A guide has been issued to parents of university graduates

Advice on using "tough love" to motivate children to find a job and leave home after university is being issued to parents by the government.

The guide from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills admits graduates could find things difficult in the current financial climate.

It warns against nagging but also against being "too supportive".

The Conservatives have dismissed the measure, saying Lord Mandelson should focus on improving the economy.

BBC reporter Rachel Bulkeley said that with graduate unemployment at its highest level for more than a decade, the idea of staying at the parental home might seem more attractive than ever.

'No laundry'

Official figures released earlier this month showed more people in their late 20s and early 30s were staying put after graduating.

The government's new guide includes a list of dos and don'ts, and suggests that nagging comes out as the worst approach.

This, the guide says, can make young people more stressed, and graduates should be allowed some time to relax.

But it warns parents against being "too supportive," saying newly-qualified offspring should be encourage to be realistic, rather than wasting away the years pursuing their dream job.

The guide also advises against allowing a few weeks back home to turn into a few months. Its solution is to show some "tough love" by not doing their washing and ironing.