A quarter of 20 to 34 year olds were still living with their parents last year, with the figures hitting an all time high in this part of the country last year.

According to figures from the Office for National Statistics 274,000 adults aged between 20 to 34 in the East of England were still living with a parent or parents in 2013.

Nationally more than 3.3m adults - or 26pc of this age group - were still at home.

There has been a huge surge since the earliest recorded figures in 1996, when just 2.7 million 20 to 34-year-olds lived with their parents, 21% of this age group.

This is despite the number of people in the population aged 20 to 34 being largely the same in 1996 and 2013 after a fall between 2002 and 2006.

More men than women still lived at home, with statisticians suggesting that this was because women tended to marry or live with men who were older than them and women were also more likely to move away to study.

The ONS said: the rise may be due to the recent economic downturn.

'In addition, published figures show that 13pc of the economically active population aged 18 to 24 was unemployed during April to June 2008, rising to 19pc during April to June 2013. Research shows that the young unemployed are more likely to live in the parental home,' the ONS said.

'In 2013, 49pc of 20 to 24-year-olds lived with their parents, compared to 21pc of 25 to 29-year-olds and 8pc of 30 to 34-year-olds. Compared with other age groups over the past five years, the percentage of those aged between 20 and 24 living with their parents has increased most noticeably. In 2008, 42% of 20 to 24-year-olds lived with their parents.'

Do you still live at home? Contact Catherine Morris-Gretton on 01603 628311 or email catherine.morris-gretton@archant.co.uk.