Hundreds more young Hartlepool adults live at home amid rising house prices

This has contributed to more younger adults living at home with their parents than 10 years ago, according to new census figures.

The Office for National Statistics data shows house prices in the town have risen by an average of 27% between the 2011 census and 2021 – from £104,000 to £132,000 – leaving many first-time buyers struggling to get into the housing market.

Figures from the 2021 census show 7,705 non-dependent children – either over-18 or between 16 and 18 but not in full-time education – were living in their family home – marginally up from 7,229 in 2011.

This is in line with the trend in England and Wales, where the number of non-dependent children living at home rose by 14.7% in the last 10 years, from 4.2 million to 4.9 million.

Angus Hanton, co-founder of the charity Intergenerational Foundation, which campaigns for fairness across the different generations, said: "What most parents want is for their children to do better than them.

"The census shows that, for many, their children face markedly worse prospects."

The data also shows that, in England and Wales, the average house price climbed by 56% – from £176,000 to £275,000 – between 2011 and 2021.

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

They said it is also investing £11.5bn to build affordable homes.