“Age apartheid” divides Britain’s generations

Rifts between Britain’s already segregated generations have increased over the past decade, a report has found.

The research, produced by social enterprise United for All Ages, found what it termed “age apartheid” to be widespread throughout the country.

Divisions had increased, it added, partly because of a housing market that had concentrated wealth in the hands of older generations, who tend to live in towns and rural areas, with younger people gravitating towards cities.

The report concluded that many people have very limited contact with other generations outside their own families.

United for All Ages promotes intergenerational projects as a solution to ongoing social and economic issues, such as housing, isolation and loneliness.

Its report, entitled Together in the 2020s, calls for a range of measures to be introduced including using care homes as community hubs, extending schools’ opening hours to provide community spaces for intergenerational activities, and a new government department dedicated to supporting intergenerational action.

Stephen Burke, a director at United for All Ages, told The Guardian newspaper: “More mixing between the generations is the way to build trust and understanding across our communities and our country. To make it happen requires not just vision and ambition, but also political will and leadership locally and nationally.”