What number?

Not in the sort of day to day domestics sense you're talking about in which people decide for themselves whether money is joint so decisions need to be joint or whether each has autonomy. The law doesn't say anything about this.
Also the law doesn't always make a difference between married and unmarried people. Try telling the DWP you need to claim because you have seperate finances because you're not married, and see how far you get.

It's not so much about the cost for us, it's more about if it's a need vs want... Needs are fine, however much they cost... but for wants - we tend to run all of them by one another!

I think the amount is irrelevant, for me it's the nature of the spend. DH and I retain the same amount of money each month for personal spends then put everything above that into the joint current and savings accounts.

I'm not going to consult him about anything I'm buying from my own funds (I'm currently saving for something that costs £8k for example).

Anything he or I think we should buy from the joint current account or joint savings that's beyond the regular household running costs, we would get the other's opinion on e.g. a new sofa, a weekend away etc

It's the item/activity rather than the sum. Depends if it needs a joint decision or not. If its unarguably good for the kids or family we just buy it. If its something small for personal use we just spend it but then we don't have a lot of personal spending. I don't think either of us would buy something expensive for ourselves.

no people are not more likely to consult their partner just because they’re married… if you hang around here long enough, you’ll see plenty of issues arise between spouses when it comes to money. And in fact, financial issues are one of the main reasons for a divorce aside from adultery. So it’s really a morality thing that you’re trying to describe here. If someone has no morals then it doesn’t matter whether they’re married or not.

I don't think being married and any legal implications that has influences day to day spending or indeed spending on big purchases. DP and I have been together 30 years, joint finances, joint mortgage, kids etc and I'd run a purchase of over around £200 past him (not that I'd need his permission....). If we got married that wouldn't change.

You haven't explained, though. You've backtracked because you realised you haven't got a leg to stand on.

Legally, SOME things are different when married.

But NOT the thing you asked a question about. So it's fucking weird that you're obsessing over it.

Then why did you tell me that my choices around consulting each other over spending are different for me because I'm not married?

We aren’t married but have joint finances. For us, it’s mostly not an amount, but what it’s being spent on. We would both spend whatever we liked on clothes, jewellery etc, but we’d have a discussion before buying purchases for the house like a TV, dishwasher, I might even mention a new duvet set. Things that we’d both use, we’d speak about, not in an asking for permission way, just to be courteous.

True, but I'm not sure it does (or even should) influence the question of whether you ask first before spending "a lot" (however you define that), which is more to do with a mutual understanding of fair play.

I have read the thread and you still haven't answered the question. You've posted a link which explains the financial and legal aspects of marriage.

But none of those actually have any bearing on whether the couple have to consult each other before spending the money they earn, which was your question, and which I answered. Nobody is denying that there are legal implications to marriage. They are simply pointing out that those legal implications are irrelevant to your question (and therefore to my answer).

It depends what it was being spent on. I wouldn’t just go out and buy a new sofa or book a holiday for example without discussing it.
But if I wanted to spend money on something for myself with my money and was still able to pay my way with bills, I wouldn’t discuss it with him.
Neither of us are frivolous anyway so it’s not really something that happens

I have a husband and same as above.

Totally shared finances, I'm the only one who looks at the bank account, he spends until I say stop, you need to wait a bit, he loves gadgets, tools, DIY. Anything above approx £100 is mentioned, neither one of us wants to take the piss. Yes it's difficult for him to suprise me, but compared to some of the horror stories on here I think it's a small price to pay. No control on my part, just that one of us has to be sensible and keep track of the spending.
Edited to add, this also worked for us before we were married, when we decided to share a home we also shared a bank account.

So what are you suggesting?

But that link doesn’t answer the question. It tells you if tax benefits it tells you of what you’re legally entitled to should you separate or die? Again, I ask you in terms of money management how was it different for a married couple? They are not legally obliged to tell each other anything about finances.

But not everyone could benefit and many would be disadvantaged by being married. If DP and I were married and then divorced, I'd lose out because I have more savings than he does, a far more valuable pension and neither of us would benefit from any of the tax advantages.

We don't have shared finances in the sense that we don't have a joint bank account or other financial assets. My DH is by far and away the higher earner - he earns more than four times what I do - and although our finances aren't physically joined, they're shared (whether people think I'm a female cocklodger or not is beside the point - it works for us!).

Our 'fun' money is ours alone and neither would question how the other spends it. There is no set figure, but I think we'd each be a bit peeved if the other hit up savings, a credit card, or any kind of credit purchase for £1000 without a discussion (which might be as simple as "I was looking at X - will I just order it?"