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Press release
One in four couples are in a ‘financial situationship’ – sharing their lives, but not their bank balances
More than a quarter of people in relationships (26%) are in a ‘financial situationship’ – long term partners who share their lives but not their money.
13 Aug 2025
Full press release
- Couples wait nearly five years before ‘going official’ with their finances
- The majority of couples think they have a healthy approach to discussing money (86%) but one in five (18%) admit they often argue about it while 17% avoid the conversation altogether
- Bola Sol, Financial Adviser, and Author of 'Your Money Life', shares her tips for couples managing money
Situationship is a term used to describe a casual romance. However, new research from L&G has revealed that one in four people (26%) in relationships are in a ‘financial situationship’ – long term partners who manage their lives together but not the intricacies of their finances1.
That’s 8.7m people2 across the UK in ‘separate account’ couples, often guessing each other’s spending, saving and future plans.
The study, based on a survey of 3,000 UK adults in a relationship, found that when it comes to money, couples are in no rush to make it official, waiting nearly five years before managing their finances together.
When it comes to long term finances, couples are left guessing
People have a good understanding of their partner’s income (78%), savings (68%) and monthly essential bills (75%) - but when it comes to the long-term, it seems love is blind. More than a third of all people in a relationship don’t have a clear understanding of their partner’s pension savings (36%), unsecured debt (24%) or investments (25%).
The majority of couples think they have a healthy approach to discussing money (86%) but one in five (18%) admit they often argue about it while 17% avoid the conversation altogether.
Retirement seems to be a particular blind spot for couples, with nearly one in five (18%) saying they haven’t discussed it at all. More than one in 10 (13%) have had a conversation about it but not discussed how their joint finances will work together, while a further 10% are planning separately without discussing combining finances for their later years.
Paula Llewellyn, CEO, DC & Workplace Savings at L&G comments: “Our research shows couples are often confident talking about short term finances but when it comes to long term planning, many are putting off the conversation. Although understandable given rising living costs and immediate financial pressures, avoiding those bigger discussions entirely can risk leaving people underprepared for the future they’re working towards.“Talking openly about money might feel awkward at first, but the aim is to build a habit around it. Even if you’re not always in agreement, knowing each other’s financial priorities is important. Planning for retirement is a good example. Clearly it may feel like more of a priority the older you and your partner get, but how you plan to live in later life (and how you plan to pay for that) is a big decision. Making it together can reduce future stress and ultimately give both partners more freedom and confidence in what lies ahead.”
Bola Sol, Financial Adviser, and Author of 'Your Money Life', shares her tips for couples: “Money is a tool we all have to use, and if couples don’t figure out how they’re aligned with their finances, it can cause real mismatches: from the house they’ll buy to how they’ll retire. Talking about finances doesn’t have to be awkward or confrontational. It’s about building trust, making sure you’re aligned and planning for the future as a team. A few simple habits can make a huge difference:
- Pick the right time and place: Make sure the timing is right so that no one feels like they’re caught off guard. If someone has had a long day, read those signs and just ask “Do you want to do this another day?” But, don’t keep putting it off.
- Consistency is key: Make sure you chat about money regularly. It could be once a month, it could be once every two months, but don’t let too much time pass. Consistency and making sure your partner knows about any changes is important.
- When thinking about the long-term, think ‘one income’: Ensure you understand that if you’re thinking of a long-term future then it’s essentially like one joint income. The moment you get into ‘this is my money’ and ‘this is your money’ can be dangerous territory, reframe it as ‘this is our money – what are we going to do with it
"Ultimately, money shouldn’t be taboo. The couples who thrive are the ones who understand what they can do together with their money and making sure they’re on the same page and happy with it.”
Bola’s recent episode on L&G’s A Little Bit Richer podcast can be found here.
References
1Research conducted, on behalf of L&G, by Opinium from 9th to 17th July 2025 among 3,000 UK adults in a relationship, weighted to be nationally representative.
226% are defined as being in a financial situationship (those in a long term relationship of 2+ years AND who either manage their finances together but keep them separate OR manage finances completely separately).
54,196,443 UK adults of which 63% are in a relationship = 34,241,484 in a relationship in the UK.
26% of 34,241,484 = 8,757,000 UK adults in a financial situationship.
Further information
