The last 5 years have been very expensive for us. We have given £30,0000 (shared) to our two sonsto put down the deposits on their own homes (partly by mortgaging our own home). Our daughter may need similar help soon, but for now (with her partner) they have made a significant deposit and bought their own homes. All 3 went through apprenticeships in their chosen trades, i.e. very low pay for basic NVQ skill qualifications - so we had to fund their transport needs (the insurance was between £800 and £1500 each per year). Thank good they all decided against University - that would have been another mortgage on the home. However.
We are asset rich (if somewhat cash poor) and my wife and I feel strongly that we do not have immediate needs - theirs are greater. When we die it will be theirs anyway, and by then they may not need so much, but they certainly need it now.
But not all our peers (friends and relatives of our age) do the same for their children. I guess its a matter of personal ethics and whilst we consider the children need our financial help in this day and age, it is clear that other parents dont.