A survey by housing charity Shelter has found that 49% of British parents think that their children will never be able to afford to buy their own home, at least not without the help of an inheritance.

Many of the parents surveyed by the charity gave high house prices and a lack of affordable housing as reasons for this belief.

Unfortunately, the charity believes that they may in fact be right.

Government data has shown that between 2003-2014, the proportion of homeowners aged between 25-34 years old has dropped by a massive 23%. These days only 36% own their own property.

As a result, many young people rely on inheritance to be in with a chance of owning a house in their lifetime.

Chief executive of Shelter, Campbell Robb, has called on politicians to make “a real and lasting commitment to building the affordable homes we desperately need” ahead on next month’s general election.

The charity has started a petition to raise awareness of the affordable housing issue.

Read more on this story on Marilyn Stowe’s family blog.