Costliest age is 31 years old, research suggests

The most expensive year of someone's life happens when they are aged 31 on average, research suggests.

A survey of over 3,000 people found that 31 was typically the age at which they had experienced the costliest year of their life.

A wedding, buying a house, having a baby and a honeymoon were the most likely expenses to have contributed to the year when people felt the biggest financial squeeze, racking up £43,000 typically to cover all their costs, according to the survey from credit checking firm ClearScore.

The early 30s is typically an age when people get on the property ladder, a time when finances can feel particularly stretched. Separate data from UK Finance shows the average age of someone buying their first home is 30.

More than half (60%) of people funded their most expensive year from their savings, ClearScore found.

The Bank of Mum and Dad is also increasingly likely to step in to help younger generations cope with high costs.

A third (33%) of 25 to 34-year-olds said their parents help them fund their most expensive purchases, compared with one in seven (14%) over-55s who had help from their parents.

Justin Basini, chief executive of ClearScore, said many of life's big milestones can happen close together, causing the costs to quickly mount up.

He said: "It's not surprising that, given the squeeze on day to day living, that more people are now turning to credit or parents to fund some of these milestones."

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