House for sale

Family values: inheritance, inequality and social mobility

Published on 3 March 2025

Wealth concentration among baby boomers and stagnant earnings are driving the rise of the ‘Bank of Mum and Dad’, affecting social mobility.

As baby boomers hold an increasing share of wealth, younger generations are finding it harder to build financial security, often relying on family support for major milestones like homeownership.

In her book Inheritocracy, Eliza Filby argues that – because of this – baby boomers have been good parents but not always great citizens.

To explore the issue, IFS Director Paul Johnson is joined by Eliza and David Sturrock, a Senior Research Economist at the IFS.