‘There is a bit of shame in asking someone to come back to your parents place when I am pushing 30’

Dr Adam Hayward has opened up about the affects of living with parents | Credit - Dr Adam Hayward

A man from Upton is forced to move back in with his parents due to high rent prices in Merseyside.

Dr Adam Hayward, 29, says: “There is a bit of shame in asking someone to come back to your parents' place when I am pushing 30 and expected to have my life in order”

“I've seen this happen with some friends from University, and witnessing that makes me think I have fallen behind in life,” says Adam.

With rent prices on the rise, I look at its impact on the young people of Merseyside.

Rent prices have skyrocketed in Merseyside in the past year. 

Private rents rose to an average of £885 in January 2026 according to the Office for National Statistics.

The average monthly private rent across all property types in Liverpool is around £1,000 per month, according to Hunters Liverpool. 

The 29-year-old from Upton tells me that living with his parents at 29 is a “mixed bag of emotions”.

Adam has said: “On one hand, I feel that "the norm" is to move out in your early 20s, rent for a little while whilst finding your feet in an industry setting, then buy a house and settle down.”

He added: “On the other hand, those same people worry constantly about paying rent, mortgages and bills, and are not able to save money. 

“They do mention that if they could still live with their parents, they would.”

After studying at the University of Liverpool and achieving a PhD at the University of Birmingham, Adam has moved back in with his parents amidst high rent prices in Merseyside.

The PhD holder says that he understands how difficult it is for young people to achieve a salary to move out alone.  

Adam said: “Since moving back home and finding my first job, I can see now how difficult it is to achieve a salary that would allow me to live on my own without spending all of it on rent and bills.”

“There are likely lots of people in a similar situation to me, perhaps I just don't see it within my circle.”

Professionals and young people are all too aware of the delay in moving out from your parents' home.

Tracey Swift, the Branch Manager of Hunters Liverpool, has said: “There is evidence that many young adults have been delaying or altering traditional housing decisions over the past year, especially in response to economic and housing market pressures.

She added: “Younger adults in 2026 continue to face a combination of financial strain, access challenges, and transitional uncertainties in the rental market.”

Adam suggests that living at home can reduce economic stress for younger people.

Adam said: “By working close to home, I can take advantage of saving money in an economic climate that only seems to be getting worse and punishing the working youth.”

Young people are finding it hard to secure rental properties outside of a university setting.

With multiple universities in the city region, students and scousers alike are having to move to cities like Manchester for cheaper city living and jobs. 

Head of accommodation and student living at Liverpool John Moores University, Ed Naylor, has said: “Average accommodation costs have increased only in line with inflation in recent years. 

“The city has a wide range of quality housing options including university halls, private halls and shared flats and houses. Liverpool Student Homes is the official accreditation service and is owned by all local universities. 

Over the past 30 years, LSH has played a vital role in driving up standards for students, working in collaboration with property owners.’

Right now, Adam says he will be living with his parents for the foreseeable future.

He said: “It is also nice having a home to come back to with lights on, people present, and a warm atmosphere. I think having that human interaction, even briefly (since we have our own space), is comforting.”

However, there are several benefits to staying with your parents.

Adam said that living with his parents has given him more financial freedom. 

“Having that financial freedom and not spending more than 50% of my salary on rent and bills allows me to have a healthy relationship with money. 

“I’m able to save a lot of my salary each month, which gets put into a LISA, a cash ISA, or investments in the stock market in a stocks & shares ISA. 

“Taking advantage of the systems in place and planning for future capital growth has been a real benefit to living at home for a few years.”