E47: The ‘Singles Tax’ - how much is it costing you? With Bobby Seagull MBE, Emma Barnes, and Valentina Adaldo
Release Date: 02/22/2026
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E47: The ‘Singles Tax’ - how much is it costing you? With Bobby Seagull MBE, Emma Barnes, and Valentina Adaldo
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info_outlineEnjoying the podcast? Tell us what you think below and give us a review or rating. As always we’d love to hear your suggestions and feedback. Send us an email: podcast@pensionbee.com.
One in every three households in the UK is now single occupancy. Here’s the issue: being single could be costing you more. The so-called ‘Singles Tax’ is real. Cohabiting couples pay less per person on everything from energy bills to hotel rooms. So if you’re single, or living alone, how much extra are you paying and what can you do about it?
Join our host, Philippa Lamb, and our expert panel as they discuss the ‘Singles Tax’:
- Maths Teacher turned Broadcaster, Bobby Seagull MBE;
- Content Creator, Emma Barnes;
- Senior eCRM Manager at PensionBee; Valentina Adaldo.
Episode breakdown
05:18 Flatmates vs. living alone trade-offs
08:02 ‘Houses before spouses’ movement
10:48 Redundancy when single hits harder
14:40 Building your own financial safety net
15:09 Savings hacks for couples vs. singles
18:17 Wedding season costs and pooling gifts
23:42 Saving for retirement while single
25:59 Money tips for savvy singletons
Further reading and listening
To learn more about the ‘Singles Tax’, check out these articles and podcasts from PensionBee:
- Episode transcript (Blog)
- E14: What’s the impact of your relationship status on your finances? (Podcast)
- E27: What’s the cost of friendship? (Podcast)
- E37: The easiest way to retire with more money (Podcast)
- How much should I pay into my pension? (Article)
- How to tackle your personal finances when you’re single (Blog)
- How to talk to your partner about money (Blog)
- Six ways to put together your emergency fund (Blog)
- What is compound interest? (Blog)
- What’s the financial impact of multi-generational living? (Blog)
Other useful resources
- Emergency savings – how much is enough? (MoneyHelper)
- “Singles tax” leaves half struggling with retirement savings: research (Corporate Adviser)
- The price of love: how much does dating cost – and who pays the bill? (The Guardian)
- The Retirement Living Standards (Pensions UK)
- The single surcharge: single Brits pay extra £3,844 a year for household bills (Uswitch)
- The ‘single tax’ revealed: What’s the true cost of being single? (Finder)
- The solo penalty, from rent to holidays: ‘Being single is costing me £12,000 extra a year’ (The Guardian)
Catch up on the latest news, read our transcripts or watch on YouTube:
Follow PensionBee (@PensionBee) on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Threads.
Follow Bobby Seagull MBE (@bobby_seagull) on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Threads.
Follow Emma Barnes (@emmaebarnes) on TikTok, YouTube and Instagram.