The number of young adults aged 20 to 34 living with their parents in the UK has risen by nearly one million over the past two decades, according to a study by the thinktank Civitas. The proportion increased from 19.48% in 1997 (2.4 million) to 25.91% in 2017 (3.4 million), fuelling concerns about the housing crisis.
Daniel Bentley, editorial director of Civitas, said the data confirms anecdotal evidence that younger people are living with parents longer and finding it harder to move out. Those who do leave are more likely to live with larger groups, reflecting a 'collapse in single living'.
The report, using Office for National Statistics data, shows average household size fell from 3.3 people in 1951 to 2.36 in 2001, but then flatlined and rose to 2.39 by 2017—the highest since 1999. This has implications for housebuilding targets, as government projections may underestimate future needs.
London saw the strongest rise, with a 41% increase in young adults living with parents between 1996-98 and 2014-15. Among those affected, 26-year-old 'Jeffrey Patrick' said he moved back home six months ago after struggling to find stable work, calling it 'frustrating' and damaging to his social life. Umar Parkes, 22, said he knows no one under 30 who has bought a property.
Shadow housing secretary John Healey said the figures should 'shake the government out of their complacency', while Shelter chief executive Polly Neate blamed 'decades of failed housing policy'. The Intergenerational Foundation's Liz Emerson described a loss of independence and 'shattered dreams' for young people.
