Young men are now 26 times more likely to be living with their mother than their wife by the time they reach the age of 25, according to new research.
The findings come from a new report by UK think-tank The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), which describes the trend as a growing 'relationship recession'.
The analysis found that there are now around 3.7 million fewer married people under the age of 30 than there were in 1976, despite the population of young people increasing.
Marriage rates among men in their early twenties have fallen by 97% over the past 50 years. Meanwhile, the number of men and women who are married by the age of 30 has dropped by 90%.
According to the report, the number of married people under 30 has fallen from approximately 4.5 million in 1976 to just 790,000 today.
The CSJ believes a number of modern challenges are making it harder for young people to meet potential partners and take the next steps towards living together.
The think-tank also suggested that many young people feel daunted by the world around them and are finding it increasingly difficult to form stable, happy relationships.
The figures highlight a significant change in how young adults are approaching relationships and marriage, with more people remaining at home for longer and fewer choosing to marry at a young age.
