Project outputs

The main outputs from the project are listed below.

"Age International, PFRC and ILC-UK debate – Understanding wellbeing in old age across the world: lessons from across the “developing/developed” country divide"

31 March 2014, 11:00-14:00, Age International, Tavis House, 1-6 Tavistock Square, London, WC1H 9NA (PFRC and ILC-UK)

This debate included a presentation by Jessica Watson of ILC-UK of new World Values Survey analysis (undertaken by David Hayes), about levels of self-reported financial satisfaction.

"What is the relationship between financial satisfaction and happiness among older people?"
27 March 2014 (David Hayes)

A working using data from the World Values Survey 1981-2008.

Read more and download the report

"Balancing the books: financial wellbeing in later life"
6 March 2014, 20 Cavendish Square, London (Sharon Collard, David Hayes and Brian Beach)

At this PFRC/ILC-UK conference, chaired by BBC Radio 4 Moneybox's Paul Lewis, we heard research findings from the ESRC-funded programme ‘Financial dimensions of well-being in older age’. The first half of the event included presentations by David Hayes (PFRC), Sharon Collard (PFRC) and Brian Beach (ILC-UK). Findings thus far have focused on three themes: understanding the ‘older consumer’; understanding older households’ balance sheets; and understanding the financial dimensions of wellbeing in later life.

In the second half of the event, key thought leaders provided their responses to the research findings, and engaged in an open debate on what kind of policy and business responses are needed to support older people with their finances. The event was followed by a drinks reception.

View the slides from the event [External Link]

"Dominant Patterns of Expenditure Among Older People in the United Kingdom: Segmenting the Older Consumer Using the Living Costs and Food Survey"
3 March 2014 (David Hayes and Andrea Finney)

Policy-makers and practitioners need a good understanding of older people’s expenditure and consumption to inform the design of policies and services that affect their lives. This paper uses data from the 2010 Living Costs and Food Survey to examine and explain levels and patterns of expenditure among households headed by someone aged 50 and over.The findings raise important questions for government policy in the UK in relation to the extent and nature of expenditure poverty among older consumers.

Article in the Journal of Population Ageing [External link to Journal website]

"Balancing the books: managing financial wellbeing in later life"
3 March 2014 (David Hayes)

David Hayes talks about our joint programme of research with ILC-UK, which uses Understanding Society to look at the financial wellbeing of people in later life.

Listen to the podcast [External link to Understanding Society website]

"Alcohol expenditure across the life-course"
30 January 2014 (David Hayes and David Sinclair)

A blog post on the PFRC website.

"Exploring patterns of expenditure: Segmenting the older UK consumer using the Living Costs and Food Survey"
29 January 2014, London (David Hayes)

A presentation at the ESRC Age UK event 'Data analysis for effective policy for older people'.

Download the slides (PDF, 537kB)

"The relationship between mental wellbeing and financial management among older people - An analysis using the third wave of Understanding Society"
27 January 2014 (David Hayes)

A working paper by David Hayes.

Download the paper (PDF, 228kB)

"Demystifying non-mortgage borrowing in older age: a longitudinal approach"
18 December 2013

A working paper based on an analysis of the 2008-10 Wealth and Assets Survey.