The recently published report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies reveals that the proportion of UK adults aged 25-34 co-residing with their parents has risen from 13% to 18% between 2006 and 2024. This represents an increase of around 450,000 young adults.
The report shows that co-residing is more common for young men than young women, with rates of co-residence particularly high among some ethnic minority groups. It also highlights that increases in co-residence have been concentrated among those in their 20s and have tended to be higher in parts of the country that have seen particularly high house price growth since 2006. 65% of those who are co-resident live in houses that are owned or mortgaged. 25% live in social housing.
Co-residing with a parent is most common in Northern Ireland (23% of 25-34 year olds) and least common in North East of England (17%).
In Scotland, the statistics correspond with the UK average, with 18% of those aged 25-34 co-residing with parents, also an increase of 5% since 2006.
However, as the Rettie/Diffley Partnership Report for Homes for Scotland on Existing Housing Need in Scotland highlighted, those 18% may not, however, be recognised as in need of a home of their own under the current Housing Need and Demand Assessment (HNDA) tools used by local authorities to estimate housing need in their areas. Single adults co-residing with parents are not counted as being in need as they are not regarded as households under current government definitions.
The Rettie/Diffley survey produced a gross figure of 37,000 households in Scotland that are both overcrowded and include at least one concealed household if single people are included. If single people are excluded and only concealed families are included, in accordance with HNDA requirements, the figure drops to 15,000 households which means that local authorities will be considerably underestimating the actual need for more homes.
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