Countries (BG, DE, EE, FI, IT, LH, PL, UK) in the study represent different social welfare regimes and thus different patterns of poverty and social problems that can contribute to intergenerational inheritance of inequalities. Data provide evidence that economic standing of the country is not a decisive factor contributing to the risk of inheritance of inequalities in the "old" EU. Policy and particular educational, labour market and welfare policies matter as well.
Countries differ substantially as regards age cohorts being most vulnerable to the risk of poverty. If it is children, the risk of IIofI is more predictable. Among affluent countries in the study, Finland and Germany seem to protect citizens against poverty/inequality transmission best, while Italy - worst. In Finland there are particular people and families which may be affected by inequality inheritance. In Germany there are pockets of poverty inhabited by immigrants who are most vulnerable to the risk of poverty transmission.
Among new member states that are poor countries with widespread poverty the risk of inequality transmission is high. In these countries, the risk of poverty for children is high, spending on children is relatively low and social transfers are not generous enough to reduce the risk of poverty among youngsters. In Poland and Lithuania the situation is the worst because of low employment rate.