Most British couples have separate bank accounts - Nationwide

Less than half of UK couples pay their salaries into a joint back account, new figures have revealed.

According to a poll conducted by building society Nationwide, 53 per cent of partners do not have their money paid into an account held under both names, despite 43 per cent naming 'honesty' and 32 per cent 'trust' when asked what they expect in a relationship.

On top of that, almost a quarter of respondents (22 per cent) admitted they have accounts that their other half knows nothing about.

John Crossley, head of current accounts at Nationwide, described it as "surprising" that most couple are not pooling their resources in a joint account.

"This could be a deliberate attempt to hide their financial affairs from their partners, or more likely, symptomatic of a lack of financial organisation," he remarked. "As we move into new stages in our lives we should be taking the opportunity to re-organise our finances, shop around to look at new accounts which may better suit our new lifestyles and close those we no longer need."

Mr Crossley went on to suggest that regular financial reviews are a necessity to avoid the risks associated with having a costly and outdated current account which no longer serves a couple's requirements.

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