High house prices delaying babies

High property prices have forced almost a quarter of people in the 18-34 age group to delay their plans of starting or expanding their family, a study showed.

According to the survey by housing charity Shelter, some 18% of people aged between 18 and 44 said that they are not trying for a baby because finding an affordable house is difficult for them.

While a fifth of those responding to the poll claimed to have delayed family planning for up to six years, around 37% thought that they could not afford to support a new baby for at least another four years due to financial constraints.

Kay Boycott, director of policy and campaigns at Shelter, said: "These figures show just how pervasive the housing crisis is.

"Whilst it is responsible to ensure that you can afford to support a new baby, it is completely unacceptable that housing costs are changing important life decisions like starting a family in such a significant way."

Currently, the average age of a person to purchase his or her first home without financial help from family and friends is 37.

However, the housing charity has warned that delaying child birth for too long could affect a woman's ability to bear children later.

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