New research from Shelter has found that despite working, 48% of 20-34 year olds who live with their parents do so because they can’t afford to rent or buy their own home.

A lack of affordable housing was the single biggest reason that so many young adults are unable to fly the nest. Currently a quarter of all 20 to 34 year old working adults in England – 1.97 million people – are living with their parents.

Several areas of the country see a much higher proportion of young working adults living with their parents. Hotspots for the ‘clipped wing generation’ include Castle Point in Essex where 45% of working 20-34 year olds live with their parents; Knowsley in Merseyside where it’s 42%; and Solihull where the figure is 38%.

Shelter said that its research shows over half of working young adults worry that living in the family home is holding them back from leading an independent life.

The latest government figures show average house prices for first-time buyers in the UK have risen by 11.3% in a year.

Campbell Robb, chief executive of Shelter, said: “The ‘clipped wing generation’ are finding themselves with no choice but to remain living with mum and dad well into adulthood. And those who aren’t lucky enough to have this option instead face a lifetime of unstable, expensive private renting.

“The government knows that the only way to turn the tide of the housing shortage is to fill the gap between the homes we have and the homes we need. Bolder action is needed to meet the demand for affordable homes and not inflate prices further. Politicians of all parties must now put stable homes for the next generation at the top of the agenda.”