Singles tax: People living alone in Crawley pay more than £10,000 extra per year than couples

This phenomenon - dubbed the ‘singles tax’ - is the informal term given to the premium you pay for products and services because of living solo and fronting all costs alone.

The research, compiled by UK Debt Expert, highlights where in the UK people are worst off for being single, by analysing both regional living costs (rent and bills) and lifestyle costs; including the annual cost of a pet, wedding attendance, car insurance, streaming services, Christmas, holidays, and takeaways.

On average, singles in Crawley are spending an extra £13,027 more per year than those in couples for living alone with a pet, £11,892 without one - 25% higher than the national average of an extra £10,402 owning a pet, and £9,298 without one.

Extra expenses include an average of £633 for council tax - this comes as campaigners lobby to increase the single-person discount from 25% to 50%. Single people in Crawley are also likely to spend an extra £180 on broadband per year, and £1851 on basic utilities.

For lifestyle expenses, it’s likely to cost a single person £918 more to own a dog, £180 for streaming services and £60 for takeaways.

With single occupancy homes accounting for nearly a third of all households, and being the most common type after one-family households, singles tax has long been a frustration for anyone having to stump up the full cost of living alone.

But these pressures have been compounded by the cost of living crisis, and chronic housing shortages pushing up rents in some parts of the country.

Maxine McCreadie, personal finance expert at UK Debt Expert, said: “Many singles across the UK are renting, either as a stop-gap or because they can’t afford to get onto the property ladder on one income, and those living in Crawley are no different.

“In a precarious housing market they’re now spending more of their income on rent compared to couples - who on average pay £665 a month in Crawley - leaving them with little buffer to cover other essential costs.

“This premium that singles are having to pay leaves far less disposable income for other costs, like dating, socialising, owning a pet or attending a wedding; parts of modern life no one should feel the need to miss because of costs.

“With the cost of living crisis, falling into debt is increasingly the result of not being able to cover the basics, rather than splurging on luxuries; with singles facing an extra expense of £13,027 per year just for the essential costs of living alone, it’s easy to see how.

“If you find yourself struggling with the rising cost of living and everyday items, you’re not alone. Get in touch with the team at UK Debt Expert where we can discuss the options available to take back control over your debt, including solutions such as a Debt Relief Order, Debt Management Plan or an IVA.”

The full research can be found here: https://ukdebtexpert.co.uk/blogs/single-and-paying-for-it-the-cost-of-living-alone-in-the-uk-in-2024/.