Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Lifestyle
Gareth Rubin

‘Birdnesting’: why divorcing couples are taking turns to live in the family home

Tuppence Middleton and Martin Compston as Fi and Bram Lawson in the ITV drama Our House, which focuses on ‘birdnesting’.
Tuppence Middleton and Martin Compston as Fi and Bram Lawson in the ITV drama Our House, which focuses on ‘birdnesting’. Photograph: Jon Ford (specials) Laurence Cendrowicz/ITV

Divorcing couples with children are increasingly turning to an unconventional living arrangement know as “birdnesting” in order to save money in a time of soaring housing costs.

Under the agreement, both parents take turns living in the family home, often on a week-by-week basis, with the rest of the time spent in a rented flat nearby. The name comes from the similarity to birds taking it in turns to leave the chicks while they search for food, and the arrangement was also the focus of ITV’s four-part drama Our House last year.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.