As ever escalating property values become more and more prohibitive to first time homebuyers trying to haul themselves onto the first rung of the property ladder it seems that a large degree of the fiscal burden is resting on the shoulders of the parents of those looking to buy their first home.

According to a study by Alliance & Leicester Mortgages parents are paying on average £21,314 to help their kids buy that awkward first home (the average cost of which £162,055). With the much-documented upward spiral of house-prices and the likelihood of hefty student debts it would appear that for an increasing number of homebuyers the only way of getting on the ladder is by seeking the help of their parents.

One in five of the parents surveyed had already helped shoulder the financial burden of their children's first home and another one in five plan to help out when the time comes. The report also shows that parents are prepared to shell out more than in previous studies - the average amount has gone up £3,637 on last year's average figure of £17,677.It looks like being a parent costs more than ever before.

How come parents are so generous these days? According to the report guilt is a big factor - more than one in three say they'd experience guilt if they couldn't help out (interestingly fathers experience this guilty burden more than mothers with roughly 50% of them seeing it as their responsibility to help out the kids.)

Stephen Leonard, Director of Mortgages at A&L commented: "It has become increasingly common for parents to offer financial assistance to their children when they come to buy their first home. Rising house prices mean first time buyers have to find bigger deposits to secure their property, with many having to fork out for stamp duty as well. This means extra funding from parents can often make the difference between renting or being able to get on to that first rung of the property ladder."

There is a notable disparity between the number of parents willing to help out their kids when it comes to buying a first home and the proportion of their first-time buyer children who are or have been willing to request for their parent's financial help (18%). 10% were prepared to ask their grandparents for help if their parents weren't in a position to contribute.

Visit the Alliance and Leicester site for more information on Alliance and Leicester Mortgages.