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Reposted by Patrick Thomson

Andrew Phillips @andrewphillips.bsky.social · 3d

New research out today

"Retirement Voice 2025: How an era of uncertainty is affecting our attitudes towards retirement"

We used a new 6k survey of the UK population. I had fun designing the charts! Find out how people feel about finances, work and retirement

www.standardlife.co.uk/centre-for-t...

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Reposted by Patrick Thomson

Andrew Phillips @andrewphillips.bsky.social · Aug 12

Good piece in the FT which cites our research from the Standard Life Centre for the Future of Retirement on the demographics of the Industrial Strategy workforce.

Financial Times @financialtimes.com · Aug 11

The ageing workforce should be central to UK growth ambitions on.ft.com/45jsxXS | opinion

The ageing workforce should be central to UK growth ambitions

The scale and immediacy of demographic change has been overlooked in the industrial strategy

on.ft.com

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Patrick Thomson @patrickjthomson.bsky.social · Aug 8

And to complete the picture - the politics of who then pays for this. Large birth cohorts are also large voting blocs.

Until 2024* Baby Boomers had never "lost" a general election

(*presumably, haven't seen update of this chart)

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Reposted by Patrick Thomson

Rick @flipchartrick.bsky.social · Aug 8

Interesting chart from this @stephenkb.bsky.social piece.

Should be viewed alongside the birth-rate chart (see next post).

www.ft.com/content/107a...

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Patrick Thomson @patrickjthomson.bsky.social · Jul 16

And for more analysis that no one is asking for...

Norway would win the knockouts if each match was based on who has the smallest gender pay gap.

Patrick Thomson @patrickjthomson.bsky.social · Jul 16

Ahead of the Euro 2025 quarterfinals...

How would you feel if the officials added an additional 14 minutes of injury time at the end of the 90?

That's how much longer women in the UK need to achieve pay parity.

In Belgium it's just 1 extra minute

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Patrick Thomson @patrickjthomson.bsky.social · Jul 9

Agree huge diversity in how/when costs increase (health, social care, pensions) but also when economic activity declines

78% of people say they could do their job or one like it by the time they're 60, less than half at 70

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Patrick Thomson @patrickjthomson.bsky.social · Jul 8

Extraordinary to see the active promotion of silos in previous policy debates
share.google/WO8QhlGx9fMR...

Storage Of Grain - Hansard - UK Parliament

Hansard record of the item : 'Storage Of Grain' on Tuesday 22 March 1949.

share.google

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Patrick Thomson @patrickjthomson.bsky.social · Jun 20

Who do you picture working in the high-growth, high-tech sectors of rhe Industrial Strategy?

These sectors are older than average and all have a higher rates of early retirement.

We estimate this costs economy £31bn - we need to plan for this
www.standardlife.co.uk/centre-for-t...

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Patrick Thomson @patrickjthomson.bsky.social · Jun 19

2 year old who loves nothing more than stickers and rainbows devastated when I come home from work wearing a rainbow sticker that wasn't for her...

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Patrick Thomson @patrickjthomson.bsky.social · Jun 17

Same after eight years. Suddenly feeling like a millionaire. It's like the end of a Squash and a Squeeze

Patrick Thomson @patrickjthomson.bsky.social · Jun 11

State Pension is an intergenerational contract with real political and societal decisions - someone is paying in and someone is benefiting

It is about redistricting between ages and between those working > those retired

Even for an essentially Universal benefit there are choices in distribution

Patrick Thomson @patrickjthomson.bsky.social · Jun 11

Policy thinking on a topic like the State Pension helped by clear A/B choices even if cost neutral

Raising the AGE hits lower earners (most rely on it /feel effect of longer wait)

Limiting it's VALUE hit higher earners more (live longer and get more over lifetime)
academic.oup.com/oxrep/articl...

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Patrick Thomson @patrickjthomson.bsky.social · Jun 9

In terms of retirement savings we have a definite group who missed out on DB pensions, and a big chunk of auto enrolment. What's worrying is the number who still think that their retirement will 'turn out ok' because their parent's did

Felicity Hannah @felicityhannah.bsky.social · Jun 9

Really interesting and I think very insightful thread on Mumsnet about just how entirely different the intergenerational financial experience has been:

Reads:

My parents started out with nothing, not a penny from their families. My mum was a dinner lady, Dad was a secondary school teacher.

They paid off their mortgage in their 40s. As children we had a holiday abroad every year and multiple uk holidays throughout the year.

They had a lease car which would be replaced every 3 years with a new one.

They paid for mine and my sisters weddings and house deposits.

They’ve travelled all over the world in their retirement and I’ve just found out they have £200k in savings.

WTF?! DH and I have comparable careers, we run 1 old banger of a car, we have 1 uk holiday per year, we’ve stopped at 1 child, we’re on target to pay off our mortgage when we reach retirement, we have a grand total of £4k in savings. We don’t drink, don’t smoke, don’t buy expensive clothes.

Patrick Thomson @patrickjthomson.bsky.social · Jun 6

Would be my guess!

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Reposted by Patrick Thomson

Toby Nangle @tobyn.bsky.social · Jun 2

According to Demos, across all local authorities, adult and children’s social care combined accounts for 67% of spending demos.co.uk/blogs/public...

Public Service Trusts: a solution to the crisis in local government finances?

Demos is Britain’s leading cross-party think-tank. We produce original research, publish innovative thinkers and host thought-provoking events.

demos.co.uk

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Patrick Thomson @patrickjthomson.bsky.social · Jun 2

£17.25 a week for a third child isn't an amount that would encourage people to have extra children on a whim. But it does make a big difference if you need that money.

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Patrick Thomson @patrickjthomson.bsky.social · May 6

Surprising fact to me:
Environmental Taxes in the UK are lower now as % of GDP as any point in the last 25 years

Average household paid less in 2022 than they did in 1999. Not inflation adjusted - in actual £ terms

Taxes raise money but they also shape behaviour

www.ons.gov.uk/economy/envi...

Patrick Thomson @patrickjthomson.bsky.social · Apr 29

This is an excellent Lords Select Committee session - nominally on the economics of ageing - but opens up all the big topics: ageism, productivity, career change, fertility, social care, and the 'nastiest, hardest problem in finance' @csfoot.bsky.social

parliamentlive.tv/event/index/...

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Patrick Thomson @patrickjthomson.bsky.social · Apr 28

"Mindful Atlantic Crossings for You and Your Crew!", by the captain of the Titanic three quarters of the way through maiden voyage

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Patrick Thomson @patrickjthomson.bsky.social · Apr 28

There's a whole cottage industry of child rearing experts and a never ending market of worried sleep deprived parents.

Stage one: get a bit lucky with how things turned out with no obvious bumps in the road
Stage two: immediately write a cargo cult how to guide outlining your exact steps

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Patrick Thomson @patrickjthomson.bsky.social · Apr 22

Inis is a gem and run by our downstairs neighbour!

Patrick Thomson @patrickjthomson.bsky.social · Mar 25

So pleased to have Andrew (one of the best brains in the Think Tank land) joining the team at Phoenix Insights.

We've got lots of exciting working in the pipeline and exciting to be tackling some of the big questions of the day www.thephoenixgroup.com/phoenix-insi...

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Patrick Thomson @patrickjthomson.bsky.social · Mar 20

And if education or training is compulsory to 19, and State Pension age very soon to be 67, the fixed idea of 'working age' has less value as a concept

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Patrick Thomson @patrickjthomson.bsky.social · Mar 10

Ha exactly!