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'Generation rent' and the ability to 'settle down': economic and geographical variation in young people's housing transitions

Hoolachan, Jennifer ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1957-5774, McKee, Kim, Moore, Tom and Soaita, Adriana Mihaela 2017. 'Generation rent' and the ability to 'settle down': economic and geographical variation in young people's housing transitions. Journal of Youth Studies 20 (1) , pp. 63-78. 10.1080/13676261.2016.1184241

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Abstract

The term ‘Generation Rent’ denotes young people who are increasingly living in the private rented sector for longer periods of their lives because they are unable to access homeownership or social housing. Drawing on qualitative data from two studies with young people and key-actors, this paper considers the phenomenon of ‘Generation Rent’ from the perspective of youth transitions and the concept of ‘home’. These frameworks posit that young people leaving the parental home traverse housing and labour markets until they reach a point of ‘settling down’. However, our data indicate that many young people face difficulties in this ‘settling’ process as they have to contend with insecure housing, unstable employment and welfare cuts which often force them to be flexible and mobile. This leaves many feeling frustrated as they struggle to remain fixed in place in order to ‘settle down’ and benefit from the positive qualities of home. Taking a Scottish focus, this paper further highlights the geographical dimension to these challenges and argues that those living in expensive and/or rural areas may find it particularly difficult to settle down.

Item Type: Article
Date Type: Publication
Status: Published
Schools: Social Sciences (Includes Criminology and Education)
Uncontrolled Keywords: Youth, housing, home, private rent, transition
Publisher: Taylor & Francis (Routledge)
ISSN: 1367-6261
Funders: Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland and Leverhulme Trust
Date of First Compliant Deposit: 27 October 2016
Date of Acceptance: 26 April 2016
Last Modified: 12 Nov 2023 02:37
URI: https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/95668

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