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25th September 2025
09:46am BST
Half of adults living at home with their parents are frustrated with their living situation – bemoaning a lack of space, rising tensions and not being treated like an adult.
A poll of 2,000 adults who live with their parents found that, of those fed up, 36 per cent feel like they’ve lost their independence.
In addition, 34 per cent are tired of being judged by their folks, while 33 per cent are sick of mum and dad interfering in their personal lives.
And 29 per cent admitted it’s hard to maintain romantic or platonic relationships while still living under the family roof.
Yet seven in 10 have never had the chance to move out – leaving 51 per cent with a sense of lost youth.
The research was commissioned by Skipton Group as part of its Home Affordability Index, which separately found that despite living in the family home in every region of Great Britain, fewer than 10 per cent of adults living with their parents can afford the average first-time buyer home in their local area.
In fact, in London, the East of England, and the Southwest, this affordability drops to below 1.5 per cent.
Stacey Dickens from Skipton's Home Affordability Index, said: “Aspiring first-time buyers would be forgiven for thinking of all the benefits of staying in the family home for longer when it comes to saving up to move out.
“You might save some money on reduced rent and bills, but the cost of buying or even just running a home are now so far removed from what many people can afford even this, and years of free laundry, Wi-Fi, and Sunday roasts don’t get you much closer to making it a reality.
“For many, the experience of living with their parents as an adult also comes with unexpected compromises.
“From needing to explain what time they’ll be home at night, negotiating shopping and cooking arrangements, bathroom etiquette, even navigating how best to date and develop relationships. It can be awkward for everyone.”
It also emerged 29 per cent of those polled are part of the so-called ‘boomerang generation’ – adults who once moved out but later returned home.
Of these, almost half (49 per cent) have already lasted longer than expected since moving back, despite many (47 per cent) originally planning it to be short-term.
A third (34 per cent) now feel they’ve overstayed their welcome, while 32 per cent admitted they underestimated how long it would take to get back on their feet.
And nearly three in 10 (29 per cent) said saving for a deposit is taking much longer than they thought.
But overall, 36 per cent of adults living with their parents pay rent.
Some 18 per cent aren’t charged so they can save for a deposit, while 27 per cent said their parents simply don’t believe in charging rent.
A third admitted their income is too low or unpredictable to afford it, while 19 per cent are temporarily rent-free while recovering from a financial setback.
The survey, which was carried out via OnePoll, also revealed nine in 10 hope to fly the nest eventually, but 82 per cent of those saving for a deposit admit they are still a long way off.
On average, they have just over £11,500 put aside, with 53 per cent saying they’d feel more ready to move if their income was more stable.
While 43 per cent want better access to affordable housing and rent support.
Stacey Dickens from Skipton Group added: “Living in the family home can be a lifeline for many young adults, especially when incomes are stretched, and the cost of living remains high.
“For some, it’s about easing financial pressure after a setback, while for others it’s a deliberate choice by parents to help their children build up savings for the future.
“And while intergenerational housing support is invaluable, it does highlight how challenging the housing market has become for first-time buyers.
“Young adults aren’t failing to ‘make the most’ of the situation; they’re caught in a system where even the most disciplined saving, combined with generous parental support, still doesn’t open the door for them to home ownership.
“The trade-off between financial prudence and personal freedom, coupled with knock-on delayed life milestones such as being fully independent, getting married or having a family, only emphasises how difficult things have become, and how it needs to change.”
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