The rise in one-person household can be seen as positive
for both personal and broader economical reasons.
On an individual level, people who live alone may become more independent and self-reliant
than those who live with family members. A young adult who lives alone, for example will
need to learn to cook, clean room, pay bills and manage his or her budget.
From an economic perspective, it’s obvious that the trend will beget the advancement of housing,
which can benefit many construction company, estate agency and a whole host of companies which rely
on homeowners to buy their products or services.
However, the personal and economic arguments given above can also be considered from
the opposite perspectives. Firstly, rather than positive feelings of increased independence,
people who live alone may experience feelings of loneliness, isolation and worry. They miss out
on the emotional support and conversations with family or flatmate, they must bear the weight of
all household bills and pressure from work or society. Secondly, from the financial point of view,
a rise in demand of housing is likely to push up property prices and rents. While this may make
businessman in his or her favour, the general population, especially those who live alone,
will be faced with rising living costs,