ILC-UK and Newcastle University collaborated on two research to policy seminars. The second seminar was held on Thursday 27 September and looked at intergenerational relations in challenging times.

Debates around intergenerational relations, often framed in terms of conflict, exchange, solidarity and equity, have become a key feature of ageing societies. In the UK as in other countries, we are witnessing the emergence of discourses of generational conflict over political settlements and attempts to forge a new moral economy of welfare in economically straitened times. Increasingly, issues such as social care, employment, retirement, housing, welfare provision and pensions are crystallising around the concept of intergenerational equity. Yet, there is surprisingly little robust evidence to underpin these debates.

Chaired by Clive Bolton, ILC-UK Advisor, this seminar represented a range of perspectives on intergenerational relations, seeking to stimulate a debate that is better grounded in and informed by the available evidence. Speakers included Thomas Scharf, FAcSS, Institute of Health & Society, and Newcastle University Institute for Ageing; Dr. Suzanne Moffatt, Reader in Social Gerontology, Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University; Dr Josephine Wildman, Research Associate, Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University; Fahmida Rahman, Researcher, The Resolution Foundation.

Presentation slides from the event are available below.