Intergenerational exchanges of practical and financial support in the UK

Summary

The crucial function of the welfare state in smoothing standards of living over the lifecycle is often overlooked in public debate. The complementary role played by exchanges of financial and practical support within families across generations – for example, from parents to their adult offspring, and from mid-life adults to their elderly parents – receives even less attention. The “DyLAnIE” project found that some families have strong and enduring tendencies to provide support between generations, with variations across ethnicity and social mobility. Formal welfare policies need to be shaped by a clear understanding of existing informal networks, to avoid crowding out these exchanges, whilst ensuring that those who have limited intergenerational support can still access effective social protection.