Wealth and the wealthy : exploring and tackling inequalities between rich and poor

Includes bibliographical references and index

Wealth and the wealthy; Contents; List of tables and figures; Acknowledgements; About the authors; Introduction; 1. Why wealth matters; Introduction; From collective welfare to individual assets; The role of assets in people's lives; Is there an asset effect?; Conclusions; 2. Why the wealthy matter; Introduction; The increasing concentration of income and wealth; Is the concentration of income and wealth a social problem?; Is the concentration of income and wealth good or bad for the economy?; Un/equal opportunities and un/fair rewards; Attitudes to the gap between rich and poor; Conclusions

3.What is wealth and who are the wealthy?Introduction; Conceptualising and defining wealth; Measuring wealth; Conceptualising and defining the wealthy; Measuring the wealthy; Conclusions; 4. The distribution of wealth; Introduction; The distribution of wealth; Combining income and assets; The distribution of assets by age, ethnicity and region; Gender and the within-household distribution of wealth; Inheritance and unearned wealth; Conclusions; 5. The rich, the richer and the richest; Introduction; The rich; The richer; The richest; Philanthropy and charitable giving; Conclusions

6. Towards a comprehensive policy on assetsIntroduction; The goals of a comprehensive policy on assets; Asset-based welfare policies, proposals and perspectives; Policies on housing wealth; Pensions policy; Taxing assets in the UK; Within-household distribution of assets; Conclusions; 7. Social policy and the wealthy; Introduction; The goals of policy on riches; Equal opportunity policy; Taxation policy; Policies for original income and wealth; Conclusions; Conclusions; References; Index;

Using many data sources, this timely book provides a comprehensive discussion of issues of wealth, looking at potential policy responses, including 'asset-based' welfare and taxation