Short Changed

Could youth clubs solve Britain's fairness problem? With Emma Warren

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0100

The decimation of youth clubs during austerity was a betrayal of young people, according to Emma Warren, a cultural documentarian and author of a recent book tracing the history and significance of youth clubs.

At IF, we believe strongly in the importance of institutions that support young people in this country, and youth clubs are an often overlooked piece of that puzzle. Conor explores why they are more than just a ping pong table and a PlayStation, and what role they play in giving young people important opportunities in a society otherwise hostile to the young.

If you want to find out more about the work of the Intergenerational Foundation:

Take a look at our new-look website

Order Emma's book Up the Youth Club and find her on Instagram

The Intergenerational Foundation is a research charity fighting for a fairer deal for younger and future generations. As the leading authority on intergenerational fairness in the UK, we produce research that challenges the status quo, shapes public debate, and drives meaningful policy change. Our charity number is 1142230.

Why should we care about inequality? With Professor Danny Dorling

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0100

It's still a sad fact that where you are born in Britain, and which family you are born into, determines too many of your life's outcomes. Conor sits down with one of the UK's most eminent academics in this field to discuss how inheritance - in many different forms - can leave us in a divided society.

If you want to find out more about the work of the Intergenerational Foundation:

Take a look at our new-look website

Check out Danny's work here

Is housing at the heart of unequal Britain? With Anna Clarke

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0100

A few decades ago, it wouldn't be unreasonable to imagine that if you got a good education, worked hard, then after a couple of years of renting you could buy your first home.

Not so in 2026. These days having a home increasingly depends on parental help, inheritance or very high earnings, something that Senior Researcher Conor Nakkan explores with Anna Clarke, Director of Policy and Public Affairs at the Housing Forum.

While she argues we can't call it a housing 'crisis' anymore because the problem of housing shortages has been so protracted, she agrees that our housing situation can take the form of many individual crises: whether that is homelessness, someone who can't keep up with the rent, or overcrowded or temporary accommodation.

Conor and Anna explore how we got to this position, why housing is such a driver of inequality between and within generations, and how to fix it.

If you want to find out more about the work of the Intergenerational Foundation:

Take a look at our new-look website

Find Anna on X and the work of the Housing Forum, a cross-sector membership network across construction and housing

Should young people pay less tax? With Dr Julian Limberg

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0100

Nothing can be certain, except death and taxes. But our tax system can also shape inequality and increase gaps between generations.

Conor sits down to talk with Dr Julian Limberg, Senior Lecturer in Public Policy at King's College London, about how our system rewards wealth rather than work, how to change our system to make it fairer for younger generations, and whether a wealth tax would really work.

If you want to find out more about the work of the Intergenerational Foundation:

Take a look at our new-look website

Check out Julian's recent paper on how support for taxation crumbles when it is perceived as unfair and the 2020 paper on how tax cuts for the wealthy only benefit the rich.

Are young people more alienated from politics now? With Cameron Garrett

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0100

This week Conor sits down with Cameron Garrett, Deputy Director of Research at More in Common, which tries to understand what Britons think and why.

They discuss what younger people want from politics, why so many are voting Green, the steep decline in political trust and whether our democracy serves the interests of younger generations.

If you want to find out more about the work of the Intergenerational Foundation:

Take a look at our new-look website

Check our Cameron's work at More in Common

Are graduates getting a raw deal? With Jim Dickinson

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0100

In the first episode of this new series, Conor Nakkan explores the issue of student finance and higher education with Jim Dickinson, Associate Editor at WonkHE.

Jim says: "One of the things I constantly say is this system is like an onion. There are lots of layers. Every time you remove one, you're more likely to cry."

This complex subject has finally made headlines in recent months after years of campaigning from students and graduates, who have argued the system is not fair. Is that the case?

If you want to find out more about the work of the Intergenerational Foundation:

Take a look at our website

Read Jim Dickinson's work at WonkHE

Episode 19: What IF we solved the cost of being young?

Thu, 19 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Why are young people having to set aside 70% of their weekly expenditure on essential spending? Listen to IF's Toby Whelton explain our latest research findings in our newly published report “Blowing the Budget: Why the young have to spend more than the old on Essentials”

What are the financial pressures facing young people and how should government policy change? Here's a clue; it's all about housing costs!

