Should Grown-Up Children Pay Rent?

With it costing around £65* a week to have a wage-earning child still at home, is it fair to ask them to help out financially?

- Michelle Hather

‘They see that, without a budget, their salary can easily disappear’

Oi-Wa Wright, 55, works in finance and lives in Southfields, London, with her husband, Stephen. They have two daughters, Gaby, 22, and Franki, 20. I was born in Hong Kong and gave my family half of what I earned. It’s a Chinese value to respect your elders, and a tradition I’m keen to keep going.

Franki worked for a year before she went to uni and I made sure she set up a direct debit to give me money every month. I was cleaning and ironing for her, and paying for her food, and she needed to show her mother appreciation.

Now Gaby has graduated, she has a job and is moving out – but if she was staying at home, I’d charge her £200 a month, plus something for bills.