Why more young people than ever are living with their parents
(ONS)
Over a quarter of British adults between the ages of 20 and 34 were living with their parents last year – that’s 3.3m people and the biggest increase since the crisis, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics. Increasing living costs and job pressures carry on preventing people from moving out.
The 26 per cent compares with the 21 per cent who were living at home in 1996 (the year the ONS started collecting data).
This means that the number of young people living at home has increased 25 per cent since 1996 (by 669,000). Although the population has grown over the past 18 years, the number of people within the population bracket is, relatively speaking, largely the same.
A paper published by Demographic Research in 2011 explained that reasons for living at home are predominantly down to two things, but those are dependent on socio-economic situation. Job uncertainty is a key determiner for disadvantaged young adults, while those from more privileged backgrounds put off finding a partner – so staying at home longer can make more sense.
Today’s release also shows that those living with parents in the UK are more likely to be unemployed.
(ONS)
But even with a job and/or partner, moving out is costing more and more.
Last year, The Telegraph reported than the number of 25 to 34-year old who own their own home has dropped from 2m to 1.3m in a decade. In 2001, 58 per cent owned their own homes – in 2013, that percentage was 40.
When it comes to buying a house, data from a variety of sources has shown that prices are continuing to rise apace across the UK.
Last week, Rightmove said sellers’ asking prices had jumped by seven per cent annually in January, and data from the ONS showed a 5.4 per cent increase across the country at the end of 2013.
In London, prices increased 11.6 per cent in November.
The capital does, however, have the lowest proportion of adults living with their parents, at 22 per cent. The proportion is highest in Norther Ireland, where it’s 36 per cent.
This may be because of the high numbers of younger adults living in London because of work – they grew up elsewhere and move for jobs, compromising space and comfort for work opportunities.
The Demographic Research study found that young adults who go through higher education are more likely to put off starting a family, with a period of non-family living.
This is vindicated by figures from the ONS which show that 60 per cent of London’s workforce are graduates.
Here’s the breakdown between men and women who live with their parents:
At 20, 65 per cent of men and 52 per cent of women were living at home in 2013. The percentage steadily decreases to 30, then remains pretty stable. By the age of 34, eight per cent of men and three per cent of women were living with their parents.