Today's Peter Pan generation are turning their backs on "adulthood milestones" like marriage and starting a family, with more than a quarter admitting they lack the basic skills to live on their own.
Research released by life insurance expert Confused.com showed 32% of Britons aged 25-39 are still living at home with their parents. Nearly two thirds (63%) turn their backs on marriage with nearly the same proportion (60%) delaying starting a family.
Nearly one in four (24%) who are still living at home said the main reason is because they get meals cooked for them (8%), and nearly one in 10 (9%) say it is because someone else cleans up after them.
The figures, based on people in the UK between the age of 18 and 39, found most of these stay-at-home sons and daughters are not ready to move out - or move on - with over a quarter (27%) of adults admitting they lack the basic skills to live on their own.
One in three (32%) do not even do their own washing - men are the worst offenders with nearly half (47%) of men below 40 leaving their washing to their partners, parents or housemates.
Women are slightly better, but more than a fifth (21%) still rely on others to clean up after them.
And a third of Brits between the ages of 18 and 39 change their bed sheets once a month or less, while 34% rarely or never cook for themselves.
The research, conducted by OnePoll for Confused.com in August, surveyed 2,000 respondents between 18 and 39.
It also found almost half (49%) of Britain's "Peter Pan generation" is in debt of more than £9,000 (excluding mortgages).
Almost a fifth (19%) of 18-39-year-olds also adopt a carefree attitude to their finances, regularly spending between £50-£150 each week - £5,000 a year - on keeping themselves entertained, while 25% admitted they were too busy living for today to think about the money they will need to pay back tomorrow.
The research found Britons throw caution to the wind when it comes to providing cover for the future with two thirds (67%) of respondents yet to purchase life insurance and more than half of 25-32-year-olds not having started a pension plan either.
Matt Lloyd, head of life insurance at Confused.com, said: "There's absolutely nothing wrong with being young at heart, but living for today doesn't mean you have to totally ignore tomorrow.
"What we recommend to people in their 20s is to start thinking now to see what they could be doing to make proper provisions for the future.
"Starting a savings account, a pension plan and putting in place life insurance are just some of the basics that can make a big difference to people's financial security and they're really not as complicated as people think.
"When you take out your life insurance policy you are locked into that price throughout the term, so it's beneficial to take out a policy when you are younger as it could save you thousands of pounds in the long term."
2012-10-14
One in three Brits can't be bothered growing up
via standard.co.uk
