>I am in a professional job, and I doubt I could afford a decent place to live without parental help other than a crappy flat in a dodgy area.
Then live in a the "crappy flat in a dodgy area".
>How people afford to live by themselves, on non-professional jobs I don't know.
Then don't live by yourself. I had 2 and 3 roommates over various times as a young person getting started. We split the rent in crappy small apartments.
A large majority of professional jobs in business, programming, accountancy, consultancy are filled with people who want to be there.
I am in a professional job, and I doubt I could afford a decent place to live without parental help other than a crappy flat in a dodgy area.
How people afford to live by themselves, on non-professional jobs I don't know.