In March 2025, Good Futures published the Baby Boomer Horizon Scan report. This blog is a taster of some of the headlines. Let’s dive in!
Baby Boomers – born between 1946 and 1964 – are one of the UK’s largest and most influential generations, numbering 13.57 million. They came of age in an era of mass consumerism, rising homeownership, and expanding access to higher education. They’re also the generation that grew up with The Beatles, punk rebellion, and activism that reshaped civil rights, feminism, and more.
Often labelled the wealthiest generation in history, Boomers hold significant financial influence across property, investments, and consumer spending. But despite this wealth, pensioner poverty is on the rise, with financial insecurity hitting hard for some due to stagnant pensions and increasing costs. That said, Boomers do, in aggregate, retain significant influence over property markets, investments, and consumer spending – making them a key audience for charities. In fact, more Boomers give to charity than any other generation, yet they give less per year than their younger counterparts. They’re also not as active in volunteering as stereotypes suggest, with many balancing work, lifestyle changes, and caring responsibilities.
To fully engage this generation, we need to step away from outdated stereotypes of Boomers, and of ageing on the whole. We’re at risk of relegating the tens of millions of people in this age range to simply being ‘old’, with no understanding of their actual needs and preferences. We need a fundamental rethink of how we engage with Boomers – not as a group fading into retirement, but as individuals shaping their own future.
TAP INTO GERONTOLESCENCE
The traditional life trajectory – education, work, retirement – no longer holds. Instead, Boomers are living gerontolescence, a new life stage characterised as the transition from adulthood to older age. Rather than conforming to outdated ideas of ageing, people in this stage are actively redefining later life. It’s a time for self-exploration, reinvention, and the embracing of adventure. Crucially, it’s also a time for people to re-evaluate the impact they want to have on the world in later life.
So What: We need to reframe Boomers; they’re not winding down, they’re gearing up for new challenges and experiences. This life stage is all about reinvention, curiosity, and exploration. There’s an opportunity to tap into this energy by embracing engagement strategies that reflect the excitement of this chapter. And, as Boomers, consider the impact they want to have, how can we position charity as part of that narrative?
FLEXIBLE ENGAGEMENT
Boomers have less spare time than we might think. Many of them are time-poor, balancing work, caregiving, and personal commitments. With 4 in 10 Boomers still employed (many of whom plan to work past retirement age), and others caring for a combination of parents, adult children, grandchildren, or spouses, their available time is limited. As a result, traditional, long-term volunteering models don’t always fit into their reality. The numbers reflect this trend: Boomers volunteer less than their younger counterparts.
So What: Flexibility is key. We need to move beyond traditional, high-commitment volunteering models, and offer flexible, skills-based opportunities that tap into Boomers’ experience. And rethinking engagement for this audience has a broader implication – it’s an opportunity to innovate for other time-poor segments as well.
DESIGN FOR CONNECTION
Boomers are seeking social connection and belonging, but shifting life stages (e.g. retirement, changing family dynamics, and experiencing loss) can leave them vulnerable to loneliness. Around 7% of people aged 65 and over experience chronic loneliness, and men in this age group particularly struggle with maintaining community ties. Boomers are more likely to be single, child-free, or living alone than previous generations; and more likely to choose to age in place rather than move into retirement communities, meaning that built-in social structures aren’t a given. If they’re staying home, how do we bring connection to them?
So What: Boomers want spaces to connect, contribute, and engage. But with physical space coming in at a premium, alongside government disinvestment in social infrastructure, we need to innovate creatively. Leverage existing communities; tap into digital; bring community to the spaces that Boomers already inhabit; and innovate to bridge existing gaps.
DON’T DISCOUNT SOCIAL
Boomers are scrolling through Facebook, watching TikTok videos, and researching causes online. For this generation, engagement is multi-channel – direct mail and phone calls still work, but they’re increasingly intertwined with digital touchpoints. For example, about a quarter of Boomers say that mailers prompt them to make an online donation. And while Facebook remains their dominant platform, a surprising number are also engaging on TikTok. The key isn’t choosing between traditional or digital – it’s about seamlessly blending both.
So What: Boomers want to engage across different platforms, but the crux of keeping those conversations alive is ensuring there’s always a human touch – whether it’s a personal phone call, a well-crafted email, or an authentic voice on social. Marketing to Boomers means breaking free from outdated stereotypes and meeting them where they are. Yes, even on TikTok. If your comms still paint Boomers as frail, passive donors, you’re not just missing the mark, you’re missing out.
These headlines are only a glimpse of what’s covered in the full report, which also dives into: dismantling narratives of ageing; a financial health-check; health and care; Boomers at work; leisure; sustainability; online behaviours; charity engagement; and legacy giving.
If you want to get your hands on the full version, please contact Daisy to find out more about subscribing to Good Futures, our trends and foresight service.