Sharp Rise in Young Adults Living with Parents as Housing Costs Soar

The proportion of 25 to 34-year-olds living at home has grown by over a third since 2006, driven by high rents, rising house prices, and economic challenges.

Nearly 1 in 5 young adults aged 25 to 34 in the UK now live with their parents, up from 13% in 2006 to 18% in 2024, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS).
This increase represents approximately 450,000 more individuals in this age group living at home compared to 2006, though the figure is slightly down from a pandemic peak of 21%.
The rise is linked to escalating housing costs, with rents and house prices outpacing income growth, particularly in regions like London and the East of England, which saw the largest increases in young adults living with parents.
Men are more likely than women to live at home (23% vs. 15%), and rates are significantly higher among individuals from Bangladeshi (62%) and Indian (50%) backgrounds.
While some young adults use this arrangement to save money, others face higher costs due to commuting or personal setbacks like unemployment or relationship breakdowns.