One in five 25 to 34-year-olds live at the hotel of Mum and Dad

Research from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has found that the number of UK adults in their 20s and 30s living with their parents has risen by over a third in the last two decades.

So, what could be causing young people to hesitate flying the nest? The IFS has highlighted various reasons in its report.

One issue for consideration is the lower marriage and parenthood rates among today’s generation.

The report said: “Since 2006, the proportion of 25- to 34-year-olds who are married has fallen sharply from 39% to 29%.”

According to the report, the rise in co-residency has been a trend since before the pandemic hit

Another reason for the rise is that the number of 25- to 34-year-olds with a lasting health condition has increased from 17% to 31%. Half of the rise occurred since beginning of 2020, leading many to believe Covid-19 may have contributed to rising co-residency rates.

However, according to the report, the rise in co-residency has been a trend since before the pandemic hit. Between 2006 and 2019, a 13% rise in the number of 25- to 34-year-olds with a lasting health condition was recorded.

Accommodation has been another major issue for those leaving home. The IFS suggests that “delays in household information” may have caused an increase in young adults choosing to live with their parents.

In areas such as London, with above-average accommodation costs, it is particularly common for young adults to co-reside. Although this is the case, the co-residency rate in London is only 1% higher than the rest of the UK.

In 2023, 23% of men aged 25-34 lived at home in comparison to 15% of women

With rising living costs, many young people have turned to living at home to save more money. The Times found that 14% of young adults accumulated more than £10,000 in two years, compared to an estimated 10% of those living in privately rented accommodation.

Career ambitions could also lead young people to either stay at home or move back in. One 25-year-old, Eddie Davis, told The Times about his experience of quitting his job and moving back home after seven years of living independently to create his own start-up business.

The IFS found the rate of adults living with parents is most typical in Northern Ireland and least typical in the Northeast of England. Additionally, the rate of young men co-residing is more common than that of young women. In 2023, 23% of men aged 25-34 lived at home in comparison to 15% of women.