House trumps spouse: Brits say home ownership matters more than marriage

• Buying a home ranks above becoming a parent as a key rite of passage into adulthood, chosen by almost half of Brits
• New research also reveals the nation’s top ‘adulting’ moments – from buying their first TV to calling it a night early
• TV royalty Larry Lamb and social star Ash Holme bring to life the nation’s most relatable adulting moments in a tongue-in-cheek video
• Getting a grown-up telly has never been easier, with the Sky Glass Air TV available from just £6 a month

More Brits consider getting on the property ladder a significant rite of passage into adulthood than tying the knot or changing nappies, according to new research from Sky.

While landing a full-time job does top the list of things Brits consider a significant rite of passage (58%), buying a home (45%) is now seen as a bigger deal than getting married (40%) or becoming a parent (39%).

A whopping 80% of Brits think adulthood looks very different today compared to past generations, with nearly a quarter (24%) admitting they’re hitting traditional milestones later in life.

Modern adulting: from flatpack furniture to favourite supermarkets

From feeling flattered when getting ID’d to developing an obsession with their garden, Brits reveal the exact moments they realised they’d become a ‘proper’ adult. Over a third (37%) say buying their first big appliance, such as a washing machine or fridge, was the moment they truly felt grown up.

For just over 14.3 million people* (26%), it was buying their first TV, ahead of traditional milestones like setting up a pension (23%) and switching utility providers (10%).

Top 10 things that made Brits realise they had become a grown-up:

1. Buying your first big appliance – 37%

2. Buying your own TV – 26%

3. Setting up a pension – 23%

4. Calling it a night early by choice – 21%

5. Realising you’re no longer the youngest at work – 21%

6. Hosting a dinner party – 20%

7. Growing fruit and veg – 18%

8. Treating your parents to a meal – 18%

9. Doing DIY – 17%

10. Hoping for rain “for the garden” – 16%

Larry Lamb + Ash Holme = friendship goals

To pay homage to the joys of modern adulting, Sky has teamed up with TV legend and much-loved dad Larry Lamb, and TikTok star Ash Holme in a tongue-in-cheek film. It sees the unlikely duo battle flatpacks, bin rotas and discuss what really happened on that fishing trip — before finally sinking into the sofa to enjoy Ash’s new Sky Glass Air TV.

Larry said: “Truth be told, I’m relieved that being a ‘proper adult’ still isn’t really about age at all – it’s when you start caring about bin day and get excited about a decent cuppa in front of your smart new Sky telly. Ash might be more clued up on TikTok than she is with a toolbox, but between us we nailed the adulting thing…eventually.” 

Top 20 things that made Brits realise they had become a grown-up:

1. Buying your first big appliance (e.g. washing machine, fridge) – 37%

2. Buying your own TV – 26%

3. Setting up a pension – 23%

4. Calling it a night early by choice – 21%

5. Realising you’re no longer the youngest at work – 21%

6. Hosting a dinner party – 20%

7. Growing your own fruit and veg – 18%

8. Treating your parents to a meal – 18%

9. Doing DIY – 17%

10. Hoping for rain “for the garden” – 16%

11. Having a “favourite” supermarket – 16%

12. Asking for practical birthday gifts – 14%

13. Reading a self-help or finance book – 13%

14. Feeling flattered when ID’d – 13%

15. Leaving a spare key out – 11%

16. Switching utility providers – 10%

17. Visiting a farmers’ market – 10%

18. Having a well-stocked spice cupboard – 7%

19. Bulk-buying loo roll – 6%

20. Catching a spider yourself – 5