New research suggests that a certain way of sharing our money and support may boost life expectancy on a national scale, challenging old assumptions about what really keeps people alive and well.
The hidden longevity power of generosity
A large European-led study of 34 countries has found a striking link between generosity and life expectancy. Not generosity as a feel-good slogan, but as a measurable flow of resources: money given by governments and families, and how much of a person’s lifetime income is shared rather than kept.
Researchers combined data on state transfers, like pensions and benefits, with private help within families, such as financial support between generations. Their conclusion is direct: societies where more resources are redistributed tend to have people who live longer.
Generous sharing of income, whether from the state or from relatives, is associated with lower mortality and longer lives at the population level.
This pattern appeared across very different economies and cultures. Countries where people receive more help, from public systems or from family networks, showed reduced risk of dying in the following year.
France, Japan and the countries that share most
Some countries stand out clearly. In France and Japan, people share more than two thirds of their lifetime income. That includes taxes that fund pensions, healthcare or childcare, but also informal financial support within extended families.
These two countries are well known for having some of the highest life expectancies in the world, and the study suggests that is not a coincidence.
Where a larger slice of income is passed on to others, national life expectancy tends to be higher and deaths at any given age are less frequent.
The numbers look very different in places such as China and Turkey. There, less than half of lifetime income is redistributed. According to the researchers, in those settings the risk of dying in the year ahead can be roughly double that seen in more generous countries.
This does not mean money itself magically extends life. Instead, shared resources appear to cushion people against crises, stress and deprivation, making it less likely that short-term shocks will become fatal.
Why wealth alone does not explain the gap
At first glance, one might expect rich countries to do better simply because of higher incomes. Yet the study points to something subtler. The level of generosity seems to shape mortality independently of GDP per person.
A country can be wealthy on paper but still lose years of life if its resources remain concentrated in a small part of the population.
That may help explain some curious cases. The United States and the United Kingdom both share less than half of their annual income through transfers, yet their mortality patterns sit quite close to more generous nations like France and Japan. Australia, with even lower levels of income sharing, still manages to achieve relatively high life expectancy.
These exceptions suggest that other factors also matter: healthcare systems, early detection of disease, cultural habits, or immigration patterns. Still, the overall trend in the dataset points towards a strong role for redistribution: when more people are cushioned by safety nets and family help, fewer die prematurely.
How generosity might protect health
The researchers suggest at least two main paths by which generosity can lengthen life.
- Meeting urgent needs: Transfers help people pay for food, housing, medicine and basic care when they need it most.
- Strengthening social ties: Giving and receiving support signals that people are not alone, which reduces stress and isolation.
In many countries, older adults rely on pensions and health coverage that come from taxes paid by younger workers. In others, parents and grandparents may depend more heavily on direct help from adult children. The study finds that, for longevity, the source of the support matters less than the fact that it exists in the first place.
Whether aid comes from the state or the extended family, what counts is that people can rely on someone when income drops or illness strikes.
Social scientists have long noted that strong relationships tend to go hand in hand with better health. Loneliness increases the risk of heart disease, depression and early death. Generosity can act as a signal of connection: it reflects webs of obligation, care and trust that buffer people from the worst effects of stress.
Policy lessons: why redistribution can act like a public health tool
The findings land in the middle of intense debates about welfare systems and ageing populations. As many societies grow older, governments face pressure over pensions, healthcare and long-term care costs. This research suggests that cutting support may save money in the short term, but at the price of shorter lives and higher mortality.
| Type of support | Example | Potential health effect |
|---|---|---|
| State transfers | Pensions, unemployment benefits, child allowances | Stabilises income, allows access to healthcare and food |
| Family support | Helping parents with rent, paying school fees | Reduces financial stress, protects during crises |
| Community help | Charity funds, local solidarity schemes | Fills gaps where state or family help is weak |
For countries with limited budgets, the study hints at a strategic choice: targeted redistribution towards those at risk might not only reduce poverty but also extend life expectancy. For richer countries, defending social systems may be framed not just as a moral or economic decision, but as a way of preserving years of healthy life for millions.
What this means for your own life
The research focuses on national trends, not on individual horoscope-style promises. Being generous does not guarantee you will live to 100. Some very kind people die young; some selfish people live long.
Yet, at a personal level, generosity is tied to behaviours that tend to support health. People who give time, money or emotional support often stay more socially active. They maintain wider networks, feel more useful and find meaning in daily life. These factors are linked to lower rates of depression and better physical health in older age.
Living in a generous society raises everyone’s odds. Choosing generous habits can shape your own daily wellbeing inside that system.
Small, regular gestures matter more than grand moments. Covering a friend’s bus fare, cooking for a neighbour who is ill, or sending money to a struggling relative all feed the larger pattern of support the study describes.
Understanding a few key terms
Two technical concepts sit at the heart of this research: “life expectancy” and “transfer payments”.
Life expectancy is a statistical estimate of how long people can expect to live, on average, if current death rates stay the same. It does not predict any single person’s lifespan, but it does offer a snapshot of how healthy or fragile a population is at a given time.
Transfer payments are sums of money that move from one group to another without a direct exchange of goods or services. Tax-funded benefits, family allowances, pocket money from parents, and regular help to elderly relatives all fit into this broad category.
Imagining different futures: generous versus restrictive societies
Picture two fictional countries with the same average income. In Country A, pensions are modest, unemployment support is rare, and families often leave older relatives to manage alone. In Country B, taxes are higher, but pensions allow a decent standard of living, jobless people get temporary help, and adult children regularly support their parents.
According to the pattern seen in the study, Country B is likely to show higher life expectancy, even though people in both countries produce the same amount of wealth. Residents of Country B would face fewer periods without food, heating or medicine. Their stress during crises would be dampened by the knowledge that someone has their back.
There is a final twist. Generosity tends to spread. When people know they will one day benefit from collective systems, they are more inclined to support them while they are working and healthy. When families see others helping their elders, they are more likely to do the same. Over time, this creates a culture in which sharing is not just a private virtue but a public habit.
In that sense, the study’s message is blunt: living among generous people can literally change your odds of reaching old age. And every transfer, whether via your payslip or your bank app, nudges those odds in one direction or the other.
