Many Brits opting to keep it in the family
Wednesday, 10 August 2011 12:00 AM
Research has revealed that the number of multi-generational homes in the UK has increased by over a quarter during the past decade.
According to FindAProperty.com, the number of households with grandparents, parents and children all living together rose by 27 per cent between 2001 and 2010.
Only a third of those surveyed cited money-saving perks as their primary motivation for living in a multi-generational home. With 44 per cent of the vote, staying close to other family members was the most popular reason, while other factors included family tradition (21 per cent), ill health (15 per cent), family disagreements (13 per cent) and child-minding (13 per cent).
Clare Russell, who lives with her four children and grandson in a four-bedroom home in Ashford, Kent, says: "To be honest, it's quite normal for me to live in a home with three generations under one roof. When my sister and I lived at home there were four children plus our grandmother all living together."
Indeed, multi-generational homes were common in the UK until the 1960s, but it's only over the past decade that they have begun to regain their popularity.
While Russell concedes that finances are a factor in her family's current living situation, she adds, "If I had lots of money, I'd still want to be near the children. I think more and more people are going back to basics and embracing family living. I don't think it's unusual anymore."
Samantha Baden, property analyst at FindAProperty.com, comments: “It seems that old-fashioned family values are back in vogue as children, parents, grandparents and, in some cases, great-grandparents, choose to live together under the same roof.
“While some are doing this because of financial reasons and to get help with childcare and other responsibilities, by far the largest proportion say it’s because they enjoy living with family.”
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