The cost of being single – and how friends are teaming up to beat it
Friends are increasingly choosing to buy property together to combat the 'singles tax' and the high cost of living alone. By pooling resources, individuals can access the housing market more easily while sharing household expenses that are typically optimized for couples.
Why it matters
This trend reflects a shift in social and economic structures as more people seek alternative living arrangements to achieve financial stability.
Image source, Leanne and Sarah/BBC Image caption, Sarah and Leanne say their decision to buy a house together as friends worked out well
When Leanne split up with her partner in her late 20s she thought she'd have to put her dream of a buying a home in the area where she grew up on hold.
She was earning a good salary but the properties she was hoping for - with a garden and parking space - were too expensive on her own. While she'd just started seeing someone new, it was very early days - far too early to discuss living together.
Her friend since school, Sarah, was single and renting a room in a shared house in Brighton. She also wanted to move back home to Kent, but was worried about how she'd get on the housing ladder on her cabin crew salary.
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