Overview

• One in five young adults aged 18 to 40 reported staying with a partner primarily to share day-to-day living expenses
• Those not in relationships set aside an average of £301 per month, compared with £609 saved by coupled respondents
• Nearly 29% of single young adults lack any emergency fund, versus 16% of those in relationships
• OneFamily CEO Jim Islam called the disparity a “tax on being single” and warned that high bills can trap people in unhappy partnerships
• The report has prompted calls to introduce financial resilience and savings education into schools to help young adults build stronger safety nets