The proportion of people in their 20s and 30s living with their parents has increased sharply over the last three decades, as rising house prices and rents have forced many to move back in to save for their first home.

But while it can be a practical way to save money or deal with the loss of a job or a relationship breakdown, it often comes with frustrations, such as feeling like you've lost your independence or even regressed to childhood.

For Natasha and her parents, Rita and Pawan, flashpoints have included shared use of the family car after her own vehicle broke down, disagreements over how chores are divided, and how much time to spend together - with her parents wanting to see more of her.

"It has been an adjustment for all of us.

"A lot of these disagreements stem from the fact that we are now four adults living together, all with our own routines, expectations and opinions."

Problems have been avoided by having conversations early on, she says.

Her parents set "clear expectations" such as cleaning up after herself and making her own lunch.

The family has also discussed privacy, with Natasha asking her parents to knock before coming into her room.

"I tend to spend more time in my room to relax and unwind than I did before. Initially, my parents did not really understand this, but after talking about it, they have become more understanding."

Caroline Bentham, 37, who has lived with her mother Mary in Yorkshire for nearly seven years, says the experience has been really positive - although she "never imagined this would be me in my 30s".

She split from her partner in 2019 and was only supposed to live with her mum for six to 12 months while she started her PhD. But then the pandemic hit, along with various other life events, and she says it "kept making sense" to stay.

The transition to living together again was a "real challenge" at first, she says, as her mum struggled to give up control in areas like the kitchen. They also had "lots of arguments" as they worked out "how to be around each other".

"It might sound cliché but we had to learn a new way of communicating," she says.

One of the biggest benefits of living with her mother is the emotional support they give each other, Caroline says. But she admits the arrangement is sometimes not great for her self-esteem and there is "definitely a stigma about living with parents".

Tips for adults who live with their parents

Source: Relate

Christodoulidi says one of the overlooked advantages of living as an adult with a parent is the chance to know each other differently.

"Parents often begin to see their child as another adult, while adult children gain a fuller understanding of their parents as people rather than simply as parents."

She also says society needs to ditch the stereotype that adult children who still live at home have "failed to launch".

Natasha says it helps to remind herself that living with her family is a "temporary" situation that will "lead to a better outcome in the future".

The extra time she gets to spend with her parents is a "blessing", she adds.

"One day I'll move out, get married and have my own family, and I won't have as much time with them," she says.