Obstacles to empowering youth in Spain persist over the coming years
Young Adults in Spain Struggle with Housing Affordability
A new report by Spanish association Ayuda en Acción has highlighted the challenges faced by young people in Spain when it comes to housing affordability. The report, titled "Employment and Youth in Spain: A Look at 2030", published on April 11, 2022, reveals that the average age of emigration in Spain was 29.8 years in 2021, significantly higher than the European Union average of 26.5 years.
The report attributes this high rate of youth living with their parents to soaring housing costs, low salaries, and a housing market that treats homes as speculative goods. Nearly 80% of young Catalans under 35 cannot afford to leave their parents' home due to the high cost of rent, with Spaniards under 25 in Barcelona spending 84% of their salary on rent in 2020.
The report also reveals that the temporary employment rate for 25-34 year-olds was 39% in 2021, a 3 percentage point increase since 2008. For 15-24 year-olds, the temporary employment rate was 69%, an increase of 9.9 percentage points since 2008. Many job opportunities for young Spaniards remain precarious, with a much higher prevalence of part-time contracts compared to older population groups.
As a result, nearly half (46.8%) of Spaniards aged 25 to 34 were still living with their parents in 2021, compared to 36% in 2008. This long-term dependence has significant social implications, with many young adults experiencing delayed independence, affecting major life events such as stable relationships, family formation, and childbirth. This trend contrasts starkly with previous generations, where by 35 people were typically fully independent, often with families.
The report anticipates the skills, employment, inequalities, and housing access of young Spaniards over the next decade. Despite the increasing educational level of the population, employment no longer guarantees young Spaniards the ability to afford housing. Ayuda en Acción recommends the adoption of taxes on empty homes, improving the energy efficiency of buildings, more urban and rural rehabilitation projects, investments to facilitate transportation and connectivity, and a larger public housing stock as solutions to improve housing conditions for young Spaniards.
The Spanish government has acknowledged the issue and launched a €3.3 billion, three-year plan to provide "decent housing" to the population, including financial assistance for those settling in rural areas. However, the report predicts that the emigration rate of young people in Spain will remain below the EU average and may even be lower by 2030.
In comparison to many other European countries with better housing affordability and social policies, Spain's high youth co-residence rates highlight systemic economic and policy challenges unique to its context. While the report predicts a further improvement in employment over the next decade, with the youth unemployment rate expected to drop to 20% by 2030, the issue of housing affordability remains a significant concern.
| Factors contributing to high youth living with parents in Spain | Effects | |---------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------| | High housing costs, rising rent consuming majority of income | Young people unable to afford independent housing | | Low wages relative to living costs | Financial dependence on parents continues beyond 30 years | | Housing treated as market good, lack of public intervention | Limited access to affordable housing options | | Delay in social milestones (partnership, family formation) | Postponement of family creation, lower birth rates |
[1] Ayuda en Acción. (2022). Employment and Youth in Spain: A Look at 2030. Retrieved from https://www.ayudoenaccion.org/ [2] European Commission. (2021). Employment and Social Developments in Europe 2021. Retrieved from https://ec.europa.eu/info/publications/employment-and-social-developments-europe-2021_en [3] Instituto Nacional de Estadística de España. (2022). Statistics on Housing in Spain. Retrieved from https://www.ine.es/dynt/INEbase/en/operacion/operacionInfo.htm?c=Estadisticos&cid=7246737&menu=resultados&p_datos=734348
- The financial challenge of housing affordability, exacerbated by high costs and low wages, forces many young adults in Spain to live with their families.
- The inability to invest in real estate and personal finance is a consequence of this situation, further hindering their lifestyle and personal growth.
- The report suggests that the government might consider policy-and-legislation changes such as taxes on empty homes, energy-efficient building improvements, urban and rural rehabilitation projects, and increased public housing stocks to address these issues.
- Education-and-self-development opportunities, career-development prospects, and even relationships and family-dynamics may be impacted as a result of this prolonged dependence on parents.
- Comparatively, other European countries with better housing affordability and social policies have lower rates of young adults co-residing with their parents.
- The report predicts an improvement in youth employment over the next decade, but the issue of housing affordability remains a significant concern, potentially lowering birth rates and impacting general-news topics like population growth.
- The Spanish government has initiated efforts like providing financial assistance for those settling in rural areas, but the emigration rate of young people may still be below the EU average.
- References for further reading on housing affordability in Spain, employment rates, and social developments can be found at Ayuda en Acción (2022), European Commission (2021), and Instituto Nacional de Estadística de España (2022).
