One in 10 people hides an ‘escape fund’ from partner

11 per cent of men admitted to having a secret escape fund while 8 per cent of women said that they have one

(Rex )

Nearly one in 10 people in a serious relationship is hiding a secret “escape fund” from their partner, new research suggests.

Nine per cent of adults from across the UK who are married or have been with their partner for at least a year admitted to having a hidden fund with the specific purpose of allowing them to leave the relationship if they choose to, the Money Advice Service (MAS) found.

The average escape fund holds £7,500. Of the 2,000 people surveyed last month, 11 per cent of men admitted to having a secret escape fund while 8 per cent of women said that they have one. People living in the West Midlands (16 per cent) and London (15 per cent) were the most likely to have a fund. Northern Ireland had the lowest level of such funds, with just 3 per cent.