From the establishment of primogeniture to the Bank of Mum & Dad the transfer of wealth across generations is both an ancient and very modern issue in Britain. With wealth increasingly concentrated among older generations, the issue of wealth transfers is rising up the political agenda. The desire for families to pass wealth onto the next generation is understandable but what does it mean for wider society? Should the state should have a bigger or smaller role in the transfer of wealth across and between generations? And what would this mean for the lifetime living standards of younger generations? As part of its ongoing Intergenerational Commission, the Resolution Foundation hosted an event for the launch of a fascinating new book by Professor Karen Rowlingson on intergenerational wealth transfers. A panel of experts then debated how policy makers should respond to widening inequalities across generations, before taking part in a Q&A.
