Tuesday 21 October 2025
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
To view this content, please enable our use of cookies. To do so, click Privacy Options below and Accept All
Privacy options
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.
The power of the TV purchase
We're a nation of proud telly owners, as a quarter of Brits (25%) say buying their first TV was one of their most significant grown-up purchases - more so than investing in home improvements or renovations (23%), getting a pet (12%) or buying an air fryer (6%). For many, it's their first real treat (33%), with 28% of respondents saying they took it as a sign they could afford something they wanted - a further 15% said buying their first TV felt like investing in their joy .
Carli Kerr, Managing Director of Sky TV said, It's clear adulthood can mean everything from bigger milestones like buying your first home, to little wins like tackling the DIY and calling it a night early. With Sky Glass Air available from just £6 a month, we're making one of life's grown-up moments - buying your first TV - simpler, smarter and more affordable.
Sky Glass Air is the stylish new TV from Sky with vibrant 4K picture quality, hands-free voice control, and Sky built in, all streamed over Wi-Fi, with no dish or box required. Available from just £6/month for new and existing customers.
With a Sky Essential TV subscription starting from £15/month for new customers which includes Sky TV, Netflix, and discovery+, telly fans can enjoy a wide variety of entertainment along with the smart Sky Glass Air TV experience from £21/month.
To find out more, visit sky.com/glass.
Latest news
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
01/04/2026
January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION
Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...
03/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
03/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
03/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
03/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
03/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
03/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
02/03/2026
NBC Sports selected Imaginary Forces to create the main title sequence for the M...
02/03/2026
The NFL announces the launch of the NFL Draft Innovation Challenge, a new crowds...
02/03/2026
The World Teleport Association (WTA) has named Skyline Communications' DataMiner SatOps solution as a finalist for the 2026 Teleport Technology of the Year ...
02/03/2026
Ventum Tech announces a strategic partnership with Pixotope, a real-time graphic...
02/03/2026
Victory , a free, ad-supported sports streaming service, announces the launch of...
02/03/2026
Global powerhouse Delta Goodrem to represent Australia at this year's Eurovi...
02/03/2026
SBS brings together prominent voices to discuss rising social division and seek ...
02/03/2026
NITV Unveils Wednesday Night Sport Night
Media releases
A Midweek Hub for Blak Sport
Flagship NRL program Over The Black Dot moves to Wednesdays at 9:30pm
...
02/03/2026
Rohde & Schwarz demonstrates FR1-FR3 carrier aggregation, advancing 6G readiness Rohde & Schwarz and Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. have reached another pivotal ...
02/03/2026
MELBOURNE, Fla., March 2, 2026 - L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) today announc...
02/03/2026
Harvey Norman tops New Zealand's biggest ad spenders as retail leads and telcos and beverages sure Auckland March 3, 2026 - Nielsen's New Zealand'...
02/03/2026
aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, and Arqit Quantum Inc. (Nasdaq: ARQQ, A...
02/03/2026
Advanced Systems Group, LLC (ASG), a technology and services provider for media creatives and content owners, has appointed Jody Boatwright as Chief Strategy Of...
02/03/2026
Lightware, an industry leader in signal management, is reinforcing its commitment to simplifying complex AV environments with the continued evolution of its TPN...
02/03/2026
ZEISS Cinema opens its doors to an exclusive screening, filmmakers Q&A and hands-on showcase of the new ZEISS Aatma lens family on Tuesday, March 10, 6:00-9:00 ...
02/03/2026
To expand the creative potential of the compact Astera QuikBeam, DoPchoice introduces the SNAPBAG Round. The new light-shaping accessory transforms the powerfu...
02/03/2026
Douglas Dubler
On a rooftop in New York City, veteran photographer Douglas Dubler watched the sun's angle shift across the urban landscape, his internal cl...
02/03/2026
ZEISS is expanding its Otus ML lens family with the introduction of the new ZEISS Otus ML 1.4/35. This manual-focus lens is designed for photographers who live ...
02/03/2026
Matthews Studio Equipment now offers the new Dinkum Systems White FlexiMount and Phone Mount Kit, a compact, highly adaptable setup for mobile content creation...
02/03/2026
Luxembourg, February 26, 2026 - SES and Africa Mobile Network (AMN) have expande...
02/03/2026
02 03 2026 - Media release Ausfilm and Screen Australia launch joint UK market initiative
Ausfilm and Screen Australia have announced Partner with Australia (...
02/03/2026
Monday 2 March 2026
Saturday Night Live UK announces writing team
L-R: Jonno Johnson; Charlie Skelton; Celya AB; Omar Badawy; Gr inne Maguire; Laura Claxton; ...
02/03/2026
Back to All News
Netflix Unveils the Trailer for 53 Sundays, the New Film by Cesc Gay
Entertainment
02 March 2026
GlobalSpain
Link copied to clipboard
Dis...
28/02/2026
With two features seen in Formula 1 coverage, the broadcaster aims to bring view...
28/02/2026
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth addresses a crowd of approximately 1,500 L3Harris employees in Camden, Arkansas, as part of his Arsenal of Freedom tour....
28/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/02/2026
Berklee Presents Mambo Mania: Eguie Castrillo and the Berklee All-Stars Big Band...
28/02/2026
Berklee Announces Two New Summer Programs in Los Angeles The Berklee Music Business Program and Electronic Music Production and Sound Design Workshop bring imme...
28/02/2026
AI-RAN is moving from lab to field, showing that a software-defined approach is ...
28/02/2026
Autonomous networks - intelligent, self-managing telecommunications operations -...
28/02/2026
Back to All News
Final Trailer for BEASTARS Final Season Part 2' Roars Tow...
28/02/2026
New way to intentionally discover molecular glues could expand drug discovery Scripps Research scientists and colleagues show how drugs that eliminate certain d...
27/02/2026
The E.W. Scripps Company names Oliver Gray as Vice President, Network Sports and...
27/02/2026
The Gotham Sports App, the exclusive direct-to-consumer streaming home of MSG Networks and the YES Network, is now available for purchase through Prime Video fo...
Tuesday 21 October 2025
