Photo: Glowimages
The KRD's study “A Financial Portrait of the Young”, which was carried out on a representative portion of young Poles, found that 73 percent of those between 18 and 25 live with their parents, and 42 percent of those between 26 and 30 have also failed to leave the nest.
“Young Poles are afraid of their monthly financial obligations and the consequences of not carrying them out, and so they're delaying taking a decision about their own flat,” said Adam Lacki, chairman of the KRD's Economic Information Bureau.
“Even in the cases of those that have an employment contract, 39 percent still live with their parents,” he noted.
According to the study, Poles in rural areas are more likely to stay at the family home longer.
Of Poles aged between 18 and 40, 69 percent of those living in the countryside still live at the family home.
However, in cities of over 500,000 inhabitants the proportion is still relatively high, at 27 percent, while in cities with between 100,000 and 500,000 the level is 38 percent.
Fears about falling into debt are not ill-founded, as according to the KRD, 19 percent of Polish debtors are between the age of 18 and 35.
However, according to Professor Witold Wrzesien of the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, it's not just financial worries that are keeping Poles at home.
“Young people are comfortable... and they expect their parents to provide an umbrella of security for them.
“They prefer not to risk a potential adult failure, but at the same time they want to have all the privileges of adult freedom and stabilization,” he said.
“They want to have their cake and eat it.” (nh)
Source: IAR