The term “boomerang kids” refers to young adults who have graduated from college or university, started their careers, and then returned to live with their parents. In recent years, this phenomenon has become more common, and many people believe that it is a reflection of the changing economic landscape and the difficulties faced by young people in finding stable employment.

The age of the boomerang kids is here, and it is a trend that shows no signs of slowing down. According to a report by the Pew Research Center, in 2020, 52% of young adults in the United States lived with one or both of their parents. This is the highest percentage since the Great Depression, and it is a trend that is being seen across the globe.

There are many reasons why young adults are choosing to live with their parents. One of the most significant factors is the high cost of living. Rent, food, and transportation are all expensive, and many young people are struggling to make ends meet. In addition, student loan debt is at an all-time high, making it difficult for young people to save for a down payment on a house or apartment.

Another reason why young adults are returning home is the lack of job opportunities. The job market is highly competitive, and many young people are finding it difficult to secure full-time employment. In some cases, they may have to take on low-paying jobs or work in fields that are not related to their degree. This can make it difficult to pay for housing and other expenses, leading them to move back in with their parents.

While there are certainly challenges associated with living with parents as an adult, there are also some benefits. For example, young people who live with their parents may be able to save money on rent and other expenses, allowing them to pay off debt or save for the future. They may also be able to build stronger relationships with their parents and siblings, and they may have access to emotional support and guidance that they would not have otherwise.

Over in England
Like many young couples, Emily and Scott were finding it nearly impossible to save enough for a house deposit.
Emily, a 30-year-old art therapist, and Scott, who works in maintenance, were paying £735 to rent their small flat in Braunton, North Devon, as well as all the associated costs of being new parents to Reuben, their young son.
Properties in the area cost about £300,000 so, as they were keen to have a 10 per cent deposit on any house they bought, they were trying to save up at least £30,000 for their first step on the property ladder.
“It just felt impossible,” said Emily. “We were paying hundreds for a small flat with no outside space, and we were aware that each year the rent was just getting more and more expensive.”
When the moment came when Emily and Scott had to commit for a further six months in their rented flat at a higher price, Emily’s mother suggested they move in with her. Helen Tudge, 58, had just moved nearby to be closer to her first grandchild, and had plenty of space in her new three-bed converted bungalow.
So in the summer of last year, Emily and Scott became “boomerang kids” — adult children who move back in with their parents.
And they are certainly not alone. Figures from the Office for National Statistics show that 4.9 million non-dependent children were living with their parents when the census was taken in 2021, an increase of 14.7 per cent compared to 10 years ago.
The proportion of young adults living at home has been slowly rising for the past few decades. In 1997, some 20 per cent of those aged 20 to 34 were living with their parents. This increased to 23 per cent in 2010, 26 per cent in 2016 and 28 per cent in 2021, according to the ONS.

Like in Emily and Scott’s case, high house prices are at least partly driving the trend.
The ONS said that local authorities with the largest increases in young adults living at home have house prices above the England and Wales average, while the opposite is true for those areas where the proportion has declined.
“There are massive benefits in so many ways, and living with my mum has been wonderful, so I’m very grateful,” said Emily. “The only side of it that is disheartening is that we’re in our thirties, we’re trying to create a little family of our own, and yet we’re moving back in with my mum. You can’t help but feel like a bit of a sponge when it comes to money.”
The topic of money between “boomerang kids” and their parents is particularly prevalent at the moment, as the cost of living crisis pushes up the cost of food and household bills.
Since last year, the cost of a weekly food shop has increased by 15 per cent and energy bills, even with the government’s Energy Price Guarantee, have jumped from an average of £1,140 a year in 2021 to £2,500 today.
When Emily and Scott moved in with Helen, they had an honest conversation to set out how the family finances would work. In the end, they ended up with a simple rough guideline: Helen would pay for everything that she would have paid for had the young couple not moved in, and Emily and Scott would pay the difference.
For example, Helen lost the 25 per cent “single person” council tax deduction worth about £50 a month, so Emily and Scott pay that. The couple also pay nearly all of the £180 a month fuel bill, as Scott enjoys baths and the heating is on more for their young child.
Helen pays all the bills that she would have paid regardless, such as broadband, water and the TV licence. When it comes to food, they are pretty relaxed.
“Sometimes they cook, sometimes I cook, sometimes they shop, sometimes I shop,” said Helen. “It all works out quite nicely. There’s no point in me charging them any more than what they are costing me, seeing as saving money is why they have moved in in the first place.”
As prices rise, adult children are increasingly considering moving back in with their parents to make ends meet, according to a survey by the insurer Aviva. One in 20 adult children polled said that they planned to move back in with their parents, while a further 9 per cent have discussed the idea with their family but are yet to make specific plans.
Some 26 per cent of adult children living with their parents said that the rise in the cost of living had pushed them to move back home. A further 40 per cent said they were trying to save up for a house deposit, while 28 per cent said that rental prices in the area were too expensive.

