Pulse Survey - Life at Home 2021: Renters, Lone Parents and Adults Living Alone or with a Parent

Respondents living with one or both parents, but not with a spouse or partner, were asked questions about their life at home with their parent(s). These respondents were asked to what extent they are living with their parent(s) because of financial reasons. The response options to this question were (1) Mostly financial, (2) A little bit to do with finances and (3) Nothing to do with finances.

Overall six in ten (60%) respondents said the reasons they live with their parent(s) are Mostly financial, just over two in ten (22%) said A little bit to do with finances and less than two in ten (18%) said Nothing to do with finances. Analysis by labour market activity status shows that students living at home were more likely to say Nothing to do with finances with almost one in four (23%) giving this answer compared to less than one in ten (9%) respondents in part-time employment. See Table 5.1 and Figure 5.1

Respondents who live with a parent  - Changes in relationship with parents since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic

COVID-19 has had a major impact on the lives and relationships of many people across the country. Results from the Social Impact of COVID-19 Survey April 2020 found that of respondents living in multiple person households, 17.3% were Very concerned about stress from household confinement.  See Social Impact of COVID-19 Survey - April 2020 - Personal Concerns.

Respondents living at home with at least one parent were asked if the relationship with their parent(s) has changed since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The response options to this question were (1) Improved, (2) Disimproved (3) Not Changed. Respondents living with both parents were more likely to report an improvement in the relationship with their parents. One in four (25%) who live with both parents said the relationship with their father has improved compared with one in five (19%) respondents who live with their father and not their mother. Almost three in ten (29%) respondents who live with both parents said their relationship with their mother has improved compared with less than two in ten (18%) respondents who live with their mother only. Respondents who live with only one parent were more likely to say the relationship with their parent has disimproved. For example, 17% of respondents who live with both parents said the relationship with their father has disimproved, whereas 28% of respondents who live with their father only, reported a disimprovement in the relationship. See Tables 5.2, 5.3 and Figure 5.2

Changes in relationship with parents since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic – Analysis by sex of respondent

Analysis by the sex of respondents who live with both parents shows that females were more likely to say the relationship with their mother has disimproved since the onset of the COVID-19 crisis (21% compared with 12% of male respondents). Male respondents were more likely to report an improvement in the relationship with their mother (33% compared with 25% of female respondents).

Female respondents living with both parents were also more likely to report a disimprovement in the relationship with their father (19% compared with 15% of male respondents). One in four (25%) female and male respondents who live with both parents reported an improvement in the relationship with their father since the onset of the COVID-19 crisis. See Table 5.2 and Figure 5.3

 

Changes in relationship with parents since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic – Analysis by age of respondent

For analysis by age purposes, respondents are grouped into three age categories, (1) 18-20 year olds, (2) 21-30 year olds and (3) Over 30 years old. Analysis by these age categories shows that younger respondents were more likely to report a change in the relationship with both parents since the onset of the COVID-19 crisis. More than one in three (34%) reported an improvement in the relationship with their mother compared with 16% of respondents aged Over 30 years old. One in five (20%) younger respondents reported a disimprovement in the relationship with their mother compared with 8% of those Over 30 years old. Overall respondents living with both parents were more likely to say the relationship with their parents has improved since the onset of the COVID-19 crisis than to say the relationship has disimproved. The only exception is for respondents Over 30 years old who were more likely to say that the relationship with their father has disimproved. Almost two in ten (18%) in this age group said the relationship with their father has disimproved and 12% said the relationship has improved. See Table 5.2 and Figure 5.4

Changes in relationship with parents since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic – Those that have moved back home

Respondents living with their parent(s) were asked if they moved back home since the onset of the crisis.

Of those respondents who have moved back home to live with both parents, just over three in ten (31%) reported an improvement in the relationship with their mother compared with 22% who reported an improvement in the relationship with their father. More than two in ten (21%) who moved back home to live with both parents reported a disimprovement in the relationship with their father compared with 16% who reported a disimprovement in the relationship with their mother. See Table 5.2 and Figure 5.5.

Other Insights into the living situation of respondents (aged 18 and over) who live with at least one parent

Almost six in ten (57%) respondents who live with a parent said they enjoy living with their parent(s).  Results published in Pulse Survey May-June 2021 - Life at Home Snapshot of Results shows that almost nine in ten (87%) parents who have an adult child living with them reported that they enjoy living with their adult child(ren).

Almost nine in ten (88%) respondents who are living with a parent said they would prefer to move out.  Half (50%) of parents who are living with an adult child would prefer if their child moved out.

Just over six in ten (62%) adult children would miss their parent(s) if they lived apart, while more than seven in ten (73%) parents with adult children would miss them if they lived separately.

