Research from Churchill Home Insurance has revealed that over 7m UK adults have been forced to move back home with their parents following a break up, divorce or separation.
The numbers make up 14% of the adult population, as rising rent and mortgage costs mean many adults cannot afford to pay for separate accommodation as a single person following a break up.
Financial reasons are listed as the main cause of needing to move back home with parents (55%), but people are also returning home for parental emotional support (37%) and help with childcare (13%). A quarter (25%) of those who have moved back with their parents did so following a bad break up, needing distance or independence from their ex-partner.
Martin Scott, head of Churchill Home Insurance, said: “A separation or divorce is an emotionally traumatic experience and sometimes parents are exactly what we need to help us get through these difficult periods in our lives. The additional financial strain of having to keep separate properties often means it’s easier to move in with family, rather than try and find somewhere else to live.”
Men (16%) are more likely to move back in with their parents than women (12%). The main reason men move back in with their parents is for financial reasons (59%) whereas women view it more as a temporary measure while searching for alternative accommodation (54%).
The financial reasons for people ‘doomeranging’ back to their parents vary, from the cost of rents elsewhere (30%) or the need to reduce cost of living (29%) to having to pay off debts (25%).
Financial reasons for moving back in with parents
1 Rents elsewhere were too high (30%)
2 I needed to reduce my cost of living e.g. spend on food and bills (29%)
3 I wanted to save up to buy my own place (28%)
4 I had debts I needed to pay off (excluding mortgage) (25%)
5 I was unemployed / previously relied on my partner for money (24%)
6 Money tied up in mortgage / rent of existing property (18%)
People tend to spend an average of six months living with their parents after breaking up with a partner. This is highest among men (six months versus five months for women) and those aged 18-34 (7.5 months). Unsurprisingly, the majority of adults (68%) bring all their belongings to their parents’ house with them following a break up.
