Wednesday 6 July 2011

The high price of a single life... £3,500 a year more than if you are hitched


Being single costs around £3,500 a year more than being part of a couple, research shows.
Rising utility, council tax and food bills in particular are hitting Britain’s 19million single-person households harder than those with partners and families.
And with a growing number of divorced, elderly and other people choosing to live alone, more Britons than ever are feeling the strain.

Living alone costs just under £14,000 a year on average, including essential bills and non-essential items such as nights out or going to the gym.
But for those living in a multi-person household, the figure falls to around £10,500, the study found.
This is because utility bills, council tax and other outgoings such as petrol are more likely to be shared.
 


If the figures did not include non-essential items, the gap would be more like £5,000, the researchers said.
Those living in couples or families tend to spend more on going out and clothes, for instance, possibly because they have more disposable income as a result of other bills being smaller.
Singletons have to pay an extra premium for food, the study found
Singletons have to pay an extra premium for food, the study found
The study by Co-operatives UK, a group made up of the country’s various co-op societies, found that essentials take up 51 per cent of the income of those living alone, on average.
But for those living with others, essentials take up just 30 per cent.
The figures are based on Government cost of living statistics and a survey of 1,000 adults.
The number of people living alone  is rising by around 145,000 a year, according to official statistics. In large part, this is down to an increasingly ageing population.
Ed Mayo, secretary general of Co-operatives UK, said: ‘Everyone is experiencing greater pressure on household budgets.

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‘But people who are living alone are suffering more than most, at a time when there are more single households than ever before in the UK.
‘Whether you live with friends, family or a teddy bear is a personal choice, but there is a growing recognition, whether it is your home, food or car, that it is cheaper to share.’
Some of the extra burden of living alone could be shared with simple measures such as pooling car journeys or taking in a lodger, he added.
The study found that single people have to spend about £7,400 a year on housing. Those living with other people spend just £4,000.
When it comes to bills, singletons spend £3,200 a year and others spend £2,000.
Single people spend nearly £2,000 a year on food on average, compared with around £1,500 for couples.
On non-essential spending such as socialising, single people spend £738 a year. Others spend £1,174.
And while single people spend £717 a year on their appearance – clothes,  haircuts and going to the gym, for  example – those with families spend nearly £2,000.

FromMailonline

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