Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think the govt should do more to help/support single people?

342 replies

windygallows · 01/05/2017 20:17

Increasingly I've become more aware of how how single people really struggle in a society geared towards couples. Not only is it pretty hard to get by financially or even to afford a house as a house as a single person, but aside from a small council tax rebate there is absolutely no tax relief or support given by the government. One person paying all bills in a system which 'assumes' and sets couple-dom as the standard.

Surely the govt could intervene by, for instance, setting a different/reduced tax code for those who are single than those in domestic partnerships/couples. Being single is usually out of people's control, often down to fate, and shouldn't be penalized.

I've been single for the majority of my life and vividly recall how much better off I was in the 10 years I was with ex-DP; it was a marked difference. I've seen accomplished, but solo, friends struggle. I certainly don't want to hope and pray that my DCs meet someone just to ensure they have a good quality of life and, as a society, it sends a pretty rubbish message that being independent means that you're likely to have a reduced standard of income.

OP posts:
Spectre8 · 01/05/2017 22:10

Don't forget about holidaying on your own - single person supplement. Any of the great offer websites like pirate holidays and travel bag the deals are always based on two people! Rare to find a solo holiday on offer. Its a tough life. I am definately on the side of the council tax needs changing.

Orlantina · 01/05/2017 22:10

I think that making the UK more affordable without Govt support would be better.

So pay people a decent wage so they can pay rent (without having to get benefits) and be able to afford food and bills without the Govt subsidising through tax credits.

In an ideal world, business would pay people enough to get the job done without the State having to subsidise low paid jobs with tax credits and housing benefits.

But housing is expensive.

Spectre8 · 01/05/2017 22:11

Oh and food aswell, everything is always cheaper in larger sizes, I end up freezing things or they go off and I waste so much. Resorted to growing my own sald and vegetables now because I can pick what I need when I need it.

Orlantina · 01/05/2017 22:11

But remember - it's hard working, ordinary families who are the focus of the Government.

goodnessidontknow · 01/05/2017 22:11

The point of the poll tax was because it went to pay for services on a per capita basis so it is unfair that 4 adults living in one property should pay the same as a single occupant while using 4 times the services. Makes far more sense to me.
As for single people having higher living costs, you could flat share to reduce bills as this is effectively what a couple are doing.

Babyroobs · 01/05/2017 22:14

Yanbu. In my job I see a lot of single people in severe financial distress when illness strikes and they can no longer work. There is no second income to fall back on and if you are on a low income and don't have savings to fall back on things can get bad pretty quickly. There's no help with a mortgage for nine months by which time you've probably been repossessed.

Flimbo · 01/05/2017 22:16

I agree, there defo should be some kind of support for single people

Not only does it impact the single people, but anyone wanting to get out of a shitty relationship, but will struggle to rent alone

OwlOfBrown · 01/05/2017 22:38

The point of the poll tax was because it went to pay for services on a per capita basis so it is unfair that 4 adults living in one property should pay the same as a single occupant while using 4 times the services. Makes far more sense to me.

But those four people won't be getting four times as many bin collections, or four times as much street lighting. Some services they will use more of, but others they won't. Why should they pay four times as much for some services than others?

Single pay get a 25% reduction on council tax.
Why not 50%?

See above. One person does not use half the services of two.

pretty hard to get by financially or even to afford a house as a house as a single person

The rise of single-occupancy homes, originally designed to house an entire family, is one of the reasons housing is in short supply and prices are so high. That's as much to do with older people living on their own as it is with younger people, but adding to the problem certainly won't help.

And there would be numerous difficulties in administering such a system. How would the government keep tabs on who was single and who wasn't? How would you cater for any family or couple who, for whatever reason, only had one earner? How would it be fair for you as a single person to have help with bills when someone else on the same income had to support another adult and several children?

I understand it's frustrating but it's an absolute non-starter.

Orlantina · 01/05/2017 22:42

See above. One person does not use half the services of two

True - but then one person may use more than another 2 people because of the needs of that person / family.

Two people may use more than another 2 people.

So it should be a local tax based on ability to pay - not a single tax per person regardless of income and not a tax based on property value. It should be income based.

OttilieKnackered · 01/05/2017 22:43

Because if there's another healthy adult, they have the option of working. A disabled/ill adult should have (more generous) help to substitute for the income they cannot generate.

haveacupoftea · 01/05/2017 22:45

As part of a couple I'm not sure what the great savings are that I'm supposed to be getting. We don't get anything benefit wise. Yes we split bills between us but that's no different to when I flat shared as a single person. My PAYE comes out every month the same as everyone else's. so I don't have to pay single occupancy on holiday, wow - we haven't had a holiday in 5 years because we can't afford it.

