The housing struggle is real
If you don't have the 'bank of mum and dad' funding your life, the housing market feels like a total L. The government is trying to step in with the 'Your First Home' scheme, offering a 20% loan for buyers with at least a 2.5% deposit. Prime Minister Burnham says this is for the people who can't rely on family cash, but the optics are a bit mixed. Conservatives are already flagging it, worried it’ll just load people up with debt and spike home prices even higher.
The reality for Gen Z
Real talk: for many, the math just isn't mathing. Take Chari, 19, a student from Hertfordshire. Between delayed student finance and benefits issues, she’s dipping into savings she needed for her future just to cover basic living costs. She’s even considering ditching her dream of becoming a psychologist for a soul-crushing career in banking just to secure some financial stability.
Then there’s Elliot, 18, also from Hertfordshire. Living at home and facing rising bills, they’re feeling the pressure of a low-income area where education is the only exit strategy—but the cost of even getting to college is a massive hurdle. Elliot is keeping it 100: “I don’t think I’ve ever expected to be able to buy a house at all.”
Why it matters
When your primary financial strategy for housing is 'hoping for a miracle,' the vibes are off. While the government claims their new loan scheme will lower the barrier to entry, many young people are choosing between their professional dreams and basic survival. If you aren't backed by family, the climb to homeownership feels increasingly like a main character mission with no respawn points.
