For the majority of my university cohort, moving back in with our parents was a foregone conclusion.
The question was: how long would we be there?
Young people are living at home more, and for longer. The amount of young people living at home has risen to 3.5mn, according to data from the Office for National Statistics, an increase of almost 30 per cent over the past 14 years.
And whether paying rent to parents or to a landlord, young people are unlikely to be home-owners anytime soon.
In 2021, just one-third of young people owned their home, reported FTAdviser. In 2001 this proportion was two-thirds.
This huge drop over the past 20 years shows the milestone of becoming a home-owner being pushed further into later life.
Living at home for longer has personal impacts on adult children, as lack of one's own space makes independence difficult, but it also has impacts on the shape of the property market.
When first-time buyers enter the market this allows people in first homes to sell and move onto houses that are better suited for their changing needs.
Instead, the reduction in first-time buyers means house moves freeze.
The stagnation of movement prevents the domino effect of house sales that allows the property market to function. As people cannot afford to move in, owners cannot afford to move out.
Housing experts have called the disruption of the property market chain disastrous.
So, despite the difficulties it may cause, adult children have found that living at home does have benefits.
Moving back home saves money that can then be used for paying off student loans, or saving for a mortgage. If parents decide to charge rent, rates are usually lower than average rent costs.
And adult children who live at home can live in central areas or more spacious houses than they could otherwise afford.
So living at home may be a good deal for adult children, but what about their parents?
Having adult children residing at home has an impact on the net disposable income of parents, especially if they are not paying their way.
Adult children residing at home who are not contributing financially restrict parents' ability to consider moving to part-time working, retiring early or enjoying a full retirement.
But the bank of mum and dad arguably suffers more when children move out. According to Savills, the bank of mum and dad paid out £10.7bn in 2021, assisting nearly half of all first time mortgages.
So it seems it is still a heavy burden shifting children out of one's home, despite the drawbacks of them living there. The lack of supply in the housing market is weighing people down everywhere.
Sophia Massam is a former intern at FTAdviser
