Young People Around the World Share the Struggle to Find an Affordable Home

For many young people, finding a place they can afford to call home is becoming increasingly difficult, with high rents forcing some to delay plans for their future.

A recent BBC Conversations feature brings together people from several countries to discuss their experiences of trying to find affordable housing.

In Ireland, Nigeria and India, young people describe the difficulties of finding homes that fit within their budgets. Their experiences are different, but many share the same concern: housing costs can make it difficult to plan for the future.

In the United Kingdom, 26-year-old Adam says he has moved back in with his parents because finding his own home has become so difficult.

For him, the problem is about more than simply paying rent. Being unable to afford a home has affected the way he thinks about his future and what he can realistically work towards.

The programme also looks at Spain, where the eviction of an 87-year-old woman in Madrid has sparked protests and drawn attention to the country’s wider housing difficulties.

Although the people featured live in very different circumstances, their stories reveal a common experience. Housing is not only about having a roof over one’s head; it can also influence independence, family life, relationships and people’s ability to make long-term plans.

The conversations highlight how the search for affordable housing has become a deeply personal issue for people of different ages and backgrounds. For many, finding a secure home remains one of the biggest challenges standing between their present circumstances and the future they want.

Source: BBC World Service, BBC Conversations, “Renting is such a struggle”