Episode
Are pensioners richer than everyone else?
- Podcast
- IFS Zooms In: The Economy
- Published
- Mar 20, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 2439
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- https://ifs.org.uk/podcasts-explainers-and-calculators/podcasts
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Summary
For decades, pensioners were one of the poorest groups in Britain. That is no longer true. Today, the average pensioner is at least as well off as the average working-age person, and in wealth terms many are far better off. In this episode, Helen Miller is joined by Jonathan Cribb and Heidi Karjalainen to examine what the data really say about pensioner incomes, wealth and living standards. Where does pensioners’ money come from? How much is driven by the state pension, private pensions and housing wealth? Which pensioners are still struggling? And how do today’s retirees compare both with their parents’ generation and with younger people who are still working? They also look ahead to the future: will younger generations enjoy the same living standards in retirement, or are higher house prices, lower homeownership and the decline of defined benefit pensions changing the picture? This episode sets out the big story of how pensioners’ finances have changed, and what it means for the future. Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/podcasts-explainers-and-calculators/podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.