Our research in this area looks both at how much households save, spend and borrow at different stages in the life cycle, and how these decisions feed into inequalities in consumption both cross-sectionally and dynamically. A greater understanding of how consumers allocate their spending over time can help answer questions about how consumption and saving will respond to changes in household circumstances, as well as the degree to which consumers bring forward or postpone purchases in response to changes in interest rates and taxes.
Contact IFS on 020 7291 4800 or mailbox@ifs.org.uk