‘We’re saving thousands’: How multi-generational living is helping families survive

Detailed summary

Parents, grandparents, and grandchildren living together is becoming more popular as households look to save money – and get help with childcare ...

Bryony Jones did not expect to be moving back in with her parents at the age of 37 – especially not with her husband Kieran, their toddler, and another baby on the way.

It was 2021, and catering director Kieran had been made redundant. Bryony, who works as an operations manager, had recently started in a new role, so was only eligible for statutory maternity pay.

“We knew instantly that we weren’t going to be able to make our rent, and it was quite scary,” she says.

Bryony’s parents, Ian and Ann Saunders, agreed. Both households rented in Hove, but if the arrangement were to work, they would need a larger house.

They began searching for a new rental together, and eventually found a spacious farmhouse in the South Downs that had also been used for multi-generational living by the previous tenants, moving in November 2021.

Bryony said: “I saw it as a temporary financial fix. I didn’t see us all being here together five years later.”

The number of families opting for similar living arrangements is growing. There are an estimated 1.8 million multi-generational households in the UK – equivalent to 7 per cent – according to analysis of the UK Household Longitudinal Survey.

“We’re seeing a clear rise in buyers who want a property that can work for more than one generation, and it’s being driven by necessity as much as choice,” says James Greenwood at Stacks Property Search.

“Care home fees have soared, and many families would rather have a parent nearby than in residential care. At the same time, young adults who can’t afford to rent or buy are staying at home or moving back, and some are doing both at once.

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