution Foundation has shown that financial transfers between generations are having 'profound but unequally felt' impacts on people's economic prospects.

The Foundation said that transfers can be anything from helping to house young adults to caring for elderly relatives. A report by the Resolution Foundation found that young people are 'increasingly reliant' on their parents for housing support, whilst family transfers can also help determine retirement timing.

However, the Foundation revealed that the 'unequal distribution' of intergenerational transfers of cash raises 'huge challenges' for wider society. It stated that wealthier families are seven times more likely to give financial gifts compared to the least wealthy families, leaving young people without wealthy parents at an economic disadvantage.

Molly Broome, Economist at the Resolution Foundation, said: 'As Britain gets older and wealthier, transfers between generations are playing a greater role in shaping people's economic prospects. Families today play a bigger role in helping young people onto the housing ladder, helping older workers off the jobs ladder and into retirement and supporting relatives when they're ill.

'These family transfers are hugely important and can be very rewarding. But they are not shared equally across society.'