Orlantina · 01/05/2017 22:48

Yes we split bills between us but that's no different to when I flat shared as a single person

Because if you are a single person and are NOT sharing, the bills are higher as you can't split them and they are not half as much.

TV
Phone
Gas
Electric
Water?
Rent.

OwlOfBrown · 01/05/2017 22:48

So it should be a local tax based on ability to pay - not a single tax per person regardless of income and not a tax based on property value. It should be income based.

Perhaps, but that would be relatively expensive to operate unless local taxes were collected centrally through your pay packet alongside income tax.

Orlantina · 01/05/2017 22:50

I think some countries have a local tax to pay for local services - rather than just relying on State funding.

OttilieKnackered · 01/05/2017 22:51

Exactly. And living in a flat share is something people generally do because they have to. Whereas living with a partner is generally because you want to.

Orlantina · 01/05/2017 22:55

I think the cost of housing really needs to be addressed. There is a massive divorce rate / separation rate in this country and I bet there are going to be a lot of single people in their 50s upwards soon.

Where are they all living? If people can't afford to buy, what are they renting?

Interesting - house shares and older people...

www.theguardian.com/money/2012/may/19/house-sharing-into-40s

www.telegraph.co.uk/goodlife/living/living-in-a-flatshare-in-your-50s/

HarrietVane99 · 01/05/2017 23:03

In an ideal world, business would pay people enough to get the job done without the State having to subsidise low paid jobs with tax credits and housing benefits.

But then businesses would have to charge more to their customers to cover the cost of paying higher wages, so no-one would be better off in the long run. Anything you'd gain in higher wages would be swallowed up by the increased cost of living. The money has to come from somewhere. It would tend to increase inflation, too.

Soyamilkisniceintea · 01/05/2017 23:06

YANBU.

Hobbies, too. National trust membership for one person is £64.00 p/a. For two, it's £108.

Original poster
windygallows · 01/05/2017 23:07

Helenadove. Thanks for your nice post up thread!

I don't think the solution is he govt doing more as I also don't want too much govt, the govt does tax us and they do create policy. A change in tax and policy really is needed.

I know lots of single women who have worked hard, achieved a lot in their career and been independent, all the things we say we value or would hope for our daughters but they all tend to be much worse off than those who are married. Pretty depressing isn't it? What are we telling single people and women? Your fault you're not married so pay the price?

OP posts:
Orlantina · 01/05/2017 23:07

Who do you thinks pays for the housing benefit bill? Taxpayers. So people are paying more tax - or businesses are charged more tax - and then people would want higher wages to compensate for higher tax.

melj1213 · 01/05/2017 23:08

As part of a couple I'm not sure what the great savings are that I'm supposed to be getting.

The fact that you are only having to pay half the bills and have someone else to help pay them?

I am a single parent, I have shared custody of my DD so every other week I essentially live alone in a two bedroom terraced house.

Regardless of whether or not she is here, I have to pay the same rent, council tax (though I get my 25% reduction), water, electricity, gas, phone, TV licence and internet bills.

Those essential bills add up to about £600 a month (that's before the car/food/DDs activities/fun stuff etc) ... currently I have to pay all of those bills myself from my one single wage. If I was living with a partner (lets say they did the same job as me so we split things 50/50), we'd have to pay 25% more on council tax but all the other bills would stay the same (or be minimally changed) yet I'd only have to pay £300 a month towards the essential bills, which would free up a hell of a lot of money from my wage every month to go towards other things that I can't afford purely because I am not in a relationship.

Original poster
windygallows · 01/05/2017 23:08

I did not know that about NT membership!

OP posts:
HelenaDove · 01/05/2017 23:08

Unfortunately house sharing is not always a good idea.

There has been a plethora of "landlords" recently advertising for a "companion" to stay with them and these landlords want paying in kind. Hmm

Soyamilkisniceintea · 01/05/2017 23:09

I don't think many people past the age of 25 or so would want to house share, anyway.

It's fairly typical of most hobbies, and it's a shame as single people are the ones needing the hobbies if you like. I don't know why.

Livelovebehappy · 01/05/2017 23:10

I just don't see how single people can manage to pay rents/mortgage, bills etc on just one income. It must be hard, but tbh, there isn't anything which could be put in place to make things different. It would just be something else open to abuse, i.e.; if a single person gets help, it just introduces a system whereby some people may pretend they are single whilst co-habiting because it may be more beneficial. It would be a nightmare to police.