The one big thing youngsters say is holding them back - the answer might surprise you

A new report blows away the idea that Britain's young people are "woke" warriors but shows how their lives are held back by the high cost of housing and the tax burden. Six out of 10 adults aged between 18 and 30 blamed the cost of housing and rent as a key barrier stopping young people getting ahead in life.

Four in 10 listed high taxes among the obstacles limiting the life chances of young people in Britain - with the same share mentioning the "difficult jobs market". Three in 10 cited student loans, and just as many mentioned the pressures and distractions caused by social media.

Only 15% mentioned sexism and racism as barriers for the UK's youth, with Policy Exchange reporting "young people are less progressive than often thought". Nearly seven out of 10 said it is "more important to speak the truth than to not offend people". And almost six out of 10 said employers should not be able to fire someone for lawfully expressed views outside the workplace.

Forty-eight percent wanted a cap on legal immigration while a third neither agreed nor disagreed.

The polling by Redfield and Wilton Strategies found only one in four said young people who "are biologically male but identify as female should be allowed to compete in female sports".

The report sounds the alarm about shutting young people out of the housing market.

It states: "High house prices - both on the rental market and for purchase - are driving falling quality of living for young people. While older generations have seen the value of their assets increase, young people have been priced out of the market.

"The increase in house prices and rental costs also contributes to declining relationship formation and family formation. Unable to achieve the basic milestones of modern life, the aspirations of the under 30 cohort have been gradually eroded.

"Most would now be happy with simply being debt-free and healthy."

It concludes that "many young people are profoundly discontented with a social contract which isn't working for them" and accuses "successive Governments" of ignoring the concerns of the young.

While four out of 10 of the general population say "Britishness" is important to their identity, this is true for only one in five young people. Just 12% of them cited the armed forces as a source of pride.

The research also uncovered concern young people will not be able to start a family. More than one in five of them said IVF and fertility treatment should be a top priority for the NHS - compared with fewer than one in 10 of the whole population.

The think tank has frank advice for politicians wanting to win the youth vote. It warns young people are "not primarily looking for gimmicks or virtue-signalling on progressive issues" and says "any political party looking to win over the young should look first to tackling their material economic concerns: on housing, taxation, student loan debt, the labour market, the cost of living and the financial cost of family formation".

For the party that "can both craft and genuinely deliver an offer that addresses these concerns," it adds, "the loyalty of a neglected generation is the prize to be won."

A spokesman for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government addressed the frustration felt by young adults who cannot get a foot on the housing ladder.

He said: "The Government inherited an unprecedented housing crisis which has blocked young people from getting onto the housing ladder and finding secure homes. We've taken decisive action to change this by overhauling and streamlining the planning system to deliver 1.5 million homes, including the biggest increase in affordable and social housing in a generation, and our landmark Renters' Rights Bill will create a fairer housing market and level the playing field for all.

"This is on top of supporting first-time buyers with a new permanent mortgage guarantee scheme - restoring the dream of homeownership for our young people."