Content Creators Challenge the “Wealth-Hoarding” Stereotype of Baby Boomers
The Commons’ women and equalities committee has raised concerns about ageist attitudes towards older people, particularly regarding their portrayal in media.
MPs warn against stereotyping that depicts older individuals as wealth-hoarding baby boomers while younger generations struggle financially.
A report from the committee highlights how frequent depictions of elderly people as wealthy homeowners normalize these “ageist attitudes”.
The criticism targets portrayals of those born between 1946 and 1964, currently in their sixties and seventies, as either frail or living a life of luxury at the expense of younger family members.
Additionally, the report addresses what it calls government failure to address digital exclusion among older people. This issue is highlighted as services like banking and health move increasingly online.
The UK’s population continues to age, with eleven million people in England and Wales over 65 years old and more than half a million aged 90 or above.
According to the report, portrayals of older people as “wealth-hoarding ‘boomers'” are prevalent across various media channels in the UK. Examples include memes used to dismiss elderly opinions by suggesting they’re out of touch.
The committee also notes that discussions on intergenerational fairness often depict younger and older generations competing for limited resources, creating conflict rather than cooperation.
Witnesses told the inquiry about stereotypes depicting older people as wealthy boomers living comfortably in their own homes while young people struggle financially and can’t afford homeownership or pay high rents.
The Commons committee recommends that watchdogs such as the Advertising Standards Authority and broadcast media regulator Ofcom crack down on these types of stereotypes. They also want laws against age discrimination to be stronger, with more effective enforcement.
According to Office for National Statistics data, individual wealth increases with age, peaking in the 60-to-64 age group at a level nine times higher than those aged 30-to-34.
The report also points out that younger generations are less likely to own their homes compared to previous cohorts. However, it stresses that this doesn’t address inequalities within different age groups.
Some older people still face “digital exclusion” because they lack the skills needed to access online banking, council services, or GP appointments – despite a government digital inclusion strategy launched ten years ago.
The Commons report argues that existing laws against age discrimination are too weak and fail to protect older individuals effectively. Committee chairwoman Sarah Owen calls for a review of ageist culture in the UK and stronger enforcement mechanisms.
Owen is advocating for establishing an older persons commissioner, similar to Wales, alongside community champions to create a national strategy addressing these issues.
