ABSTRACT

Introduction The increase in the number of multigenerational households in Australia has been attributed to a range of social, demographic and economic factors (Cobb-Clark 2008). The discussion in this chapter considers the economic reasons behind the proliferation of such households and the implications for policy. Central to the discussion is the notion that multigenerational households facilitate and encourage the sharing and transfer of resources. By focusing on the resource implications of households that span more than one generation of adults, it is possible to identify how the growth of multigenerational households has been influenced by economic forces, and how a range of policies have shaped, and can respond to, this development.