The singles tax - why living alone costs more and how to curb it

Living alone is now so expensive many people feel pushed into sharing a home long after they’d planned to stop. 

New research from Nationwide shows Brits believe 29 is the age when house‑sharing becomes “embarrassing”  yet one in 10 (11%) still live with parents, friends or even strangers well beyond that age. 

In fact, 69% say living alone is unaffordable, helping push the average age of house‑sharing up to 35. That pressure is leaving millions feeling stuck, stressed — and judged. 

So why does being single cost so much more? And what can you do about it without moving in with someone else? 

What is the “singles tax”? 

The singles tax is a phrase used to explain how people living alone often pay more for everyday costs than couples or households that can split bills. Figures by SAGA suggest that people living alone are around £2,000 worse off per year compared to people living in a couple. We reckon that number could be higher for those paying rent in large cities.  

If you live alone, you’re on the hook for the entire rent or mortgage payment, your council tax and utilities bills, and more spent on food and travel too usually. You don’t get the benefit of bulk buying larger amounts of food and it’s on you to pay for, insure, and fuel the car.  

Meanwhile, couples and families can share these costs, even though they often earn more combined. That gap adds up fast. 

The singles tax is the exact reason why lots of people end up stuck in unhappy situations, whether that’s moving back in with their parents, moving into house shares, or staying in romantic relationships longer than they want to. It often comes down to money, rather than preference.  

You don’t have to house‑share to cut the singles tax 

Living alone doesn’t mean you’re stuck paying more for everything. There are ways to reduce costs without sharing your home. Here’s how. 

Check for council tax discounts 

If you live alone, you’ll probably qualify for a 25% single‑person council tax discount. 

Many people don’t realise this or forget to apply after a breakup or house move. It’s not the same as splitting the bill down the middle when you live with someone else, but it’s still a helpful reduction. If you’re the only adult in your home, it’s worth checking with your local council. 

Split costs without sharing a home 

You can still share expenses with your friends without sharing a home. Lots of people live alone now and are looking for ways to save.  

Simple ways to do this include: 

• Going halves on gifts for birthdays, weddings or children’s parties; you can get something decent when you pool your resources together and you don’t need to spend as much.  

• Sharing lifts or airport runs instead of paying for taxis; they drop you off when you go on your solo trip to Italy, you pick them up from the airport on the way back from their business trip – quid pro quo.  

• Borrowing and lending stuff, whether that's tools, books, appliances, or streaming services (where this is allowed)  

Think of it as building a small support circle, not a shared household. After all, it takes a village, but that doesn’t mean you need to live together.  

Travel smarter together 

Some discounts don’t require you to live together. For example, the Two Together Railcard is a great option if you and a colleague or friend commute together at similar times. You could save a third on rail fares.  

If you drive, why not take turns to share lifts to work? Use your car for part of the week, pick up and drop off your friends on the way to work, and then they return the favour for the other part of the week. This slashes parking and fuel costs, plus you can use the carpool lane during rush hour.  

Cut food costs without batch‑cooking for a week 

When it’s just you at home, cooking for one can work out pricey and a little boring. There’s little incentive spending lots of time preparing elaborate meals every night when it’s just you eating. This often means reaching for convenience foods and takeaways which works out expensive in the long term.  

Meal planning, grab bags, and batch cooking are all your friends here. You don’t have to batch cook for the whole week in advance, but making a larger meal on Sunday means you can have the same thing for dinner on Monday and maybe even Tuesday (chillis and curries keep well).  

Grab bags are growing in popularity now too if you have a freezer. You essentially do all the meal prep for a meal in advance and stick all the ingredients and sauces in a big freezer bag and label it. When you want to eat it, defrost it and chuck it in the slow cooker. Ta-da, you have a low effort meal plus extras for lunches and dinners!  Just look up grab bag recipes and tons of results will pop up.

Finally, if others are living alone too, you could bulk buy ingredients together and save that way. Bulk buying often works out cheaper but it rarely makes sense when you’re alone, unless you split the cost.  

Feeling embarrassed? You’re not failing.  

Social media comparisons don’t help. More than one in five Gen Z adults say scrolling makes them feel worse about their living situation. Nearly one in five millennials feel awkward talking about it at work. But this isn’t about poor choices or bad planning. 

When living alone is priced like a luxury, feeling pressured to share isn’t a personal failure, it’s a sign the costs are stacked against you. 

The singles tax is real. But with the right discounts, shared costs (without shared housing), and a bit of planning, it can be curbed.