Episode 18: What IF we solved the housing crisis for the young?

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0100

This episode investigates the housing crisis facing younger generations in the UK and includes a discussion between the Intergenerational Foundation's CEO, Liz Emerson and Paul Brocklehurst of the Land Planning and Development Federation, which funded IF's research into how the housing crisis is playing out on a local level.

Episode 17: What IF we introduced a wealth tax to help the young?

Wed, 05 Jun 2024 11:00:00 +0100

This episode explores the intergenerational fairness case for a wealth tax with discussion between IF co-founders Angus Hanton and Liz Emerson and the report author, Alec Haglund.

It discusses how a moderate wealth tax would affect just 1% of the UK population while raising at least £18 billion a year which could be used to lower younger people's tax rates or even invest in free higher education.

Episode 16: What IF we looked ahead?

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 07:00:00 +0100

Over the last 3 years these podcasts have been delving into a range of topics regarding intergenerational unfairness and we’ve provided a platform for dozens of people from all walks of life to have a voice. So for our season finale, it seems fitting to take us back to where we first started and talk to the people who started it all.

Episode 15: What IF we brought back the lodgers?

Mon, 13 Mar 2023 10:00:00 +0000

We’re facing a shortage of affordable houses, and historically high levels of rent. Yet, despite this- over two thirds of homes across the UK are under-occupied. How does that make sense? We have the supply of rooms, and we have the demand from young renters- what’s the need for a crisis? What IF we brought back the lodgers?

Episode 14: What IF we didn’t have a cohort of struggling students

Tue, 03 Jan 2023 09:00:00 +0000

University for young people today is expensive. Current students will be paying off their loans for the next 30 years, and 2023-24 university starters will be paying off for 40 years. Most will never repay their debt. Instead they will be on a treadmill of interest payments for the majority of their working life. What IF we didn’t have a cohort of struggling students?

Episode 13: What IF we took trains instead of planes?

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 07:00:00 +0000

The UK needs to make significant efforts to decarbonise its transport network. How? Well – one way to do this is limiting UK-based aviation. Flying is the most environmentally harmful modes of transport. Alternatively, travel by train is seven times more environmentally friendly than flying. What IF we took trains instead of planes?

Episode 12: What IF saving money was possible for the young?

Mon, 17 Oct 2022 07:00:00 +0100

The cost of living crisis means there’s less money coming in, and more money going out. So where does this leave young people and savings? What IF saving money was possible for the young? In our first episode of Season 3, Alisa Anwar talks to IF researcher Alec Haglund, young people Rory, Cameron and John, and Curtis Banks to find out more...

Episode 11: What IF the post-Covid world benefited the young?

Fri, 29 Apr 2022 07:00:00 +0100

The Covid 19 era has increased the intergenerational divide within the UK. So now, more than ever, we have an opportunity to shape the post-Covid world. But what should this look like? What IF, the post-Covid world benefited the young? For our Season finale, Alisa Anwar is joined by young people and the co-founders of the Intergenerational Foundation to hear their thought.

Episode 10: What IF taxes didn’t unfairly target the young?

Fri, 18 Mar 2022 09:00:00 +0000

COVID-19 saw the government spend vast amounts of money – from the furlough scheme, test and trace programme to PPE and vaccines rollout. On top of this our nation went into lockdown, output stalled, and we saw a 9.7% drop in our GDP. Who should pay? Well, young people have being forced to shoulder the costs of social care reform and COVID-19 spending. That's not fair.

Episode 9: What IF we ended the cladding scandal?

Mon, 14 Feb 2022 09:00:00 +0000

Safe housing is a basic human right. This month we’re looking at how the cladding crisis impacts the young. How did we get here? What’s the solution?

Episode 8: What IF COP26 listened to the youth?

Sun, 09 Jan 2022 18:00:00 +0000

Climate change is the greatest intergenerational issue facing our young. 50% of the world’s population are under 30, yet young people were not given a platform at COP to voice their opinions. So what do the young think? On this month's podcast Alisa Anwar is joined by investment committee member and stewardship lead for The National Trust Alice Bordini-Staden, young activists Paddy, Martin, and Ishaan, and IF researcher John Hobby, to find out more...

