Which Side of Generation Rent Do You Fall On? Exploring the Housing Trajectories of Young People Today

Abstract

‘Generation Rent’ is the overarching term used to capture the housing struggles of young people today. It refers to those forced to live in the parental home or ‘the private rented sector for longer periods of their lives’, thus extending the transition to adulthood (McKee et al. 2017a: 318). This paper explores how homeownership remains a long-established ideology, illustrated by Thatcher’s Right to Buy (RTB) and maintained through current policies, including the government’s ‘Help to Buy’ schemes. Yet within the context of the current housing crisis, ownership is perceived as increasingly unattainable, with homeownership among 25–34-year-olds declining from 67% to 36% between 1991 and 2014, a reduction of 31 percentage points (ONS 2016). Recognising that Generation Rent may be a simplistic and homogeneous term, this paper by Ellena Mason illustrates the intra-generational heterogeneity of young adults and the subsequent effects on their housing trajectories. By delving into the unconventional coping mechanisms they employ, the paper shows how Generation Rent attempts to negotiate the contemporary housing crisis.