Household financial decision making: Qualitative research with couples

v
Contents
List of figures
Figure 2.1 
Typical form of discussion during the decision-making process .......................... 13
Figure 2.2 
Example of male and female roles in the decision-making process ................... 16
Figure 3.1 
Defining a typology for couples’ behaviour .............................................................. 18
Figure 4.1 
Short-term and long-term decisions and consequences ...................................... 32
Figure 4.2 
Ease of decision making about different items and products .............................. 35
Figure 4.3 
Typical variation in the types of inertia inhibiting retirement over time ............. 38

---

vi
Acknowledgements
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) for supporting this piece
of research. 
Rob Hardcastle and Vicky Petrie were responsible for liaison between DWP and RS Consulting,
and provided vital support and guidance throughout this study.
We would also like to thank the couples who generously gave their time to participate in
this research.

---

vii
The Authors
The Authors
Andrew Wood, Research Director, specialises in public policy and financial sector research, for both 
public and private sector clients. He has run many high-profile studies for the Department for Work 
and Pensions (DWP), covering different aspects of the international pensions landscape, the UK 
pension reforms, retirement saving and decision making. He read Modern and Medieval Languages 
at the University of Cambridge.
Kate Downer, Associate Director, specialises in public policy, financial and third sector research. She 
has led several studies commissioned by DWP into retirement-related decision making. She read 
Modern and Medieval Languages at the University of Cambridge and Management and Business 
Research Methods at the Open University.
Becky Lees, Research Executive, specialises in public policy and third sector research, and has worked 
on public sector studies for bodies including the National Health Service (NHS), Age UK and Transport 
for Greater Manchester. She read English Language at the University of Leeds.
Annalise Toberman, Research Executive, specialises in public policy and financial research, and 
has contributed to several studies for DWP, including a study assessing the cost of transferring 
pension pots between providers. She read Government at the London School of Economics and 
Political Science.

---