Episode 7: What IF we looked back at the last 10 years?

Sat, 27 Nov 2021 21:00:00 +0000

And we're back for Season 2... Alisa Anwar returns to take you on a continued whistle-stop tour touching on everything we haven’t so far....but you’ll have to stay tuned to see what we have in store. First, we’re kicking off this season with a special episode- it’s special because this month is IF’s 10 year anniversary! We are grateful to Curtis Banks (a self-invested pension specialist) for sponsoring the research undertaken in this episode.

Episode 6: What IF we analysed 'Generation Covid'?

Tue, 01 Jun 2021 19:00:00 +0100

COVID-19 has seen the Government spend hundreds of billions of pounds in order to protect primarily the health of older generations. In fact by March 2021, the total amount spent passed £400 billion. That’s the highest rate of government borrowing outside war time! In our final podcast episode we’re going to take a look back at a year of intergenerational injustice due to the pandemic. I’ll be taking you on a whistle-stop tour of key events since the first lockdown, discussing record breaking facts and figures, whilst also talking to young people and experts along the way.

Episode 5: What IF British Politics experienced a 'youthquake'?

Sat, 24 Apr 2021 21:00:00 +0100

Alisa Anwar is joined by Professor of Politics at Royal Holloway University (James Sloan) and digital campaigner at the Intergenerational Foundation (Liam Hill) to understand why young people are so underrepresented in British politics. With only 3% of 18-30 year olds becoming MPs, do young people even want to be involved? We talked to three young political enthusiasts (Ollie Lewis, Aisha Sembhi, and Tom Clabon) to find out more. So, what IF British politics experienced a ‘youthquake’?

Episode 4: What IF youth unemployment wasn't so high?

Sun, 28 Mar 2021 13:00:00 +0100

Young people have been hit with the triple threat of COVID-19, the recession, and Brexit. Alisa Anwar is joined by Economist and the Head of Research for Europe and the Americas at Standard Chartered Bank (Sarah Hewin), IF researcher (Lizzie Simpson), graduates (Katherine Cenaj and Susannah Cook), and IF co-founder (Ashley Seager) to understand the growing employment crisis amongst young people. What IF youth unemployment wasn’t so high?

Episode 3: What IF we solved the housing crisis?

Sun, 21 Feb 2021 21:00:00 +0000

Alisa Anwar is joined by Rent Strike coordinators (Meg Day and Charlie Keller), Bristol SU Student Living Officer (Ruth Day), students (Emily Cole and Kit Sinclair), and IF co-founder (Ashley Seager) to dissect the housing crisis among young people. With 46% of young people returning to live at home with their parents and housing prices soaring, what can be done? What IF we solved the housing crisis?

Episode 2: What IF the Government invested more in young people’s mental health?

Sat, 23 Jan 2021 15:00:00 +0000

Alisa Anwar is joined by former MP and longstanding Minister, as well as the chair for the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition (Sir Norman Lamb), IF researcher (Melissa Bui), Trevor Elliott MBE, and students (Ella Cotton and Emily Price) to offer a solution to the growing mental health crisis amongst younger generations. What IF the Government invested more in young people’s mental health?

Episode 1: What IF we had no tuition fees?

Mon, 21 Dec 2020 10:00:00 +0000

In this first episode from the Intergenerational Foundation, Alisa Anwar is joined by students (Rhiannon Woolford and James Main) and a Professor of Economics at Manchester Metropolitan University Business School (Dr Kevin Albertson) to dissect the complex world of university tuition fees and loans. How do students feel with the transition to online learning? Are they getting their money’s worth? What was the government response to student uprisings and petitions? Is there a better alternative system?

Pilot: What IF we listened to younger generations?

Wed, 18 Nov 2020 08:00:00 +0000

In this Pilot episode, Alisa Anwar is joined by the co-founders of the Intergenerational Foundation: Liz Emerson, Angus Hanton, and Ashley Seager, for a crash course on intergenerational fairness. What brought about intergenerational inequality? Why do young people feel frustrated and let down today? What IF we listened to younger generations?