Life Course Contingency in the Residential Trajectory. An Analysis of Residential Mobility of Young Adults in Britain

Sergi Vidal, University of Bremen

In this paper we test the hypothesis of life course contingency in the residential trajectory, focusing on impact of age at initial parental home leaving, reasons for leaving, and family structure on further mobility. For the analysis we use a sample of young adults from the British Household Panel Surveys and follow their residential trajectories since their 16th anniversary. Duration models for the events of home leaving and relocation once living apart are estimated as simultaneous equations. Results indicate that those leaving the nest earlier have higher intensities of mobility over long distances, but also of nest return. While the effect of early home leaving is mainly explained by pursuit of education, those leaving for partnership or full-time occupation are likely to leave locally and later and have scant levels of mobility over the life course. Finally, we find no effect of family structure on further mobility.