Brits don’t feel like ‘proper adults’ until 29 years old, research suggests
By |Published On: 2nd August 2019|

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Brits don’t feel like ‘proper adults’ until 29 years old, research suggests

By |Published On: 2nd August 2019|

This article is an external press release originally published on the Landlord News website, which has now been migrated to the Just Landlords blog.

A study by Nottingham Building Society has found that nearly three in five Brits included in its survey didn’t feel like a ‘proper adult’ before the age of 30.

The survey included 2,000 people and looked into factors which Brits believe qualify them as ‘proper adults’. This ranged from owning a property to starting a family and consistent saving habits.

25% also believed that they wouldn’t feel like a ‘proper adult’ until they reached the age of 60 or over. The survey looked into the main reasons for this:

  • 50% admitted they are avoiding serious responsibilities
  • 48% said they are relying on parents for support
  • 35% responded that they are still having fun.

Many of the reasons were also money-focused, with lots of Brits needing financial stability before feeling grown-up. A third stated that poor money skills were preventing them from being a ‘proper adult’. Nottingham Building Society has also pointed out that 37% of women responded that they do not feel mature until they are financially competent, compared to 29% of men.

Property was mentioned as a key milestone, with 21% of Brits believing that they need to own a house or flat before reaching adult status. The Government’s Lifetime ISA scheme makes achieving this goal easier for first-time buyers aged 18-39, with buyers able to get an annual bonus of up to £1,000 on top of their savings to put towards their first home. 

These are the top ten factors for why some don’t feel like a ‘proper adult’:

  1. Trying to avoid serious responsibility (50%)
  2. Relying on parents for support (48%)
  3. Still just wanting to have fun (35%)
  4. Not good at managing money (33%)
  5. Having no savings (33%)
  6. Spending all savings on holidays or social events (32%)
  7. Not owning property (21%)
  8. Not having progressed far in a career (18%)
  9. Having no children (15%)
  10. Not being married (12%)

Jenna McKenzie-Day, Senior Savings Manager at The Nottingham, said: “The survey data has given an interesting insight into British attitudes towards saving and how having control of your finances is such a big part of feeling like a true ‘adult’. 

“There really is no age limit on starting your savings journey, and there are a few simple steps you can take to start effectively managing your money, such as tracking your spending habits through an app, or setting up a budget spreadsheet to see how much you can realistically save each month. 

“For long-term saving plans like buying a house and retirement, a Lifetime ISA can be really valuable, and a great product to help you on your savings journey. In our recent survey, over half of the savers questioned were unaware of the LISA and the 25% bonus on offer. 

“If you start saving early enough, you can earn as much as £32,000 in bonuses from the Government, so that feeling of being an adult – may be more within reach than people realise.” 

About the Author: Em Morley (she/they)

Em is the Content Marketing Manager for Just Landlords, with over five years of experience writing for insurance and property websites. Together with the knowledge and expertise of the Just Landlords underwriting team, Em aims to provide those in the property industry with helpful resources. When she’s not at her computer researching and writing property and insurance guides, you’ll find her exploring the British countryside, searching for geocaches.

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