Record levels of young adults living at home, says ONS
Whilst it is good to see some “green shoots” of economic recovery and perhaps even the odd economic “snowdrop” in some localities -this article reminds us that the worst recession in a century has left some negative and durable legacies. Having “grown up” children stranded in the parental home across all of England, but in swathes in our rural communities and youth unemployment running at 20%, with hardly any rural jobs for young people are two linked examples of how hard it now is for young adults to live independently in rural communities. This article tells us:
The number of young adults living with their parents has increased by a quarter since 1996, official figures show, with high house prices and growing youth unemployment forcing many to remain in the family home.
A total of 3.3 million 20- to 34-year-olds lived with their parents in 2013, according to the Office for National Statistics, the highest number since it started keeping records in 1996.
Over that period the number of young adults sharing a home with their parents rose by 25%, despite the proportion of the population aged between 20 and 34 remaining broadly the same.
The ONS data showed that people were most likely to live with their parents in their early 20s, with 49% of 20- to 24-year-olds in the family home, compared to 21% of 25- to 29-year-olds, and 8% of 34-year-olds – and it is the percentage of the youngest age group that has increased most noticeably, rising from 42% in 2008.