The U.K.'s housing-cost squeeze is changing who shares a home, with renters beyond their 20s increasingly living with others.
Bills, food, and travel remained within reach for 52-year-old renter Alejandra Reyes Salinas when she moved into shared housing. After ending a long-term relationship, the 52-year-old renter joined a four-person household in the country's northwest.
Here's what to know
Research from shared-living platform COHO found that people over 30 make up more than 40% of those sharing accommodation, up from 32% a year earlier, according to The Independent. The share aged 45 and older also increased, from 7.1% to 9.3%.
In COHO's survey of 5,000 U.K. tenants, 59% said the expense of living alone and potential savings from sharing bills led them to reconsider shared living. Excluding students, about 62% said they could afford nothing other than a flat share.
The three housemates Reyes Salinas eventually joined were in their 20s or 30s; finding that home took several unsuccessful viewings.
She worried about the mental-health consequences of having little left for socializing after covering necessities on her own.
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More background
Private rents in the U.K. averaged £1,406 per month in September, nearly 30% above 2021 levels, according to The Independent. Buying a home presents another financial hurdle: Official figures put average house prices at £273,000 — over £35,000 above pre-pandemic levels.
Still, sharing a home doesn't necessarily mean cheaper housing. COHO found that most sharers pay £401 to £800 for a room, while 18% of London sharers pay more than £1,000 a month.
The shift toward older tenants also comes amid stricter limits on houses in multiple occupation, which accommodate three or more tenants from separate households.
Rules the government enacted in August expanded councils' authority to restrict new conversions. Some in the sector warned that those restrictions could drive costs higher, putting further pressure on renters seeking affordable shared housing.
What can be done?
Lena Petersson, a 62-year-old IT professional, left Belfast to live with four housemates in Cornwall. Her £675 monthly payment includes bills.
Petersson estimated that renting a one-room apartment alone would cost her £1,200 to £1,500 per month. Compared with that estimate, sharing leaves her with £525 to £825 more each month for other expenses.
Beyond the financial benefits, the arrangement provides companionship after her move somewhere unfamiliar. Petersson said all of her housemates are over 40, and one is 63.
"So then co-living like this comes in as actually a good option... because you will automatically get rolled into a community where you get to know your neighbours at least. So you will not be completely all alone," she said.
For Reyes Salinas, finding a shared home has offered a chance to regroup after her relationship ended.
"It's given me a bit of breathing space. It just makes me feel I'm not a failure. I'm starting again. Most people are starting again. It's just unfortunate that I'm 52 years of age and maybe this shouldn't be the way that my life was going, but that's what happens," she said.
Where can I learn more?
Rising housing costs are prompting renters and homeowners to rethink where they live. These stories explore shed conversions, retirement co-ops, portable solar for renters, and decisions about downsizing or renting in retirement.
• Americans are turning $5,000 sheds into homes as rent and mortgages slip out of reach.
• In Minnesota, retirees bought into a co-op, leaving snow removal, mowing, and surprise bills behind.
• Rising electricity bills are pushing renters toward portable solar they can pack for their next move.
• A retiree is weighing selling a paid-off home to rent against buying a smaller one.
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