Growing Up and Growing Old in Scotland: housing transitions and changing living arrangements for young and older adults, 1991-2011

There have been recent declines in residential mobility among both young and older adults in Scotland. More young adults lived with their parents and fewer older adults moved house during the 2000s compared with the 1990s. Although higher education remained an advantage, parental background became a more important influence on the likelihood of becoming a homeowner during the 2000s. Among older adults, changes in household size due to widowhood, divorce or children leaving home were the main triggers for moving to a smaller house.

With young adults staying in the parental home for longer and the increasing residential immobility of older adults whose children are living with them, changing intergenerational interdependencies could have important implications for Scotland’s housing market.

The findings have been disseminated to both academic and non-academic audiences. A workshop was held in June 2015, with invited participants including representatives from NRS, ONS and the Scottish Government.