Inheritocracy : It's Time to Talk About the Bank of Mum and Dad

Many of us grew up believing in a meritocracy, where hardwork brings rewards. Go to university, get a job, put in the hours and things will be OK. That’s what we were told – but the reality is that life chances and opportunities are no longer shaped by what we learn or earn but by whether we have access to the Bank of Mum and Dad.

We’re living in an inheritocracy, where parental support is what matters most – whether that’s covering the cost of university, stumping up for a house deposit or helping with childcare. And let’s be honest, this isn’t something we like to talk about with our friends, families or as a society. It’s a modern taboo.

In these pages, generational expert Eliza Filby explores the emergence of this inheritocracy through her own life story, revealing howher family’s financial circumstances shaped everything from her education toher dating life, from her career to her class identity. Inheritocracy is a thought-provoking and candid blend of memoir and cultural commentary, told through Eliza’s humorous and insightful voice. With trillions of pounds set to be passed down thegenerations over the next two decades, a significant divide is emerging betweenthose who can rely on family wealth and those who can’t.

Inheritocracy offers a fresh, captivating and honest look at our recent past and a future that will be shaped – for better or worse – by family fortunes.