The Increase in Multigenerational Households in the UK: The Motivations for and Experiences of Multigenerational Living
Year: 2019
Type: article
Abstract: Many worldwide live in households with multiple generations of related adults. This paper shows that the number of UK multigenerational households has been increasing but UK multigenerational households have been little studied. The research found that the motivations for multigenerational living are diverse and reflect multiple intersecting structural pressures, including an ageing population, worsening housing affordability and later household formation amongst young people. These intersect with individual circumstances, such as divorce or illness, to make multigenerational living the most practical option for some families. However, forming a multigenerational household is also often an individual and family choice, based on the expectation of mutual benefits brought about by multigenerational living. The research suggests that the extent to which living in a multigenerational household is a positive experience is determined by an individual’s degree of agency and choice in the arrangement, rather than an ability to cope with wider structural pressures.
Source: Housing Theory and Society
Authors: Gemma Burgess, Kathryn Muir
Institution: University of Cambridge
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2967955176