More than one in two respondents (52%) living with a parent feel that their parent(s) will not treat them as an adult unless they move out. Seven in ten (70%) said they don’t have enough independence (e.g. to have friends around, choice of meals etc.) See Table 5.4 and Figure 5.6

Female respondents who live with at least one parent were more likely to say they don’t have enough independence (73% compared with 67% of male respondents), they don’t have enough privacy (76% compared with 67%), their parent(s) will not treat them like an adult until they move out (58% compared with 46%) and were more likely to say they contribute to household expenses (62% compared with 58%of male respondents). Male respondents are more likely to enjoy living with their parent(s) (61% compared with 54% of female respondents). See Table 5.4 and Figure 5.7

All respondents to the ‘Life at Home’ CSO Pulse Survey were asked ‘Which of the following categories best describes your current situation?’  The response options to this question were (1) Full-time employed, (2) Part-time employed, (3) Unemployed or on the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP), (4) Retired, (5) Unable to work due to longstanding health problems, (6) Student, (7) Fulfilling domestic tasks and (8) Other.

Because of the low number of respondents in some response option categories, respondents living with a parent and who described their current situation as (3) Unemployed or on the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP), (4) Retired, (5) Unable to work due to longstanding health problems, (7) Fulfilling domestic tasks or (8) Other are reported below as ‘Other Inactive’. Almost nine in ten (87%) of ‘Other inactive’ respondents either described their current situation as (3) Unemployed or on the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) or (5) Unable to work due to longstanding health problem.

More than eight in ten (83%) Full-time employed respondents who live with a parent contribute to household expenses, 64% of Part-time employed respondents contribute and almost three in ten (29%) Students contribute to household expenses. Almost eight in ten (79%) respondents in the ‘Other inactive’ category contribute to household expenses. See Table 5.4 and Figure 5.8

Respondents Living with Parents - Disagreements

Respondents living with parents were asked if they have disagreements with others in the household. For example, respondents were asked how often they have disagreements about sharing household chores. The response options to these ‘Disagreement’ questions were (1) Often (2) Sometimes (3) Hardly ever and (4) Never.

Six in ten (60%) respondents who live with a parent said they Sometimes or Often disagree with others in the household about sharing household chores. Almost half (49%) disagree Sometimes or Often about using shared household facilities e.g. bathroom, cooking area, TV. A similar percentage, 48% Sometimes or Often disagree about others in the household making excess noise and almost four in ten (38%) Sometimes or Often disagree about having people over to visit. See Table 5.5 and Figure 5.9

Respondents who share rented accommodation with unrelated housemates were also asked about the frequency of disagreements with housemates. Just under half (49%) of respondents who share rented accommodation with unrelated housemates said they Sometimes or Often disagree with others in the household about sharing household chores compared with six in ten (60%) respondents who live with a parent. Respondents sharing accommodation with unrelated housemates were more likely to Sometimes or Often disagree with others in their accommodation about having people over to visit (45% compared with 38% of those who live with a parent). Respondents living with a parent were more likely to Sometimes or Often disagree about excess noise and the use of shared household facilities. See Tables 4.2, 5.5 and Figure 5.10

Analysis by sex of the respondent that lives with parent(s) shows that female respondents were more likely to say they ‘Often’ have disagreements with others in the household. Almost three in ten (28%) female respondents Often disagree about sharing household chores compared with less than two in ten (18%) males. Almost one in four (24%) Often disagree about using shared household facilities compared with one in ten (10%) male respondents. Almost one in four (24%) Often disagree about excess noise being made by others in the household compared with 15% of male respondents. See Table 5.5 and Figure 5.11

Respondents living with both parents were asked ‘When there is a disagreement between your parents, which parent's opinion usually prevails?’  The response options to this question were (1) Mostly father (2) Mostly mother (3) Father and mother about equally.

Mothers and Fathers who live with their spouse/partner and an adult child were asked ‘Who would you say is the person in your relationship whose opinion prevails when there is a disagreement’ The response options to this question were (1) Mostly mine (2) Mostly my spouse/partner (3) About equally.

More than two in ten (22%) respondents living with both parents said their father’s opinion mostly prevails and double the amount (44%) said it is their mother's opinion that mostly prevails when there is a disagreement between their parents (with the remaining 35% saying it is Father and mother about equally).

Six in ten (60%) mothers who live with their husband/partner and at least one adult child said, ‘About equally’ when asked whose opinion usually prevails when there is a disagreement with her husband/partner. Almost the same proportion of fathers (59%) said ‘About equally’ when asked this question.

Two in ten mothers (20%) answered Mostly mine when asked whose opinion usually prevails when there is a disagreement with her husband/partner. The comparable rate for fathers is one in twenty (5%).

Two in ten mothers (19%) answered Mostly my spouse/partner when asked whose opinion usually prevails when there is a disagreement with her husband/partner. The comparable rate for fathers is 35%. See Tables 5.6,5.7 and Figure 5.12