The 100-year family

Date: Friday, 7 February 2020
Time: 1.30pm (for a 2.00pm start) – 4.00pm

The 100-year family investigates for the first time how key trends such as women having fewer children, later, alongside longer lives, have changed the shape of our families and sets out the key challenges arising from these shifts.

During this event, we heard from research co-Author Professor Les Mayhew, Professor of Statistics at Cass Business School.

Sam Smethers from Fawcett Society, Professor Wendy Sigle from London School of Economics and Stuart McDonald from Lloyds Banking joined us at the event as discussants.

Using novel analytical techniques and concepts, the research illuminates future challenges that may arise from changes in families including

  • Gaps in care provision
  • Increasing numbers needing to juggle work and care across multiple generations
  • Increased isolation in later life
  • Advances in inheritance age

The paper argues that these trends leave our health, social care and pensions systems “creaking at the seams”.

We considered how society can better adapt to our new demographic reality and suggested how new vulnerabilities can be overcome through better planning and policies, exploring, for example, the role of personal financial services in filling gaps left by the welfare system.

The event debated whether new forms of social protection could or should support families, rather than individuals, and how we can ensure that we realise a ‘longevity dividend’ across society.

Read the full report “100 Year Family: Longer lives, fewer children” by clicking on the report link.

You can download the slides from the event here.