Bank of Mum and Dad: The cost of adult children living at home
As the cost of living continues to rise, more adult children are choosing to stay at home with their parents. But just how much are parents spending to accommodate their adult children?
To find out, we surveyed 2,010 parents with adult children still living at home, exploring how much parents are supporting their children financially and where in the UK this happens the most. We also surveyed parents more broadly to find out what expenses they still cover for their adult children - whether they live at home or not.
How much do children living at home cost in different stages of life?
Living in a home involves juggling numerous responsibilities, from managing groceries and phone bills to WiFi and energy expenses. These obligations understandably increase when parents have children living at home, whatever stage of life they are in.
For young adults aged 18-25, it costs parents around £280 per month for them to live at home — amounting to a substantial £3,400 of extra expenses each year. Similarly, adults in the 25+ age bracket are setting parents back around £271 per month to live at home, an extra £3,300 per year.
How much are parents charging their children to live at home?
| Rank | Rent per month to live at home (£) | % of parents who charge their children this amount in rent |
| 1 | Does not pay any rent | 38.9% |
| =2 | £50 - £100 | 11.3% |
| =2 | £151 - £200 | 11.3% |
| 3 | £201 - £250 | 9.7% |
| 4 | £251 - £300 | 8.1% |
Our survey revealed that the majority (61.1%) of parents, with adult children living at home, charge their children rent. One in ten (11.3%) UK parents charge their kids £50 - £100 per month to still live at home. The same number of people charge their children slightly more, at £151 - £200 each month.
However, 38.9% of respondents don’t charge their children any rent.
Which regions are charging their children the most, and least, to live at home?
In our analysis, we found interesting differences in how much parents in different cities charge their adult children to live at home:
| Rank | City | Avg. amount of rent adult children are paying per month (£) |
| 1 | Norwich | £166 |
| 2 | Brighton | £160 |
| 3 | London | £148 |
| 4 | Manchester | £131 |
| 5 | Newcastle | £130 |
Leading the list is Norwich, where parents charge an average of £166 per month. Following closely is Brighton, at £160 per month, and then London, averaging £148 per month.
Manchester and Newcastle round out the list with parents charging £131 and £130 per month, respectively. These figures reflect regional variations in living costs and parental financial practices, showing the difference in economic landscapes families navigate across different parts of the UK.
However, the city charging the lowest rent is Sheffield (£101), followed by Birmingham (£104), and Plymouth (£106).
Why are parents charging their children rent?
| The reason parents charge their children rent | % of parents who said this |
| To help cover bills | 39.8% |
| To save and give back to them when they move out | 24.5% |
The main reason parents are asking their children to contribute to finances at home is in order to cover house bills, particularly as 60% of Brits state the increase in monthly bills has put pressure on their finances. Just under two-fifths (39.8%) of parents reported this is a reason they continue to ask their adult children for money.
Nearly a quarter (24.5%) of parents said they charge their children rent so they can save it and give it back to them when they move out.
Which costs do parents still cover for their adult children?
Looking more broadly, we wanted to find out what common expenses parents still pay for their adult children, from bills and groceries to spending money.
| Rank | Expense | % of parents still covering this expense for adult children |
| 1 | Groceries | 35.8% |
| 2 | Home bills (water, electricity etc.) | 28.4% |
| 3 | New clothes/ shoes | 26.6% |
| 4 | Mobile Phone bill | 18.3% |
| 5 | Subscriptions (such as Spotify, streaming services, etc.) | 14.8% |
| 6 | Gifts for family members | 12.9% |
| 7 | Insurance | 12.7% |
| 8 | General spending money | 12.6% |
| 9 | Dentist | 12.3% |
| 10 | Holiday money | 12.0% |
The most common expense that parents still pay for is groceries, with 35.8% of parents saying they still provide food for their adult children.
Home bill expenses take second place, as 28.4% of parents continue to pay for energy bills like water and electricity. A further 26.6% report that they still pay for new clothes or shoes for their child, taking third place for the most common expense paid for by parents.
Looking into regional data, 27.8% of parents in Belfast still pay for their adult child's phone bill — the most of any city surveyed. A further 20.4% of parents in Belfast will still give their adult children holiday money, and a quarter (25%) cover their insurance costs.
In Birmingham, one in five (21.1%) parents admit they still pay for new clothes and shoes for their adult children, the most of any city we analysed.
Meanwhile, 20.5% of parents in Liverpool say they continue to pay for subscriptions, like music or film streaming services.
Of all UK parents who answered the survey, 38% say they don’t cover any expenses for their adult children.
Next steps for moving out
No matter where parents live in the UK, there are variations within each family when it comes to managing home finances and adult children living at home. Each household has its unique approach to budgeting, spending, and saving, meaning rent payments and expenses covered by parents will vary from family to family.
For young adults trying to move away from home, saving up for a mortgage can be tough, but it’s not impossible. There are plenty of resources available to help young adults move out, and above all, patience is key.
The content written in this article is for information purposes only and should not be taken as financial advice. If you require support on the products discussed here, please speak to your bank/lender or seek the advice of an independent professional financial advisor. We also have more information on our Customer Support Hub.
Methodology
A survey of 2,010 parents with adult children living at home was conducted in June 2024. To determine the most common expenses parents still cover for their adult children, 2,826 parents were surveyed in June 2024.
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Compare the Market’s Editorial Team is made up of industry experts with decades of experience in personal finance, insurance and utilities. Each of our authors has an area of expertise, where they can share their extensive experience to help you get a better deal, by finding the right product and saving money.