How should the amount adult working children pay towards household be worked out?

[amispeakingenglish]

Several adult children all working, living at home, but with wages ranging from £18 grand to £30 grand. The latter is saving hard for a deposit as is the only one with a chance due to where we live, very expensive. So do I have a flat amount or a percentage?

As everyone with more than one child will know, however old everything has to be fair and 'equal'!!

One has friends who pay nothing, thats ok if you can afford it and they have 2 working parents. As an older mum I am semi retired and don't have much income at all. I have always supported them when I can and even paid for things to like car tax, insurance etc. when needed.
What does everyone think?

Our policy is 25% of their take home pay, after taxes
We still pay for the phones and transportation as well

I think it's perfectly reasonable to divide all the costs between the number of people in the home and for each person to pay that percentage. if any of the people are dependant children then their parent should pay their amount.

I don’t like percentages.. it’s not fair to the ones who earn more but aren’t getting any extra..
I would charge board and make them cover their own expenses, Insurance’s etc.. they need to learn to budget for these things.
Board when I lived at home covered Normal groceries and home bills and I would buy extra food if I wanted it.

Equal shares of all household bills - utilities, council tax, food, etc. Be sure to include everything - tv licence, household insurance, internet.

Equal contribution to housework, gardening etc, or a cash contribution towards paying for a cleaner or gardener. No more paying for their phones, cost of car etc.

You shouldn't leave yourself in a position where you're subsidising their living expenses but can't afford new clothes, hobbies, holidays etc for yourself.

I wouldn't say the lower earner should pay less - his/her living expenses are the same, and s/he would have to pay them if living away from home.

Do you own or rent? If renting, at some point you might want to consider asking them to contribute to that, if having them at home prevents you from downsizing and reducing your rent.

I own so no mortgage or rental costs. The amount I am thinking of covers all household bills and food. Everything else is for them to pay for!. Thanks to for all your replies, just nice to get the opinions of others.

Regarding the cars, I only paid as they were students and it equaled out for some trips and courses within degrees that I had paid for the others.

One needed a car for a holiday job she got, and then was let down on, so not her fault, a big company too. She went for training and everything, but then no start date, this happened to a few of them. The other one needs to be an accomplished driver by the end of her degree as her career will involve having to drive to places not alway accessible by public transport. Have no intention of paying for this when they are working. I do wonder why some parents continue to pay for everything, food, bills and all other expenses when their children start work. They are not going to learn how to budget or to value anything.

As everyone with more than one child will know, however old everything has to be fair and 'equal'!!

Fair yes. But that might not necessarily mean “equal”

Find out how much it would cost to rent a room in a house and use that figure. It’s what I did with mine when living at home and working.

So I’m your scenario, all working - i would divide according salary.

For example £400 for the £30k
And then £18k is 60% of £30k
So £240 for the one on £18k

I’ve worked out what the cheapest room plus share of bills in a house share would be and used that amount but capped it at 30% of take home pay so that if one of them earns a lot less it’s still worth them working. I don’t need the money so am diverting it to a savings account for them - I think it’s important they pay so they get used to the idea that most of their wages gets spent on stuff that isn’t fun - part of being a grown up.

A room in this area is around £600 and that's just the rent. Not even an ensuite.

Our policy is 25% of their take home pay, after taxes

That could be way above the local rental market price

As an older mum I am semi retired and don't have much income at all.
What will you do when they move out? Are you dependent on them?

I don't charge mine anything- they are both saving for a deposit. The additional costs are minimal really. Most things like mortgage, council tax, water, internet are fixed costs no matter how many people live here. I feed them if they want but they also but their own stuff and are out and about a lot.

My friend charged all 4 of hers but put it into an account without telling them and then gave it to them when they were ready to buy.

No, I am in way dependant on them!! I have enough, just not a double parent income. I am still supporting two at uni. Why should not having much income equate with dependency, find you though process a bit odd?

Whatever method you settle on, you certainly shouldn’t be subsidising an adult.

Just re read, you say WE, so a joint income you are able to absorb the 'minimal' amount. Four extra people is not minimal. Council tax is 25% less in a single adult household, so not the same, at all. Nor are the utilities anywhere like the same as when they were all at uni.
I would, of course, love to be able to save it for them and give it back for a deposit. Mind you where we live they would have to earn around £100 grand p.a. and as 3 have occupations that require living in London unless there is a massive price drop in our area( I wish) they haven't a hope in hell.

Correction OUR not we

Whatever method you settle on, you certainly shouldn’t be subsidising an adult.

Oh why the heck not! Of course if it means you struggle, then no. Otherwise.... why not subsidising our children so they can save and give them a little financial boost.

I was utterly and completely spoilt financially as an adult by my parents.

Now... they are deceased and I am a single working parent of two young children with a very tight grip on my expenses and doing well. It did my no harm whatsoever to have that somewhat cushy time in my twenties!

It depends on your thinking really.
I'd add up all the bills and divide by those working. You pay for uni ch. they pay their share.