Nearly two-thirds of young Brits now live with their parents
Key Points
- 63% of people in their early 20s now live with their parents, up 12 percentage points since 2011.
- Among those in their later 20s, 24% live at home, up from 19 per cent in 2011; full-time students are excluded.
- 67% of non-graduates aged 20-24 live at home, compared with 55% of graduates.
- The share of 20-24-year-olds renting privately fell from a third in 2012-2014 to 28% in 2022-2024.
- Young private renters spend around 32% of income on housing, against a 4% household burden for those living with parents.
Nearly two-thirds of people in their early twenties now live with their parents, according to new analysis from the Resolution Foundation that describes staying at home into adulthood as the new normal.
The think tank found that 63% of people in their early twenties now live at home, a proportion that has risen by 12 percentage points since 2011.
Among those in their later twenties, the share has reached 24%, up from 19% over the same period. The figures exclude full-time students.
The trend is more pronounced among those without degrees. The Resolution Foundation found that 67% of non-graduates aged 20 to 24 live at home, compared with 55% of graduates.
Among those aged 25 to 29, the figures were 29% for non-graduates and 19% for graduates.
The shift begins before young people enter the workforce. UCAS data cited in the report showed that the proportion of 18-year-olds accepted onto a university place who intended to live at home during their studies rose from 22% to 31% over the past decade, with the trend most marked in the most deprived neighbourhoods.
Impact on private renting
The Resolution Foundation said the rise in young people living at home had come largely at the expense of private renting.
In 2012-2014, a third of people aged 20 to 24 were private renters; by 2022-2024 that had fallen to 28%, while the share living with parents rose from 51% to 56%.
The think tank attributed the shift to the cost of housing. Although private rents have not become relatively more expensive over the past decade, tracking inflation and rising slightly less than earnings, the sector remains the most expensive and worst-quality tenure.
The report found that young private renters aged 20 to 24 typically spent 32% of their income on housing, compared with a household burden of just 4% for those living with parents.
Understandably, many parents charge little or no rent. The Resolution Foundation cited research showing that 55% of parents charge their adult children some rent, but at an average of just £110 a month.
Separate analysis found that adults aged 25 to 34 living with parents would pay an average of £560 a month in the private rented sector, or £1,000 in London.
The think tank warned that the trend extended beyond living standards. It pointed to a documented “relationship recession” and Britain’s record-low fertility rate as evidence that the housing situation of young adults was affecting wider aspects of life, including couple formation and the decision to start a family.
