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Nuffield Fellows Dr Zack Grant, Professor Jane Green and Geoffrey Evans have identified a new group of voters that represent some 17% of the entire British electorate, and may well have a significant impact on the results of the next general election. This new group, the ‘family fortunes voters’, is made up of those over 40 years old with children or other younger relatives. The Nuffield Politics Research Centre’s study of over 6,000 people shows that this group’s voting behaviour is likely to be motivated by concerns for these younger people and their financial difficulties, with support going towards political parties that offer free vocational education and childcare, as well as affordable housing.

Zack says: “Understanding the newly identified ‘family fortunes voters’ group, which makes up almost 1 in 6 people in the electorate, goes some way to challenging common views about political conflict between the generations. This substantial ‘hidden electorate’ looks set to reward parties that improve the living standards of their loved ones, and reject those that do not.”

This research, carried out in collaboration with the Resolution Foundation, was formally launched on 13 September with a speaker event starring Zack and Jane, as well as Rachel Cunliffe, Senior Associate Editor of The New Statesman, Sophie Hale, Principal Economist at the Resolution Foundation, and Lord Willetts, President of the Resolution Foundation. You can watch a recording of the launch event online and read more on the Nuffield Politics Research Centre’s website.