We all know the cost of living crisis is hitting everyone hard, but singletons are really feeling the brunt. There are many hidden costs to living alone – experts weigh in on how much it’s really costing you
More people than ever are living alone – but it’s costing a fortune.
There are so many hidden costs to living solo that go overlooked – and it’s becoming increasingly unobtainable, especially for young people.
We all value personal space – our own haven where you can escape the world. Lounging around in PJs whenever you like is the dream – but let’s be real, being single is expensive. A recent poll by investment firm Hargreaves Lansdown found that single people are forced to spend a staggering £860 more a month compared to people in a relationship.
While it’s great that you can do your own grocery shopping and buy all the foods you want, decorate your home how you want, and watch whatever you fancy on telly, but it all comes with a hefty price tag.
A study by Morgan Stanley predicts that 45% of women aged 25 to 44 will be single by 2030, which means even more women will be looking to live alone. But with rent at an all-time high, mortgage rates through the roof and food inflation rocketing, it’s no wonder people are feeling overwhelmed. In 2022, women made up 4.4million of the 8.3million people living alone in the UK.
Granted, you can get a discount on your council tax for living alone, but that’s just 25%. This means you still have to pay 75%, compared to those in a relationship where it’s split 50/50. The maths just isn’t mathing.
Campaigners are working to try and get those living alone more benefits, including cutting council tax even more. According to the GOV UK website, the average Band D council tax set by local authorities in England for 2024-25 is £2,171, which is an increase of £106 or 5.1% on the 2023-24 figure of £2,065.
Natalia Dziedzic, 33, is one of the campaigners trying to change the council tax rates for solo occupants. She told Refinery29 that she pays £189 a month in the London Borough of Barnet and it’s more than the cost of all her ultility bills combined.
If the discount were 50% it would cost her £141.75, resulting in an annual saving of £560. She told the publication she feels “frustrated” and “unfairly burdened”. Natalia said: “The whole system isn’t designed for people who live independently. Single people aren’t an unusual case anymore.”
Not only is paying more on council tax a hidden cost, solo dwellers may also be having to pay for more water unnecessarily, another hidden charge. There are two different ways to pay water bills – on a meter or paying just a standard tariff.
Sarah Coles, Hargreaves Lansdown’s Head of Personal Finance, told The Telegraph: “If you have a standard tariff, then your water bill will typically be worked out based on the number of rooms in your home – meaning you’ll have a higher tariff if you live alone and your property has more than one bedroom. However, with a water meter, you’ll just pay for what you use. So if you have a spare room, changing to a meter will almost always save you money on your water bill.”
As mentioned earlier, another hidden cost for singletons is grocery shopping. While we all know that food costs have skyrocketed – no one mentions how food is always packaged for couples or families. It’s usually because food produce is assumed to be sold to people in pairs or the “average” sized family.
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