Two-thirds of 16-34 year-olds, 69%, still expect to buy a home eventually, according to the latest English Housing Survey. That’s unchanged from a decade ago, when the same proportion (69%) said the same thing in 2014-15.
And progress is real: 42% of 16-34s are now owner occupiers, up from 31% a decade ago, while the proportion privately renting has fallen from 50% to 43%.
The timeline has stretched though – of those who expect to buy, 49% think it will take five years or longer, while just 11% think they’ll get there within one to two years.
For those who have bought, savings remain the main route in: 78% used their own savings towards their deposit, with 29% receiving a gift or loan from family and 21% funding it through the sale of a previous home.
Source: Dataloft by PriceHubble, English Housing Survey 2024-25, published May 2026. Figures reflect households headed by a 16-34 year-old (i.e. those already living independently), not all individuals in this age group.