UK Singles Turn to Co-Ownership as 18.5 Million Face a Costly 'Singles Tax'

2 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 4

18.5 million people in the UK had never married or entered a civil partnership in 2024, and some are responding to higher solo living costs by buying homes with friends.
Sarah and Leanne said co-buying let them afford a home they could not buy alone, splitting mortgage payments by income and formalising the arrangement in a declaration of trust.
After four years, they sold the property at a profit and used the equity for separate purchases, saying the shared home accelerated their path onto the housing ladder.
Cucoon, a new online platform launched by their friend Philly, aims to match single buyers for co-ownership as 8.6 million people already live alone in the UK.
The broader 'singles tax' can add anything from hundreds of pounds to about £10,000 a year through unshared housing, bills, travel and other everyday costs.