MORE adults are living at home with their parents in Cheshire than a decade before, new census figures show.

Intergenerational Foundation, a charity which campaigns for fairness across the different generations, said equality between older and younger people is at risk if younger generations are unable to get onto the housing ladder and reach the same milestones their parents and grandparents did.

Census figures from the Office for National Statistics show 27,600 non-dependent children lived in the family home in Cheshire East in 2021 – marginally up from 26,259 in 2011, when the last census was undertaken.

This figure was 27,065 in Cheshire West and Chester – slightly up from 25,408 in 2011.

A non-dependent child is someone living with their parents and is either over 18 and without a partner or child, or a 16–18-year-old and not in full-time education.

Of the 17,001 Cheshire East households where non-dependent children stayed with their parents, 9,983 of the parents were married or in a civil partnership, 1,071 were co-habiting, while a further 5,947 were single parents.

Of the 16,550 Cheshire West households where non-dependent children stayed with their parents, 9,324 of the parents were married or in a civil partnership, 1,173 were co-habiting, and 6,053 were single parents.

The rise locally follows a trend across England and Wales, where the number of non-dependent children living at home increased by 14.7 per cent in the last 10 years, from 4.2 million to 4.9 million.

There was an increase in the number of non-dependent children of all ages, while the largest rise was among 24-year-olds.

Intergenerational Foundation said fairness between the generations is at risk as young people are unable to emulate the life milestones of their parents and grandparents due to rocketing housing costs.

Angus Hanton, co-founder of the charity, said: "As these figures make plain, a toxic combination of high housing and energy costs, high tax rates, and low wages, has driven millions of young people back to the family home, instead of striking out on their own.

"Intergenerational fairness is at risk if our children and grandchildren are unable to achieve the same milestones enjoyed by previous generations.

"What most parents want is for their children to do better than them: the Census shows that their children face markedly worse prospects."

Further ONS figures show house prices in Cheshire East have risen by an average of 53 per cent, from £170,000 in December 2011 to £260,000 in December 2021, leaving many first-time buyers struggling to get on the housing market.

House prices in Cheshire West have risen by an average of 50 per cent, from £155,000 in December 2011 to £232,000 in December 2021.

Across England and Wales, the average house price climbed by 56 per cent from £176,000 to £275,000 across the same time period.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said it is providing ‘significant support’ to help people through the cost-of-living crisis.

A spokesperson said: "Our Renters Reform Bill will also deliver a fairer deal for renters, abolishing no-fault evictions so that all tenants have greater security in their homes and are empowered to challenge unreasonable rent rises."

They said it is investing £11.5 billion to build affordable homes across the country.