Couples staying together for financial reasons

A new survey has shockingly revealed that one in 20 people in the UK claim to be "financially shackled to their partner".

The poll by Skipton Building Society suggests that rising property prices and high levels of debt are leaving Britons stuck with partners they would otherwise leave because of financial constraints.

The report claims that there has been a dramatic increase in the number of 'Money Over Love Couples' (MOLCs). Nearly one in 10 people quizzed (nine per cent) said they would be more likely to leave their partner if money was taken out of the equation, with seven per cent admitting that they were unhappy with their current partner.

Eleven per cent of respondents said they had friends who carried on living with an ex even though things got difficult. More than three quarters of respondents (76 per cent) said they felt that the number of couples who cannot afford to break up has risen over the last five years.

Three quarters of those polled claimed that having large amounts of equity in a property makes it difficult to buy out a partner and 64 per cent blamed extortionate property prices. Women were more anxious at the prospect of separation with one in three (35 per cent) stating that they would not be able to afford their mortgage repayments if they split from their partner, compared to just 15 per cent of men.

Jennifer Holloway, head of media relations at Skipton Building Society, said: "While we're seeing a growing trend for those choosing the high life over their love life, for those who decide to make the break, it's important they get their finances in order to make the most of what money they have. Even better is for couples moving in together to consider completing a living together agreement, such as the one recently launched by advicenow.org.uk, which sets out their financial position before getting too far down the line."