At a time of increasing economic uncertainty and growing inequality, the UK, like many other advanced economies, has seen a shift from collective welfare provision towards more individual provision. However, many people appear to lack the financial means or capability to manage this effectively. The University of Birmingham has established a new Centre on Household Assets and Savings Management (CHASM) to investigate these issues.
Based jointly in the School of Social Policy and the Birmingham Business School, the Centre aims to provide a focus for world-class research on the distribution and role of assets in people's lives from housing to pensions to financial savings. This launch conference was held on 25 May 2010, was attended by over 100 delegates and discussed some of the key themes of the new Centre.
This page contains an outline of the day, the speakers' slides, and videos of each speaker's presentation.
Programme of the day
Welcome by Professor Edward Peck, Head of the College of Social Sciences, University of Birmingham.
Introduction to CHASM: Professor Karen Rowlingson
Wealth inequality: Professor John Hills
Financial inclusion: Brian Pomeroy
Brian Pomeroy CBE UK Financial Inclusion Taskforce, talks about financial inclusion.
Financial capability: Stuart Bailey
Panel discussion
The Panel:
Niki Cleal, Director of the Pensions Policy Institute
Professor Dalton Conley, New York University
Dr Beverley Searle, Durham University
Professor Karen Rowlingson, University of Birmingham