The financial benefit of moving back in with parents is the primary reason that Barney Packer, 26, now lives in the three-bed home where he grew up in Guildford.
Packer, who is launching his own digital PR company called Modern Classic Digital, was paying £750 to live in a flat with friends in Woking. In 2022, as prices began to rise, he decided he could no longer afford it.
“I wasn’t living in some penthouse flat living the high life or anything, but rent was just something I couldn’t really afford while I tried to start my own business,” said Packer.
“Luckily, my parents were very supportive. The best thing we did was set out some rough informal rules and expectations, and then it’s just being generally mindful that there is an energy and cost of living crisis, and looking after the house.”
Packer pays £250 a month in rent and buys and cooks dinner about four times a week, which he estimates costs him between £100 and £120 a month.
“Food was an easy way to contribute to everyday things. My parents still work so, as I’m working from home, I can take something practical off their plate that has value past being just financial,” said Packer. “In general I just try to follow the rule of ‘don’t be stupid’. Don’t spend ages in the shower, don’t put tiny laundry washes on, don’t leave radiators and lights on.”
According to the Aviva survey, Packer pays over the odds for an adult child paying rent. The monthly average received by parents is £197, but some 28 per cent of parents feel that this is too little.
As prices rise, many multi-generational families are feeling the strain. One in eight parents have asked their child to start paying more due to the cost of living crisis, and two fifths said that rising costs had caused conflict with their children.
Stuart Lewis, from Rest Less, a digital community for the over-fifties, said: “A parent’s job is never done, and in the midst of this cost of living crisis, there is an increasing number of parents welcoming back their adult children.
“Be explicit about how you are going to tackle household chores, and set clear timeframes about the current arrangement. And importantly, have a conversation with your children about making an affordable financial contribution towards the running of the house — no matter how small.”

How much should ‘kidults’ pay
Discussing what your returning children should pay or contribute to the household can be a thorny issue. A NatWest survey of 1,000 young adults aged between 16 and 21 found that only 12 per cent had frequent discussions about money with their family, while one in five said they never talked about it.
Being candid and transparent is the best way to avoid any misunderstanding or hurt feelings, and being concrete about your incomings and outgoings can be a good way to start.
Setting a family budget can help to innumerate exactly where money is coming into and out of the household. And if your “boomerang children” are hard up, it could be worth exploring non-financial ways that they might be able to contribute.
Setting specific goals and timelines for their stay in the family home can give everyone clarity about how long the arrangement will last. Scheduling regular check-ins can also help to keep everyone on the same page.
Family environments should be places where there is mutual emotional support no matter the financial circumstances. Regularly reminding each other you’re “in it together” can be a helpful motto.

In conclusion, the age of the boomerang kids is here, and it is a trend that is likely to continue. While there are certainly challenges associated with living with parents as an adult, there are also many benefits. Ultimately, each person must decide what is best for them and their individual circumstances. However, it is important to recognize that living with parents as an adult is becoming increasingly common and is not necessarily a sign of failure or lack of independence.

Source Imogen Tew For I news

Sometimes they cook, sometimes I cook, sometimes they shop, sometimes I shop,” said Helen. “It all works out quite nicely. There’s no point in me charging them any more than what they are costing me, seeing as saving money is why they have moved in in the first place.