Nearly 9 Million UK Adults Help Older Relatives With Everyday Costs

Financial support between generations is increasingly flowing in both directions. Nearly 9 million UK adults—16% of the public surveyed—say they help older family members financially, while one in ten adults supports both older and younger relatives. For people providing that help, the commitment can sit alongside housing costs, childcare and saving for their own retirement.

The figures come from Canada Life’s multi-year Life100+ research programme, which surveyed more than 2,000 members of the UK public and 240 financial advisers for its third report. More than a third of advisers surveyed, 36%, said support for older relatives has become more common. The findings point to a family budgeting challenge that can be easy to underestimate: help may be regular, may cover essential bills and may continue for a long time.

Where family support is going

Everyday living costs are the most common reason for giving money. Nearly two thirds of people supporting older relatives, 61%, contribute towards those expenses. That can mean help with routine needs rather than a single, planned payment, making it harder for the giver to know how much support their own budget can sustain over time.

Other contributions cover costs that can be difficult to absorb from a fixed or stretched income. Some 35% help pay for at-home care, while 33% contribute towards property maintenance and repairs. These categories can overlap: a relative may need support with ordinary bills and face a separate expense when care needs change or a home requires work.

The figures describe what families are helping with; they don’t establish why each older person needs support or how large each contribution is. Still, the prominence of everyday expenses suggests that assistance isn’t limited to occasional gifts or planned transfers of wealth. For some households, it is part of managing the monthly cost of later life.

The pressure on the middle generation

Adults aged 25 to 44 are the group most likely to be helping relatives both older and younger. That makes their financial decisions particularly layered: money directed to a parent or another older relative may compete with childcare, household costs and saving for the supporter’s own future.

There is no single budget rule that fits every family. A useful first step is to clarify what the support covers, how often it is needed and whether the amount is likely to change. A contribution toward recurring bills calls for a different plan from help with a one-off repair. Writing down the expected amount and timing can show whether the commitment fits the household budget and which other goals may need adjusting.

Families can also agree how to review the arrangement. A regular check-in gives everyone a chance to discuss changed needs, new costs or a shift in what the person providing help can afford. That conversation can be uncomfortable, but leaving expectations unspoken may make it harder to manage a commitment that has become part of the household’s regular spending.

Planning together before costs rise

Longer lives can make the direction and timing of family support less predictable. An older relative may need help with living expenses now, care later, or repairs at another point. Families may also be thinking about retirement income and inheritance. Those are connected questions, but they don’t have to be settled in one conversation.

Among advisers surveyed, 87% agreed that older people should share their plans with family, and 94% said open, honest conversations about later-life plans are important. Those views point to the value of talking before an urgent expense forces quick decisions. A discussion can cover what support might be needed, what each person can contribute, and which questions require further advice.

Rose St Louis, Canada Life’s chief customer officer, said advisers should consider the financial and emotional strain these pressures can place on clients. She said that, where appropriate, involving several generations in planning earlier can help families think through retirement income, possible later-life costs and inheritance.

For households already providing help, the practical takeaway is to treat it as a real budget commitment and revisit it as circumstances change. For families that have not yet discussed later-life needs, starting with expected costs and each person’s capacity to contribute can make future choices clearer. Support can bring relatives closer, but it works best when the people involved understand what is being offered and what the giver can sustain.