We live in a society which favours coupling and family values. At the same time, there is a deeper emphasis on individuality than ever before. This means that even though most people do end up in a long-term relationship, a lot more men and women also end up being single. Looking at countries like the UK, we can see that about half of the population aged 16 and over were married back in 2016. This leaves the other half to be single. So what is life like for singles living in the UK? Today, we take a look at the pros and cons of being single in the United Kingdom.
Pro#1 – A more progressive society.
One good thing about the UK is that despite it being traditional in the sense of coupling and religion, it is also a fairly progressive society. This means that singles don’t have to feel demonised for choosing to be or simply being single. In fact, individuality is often favoured, and a lot of people decide to take care of their career before considering a life-long partner. What this means is that there are a lot of other singles out there, so you won’t be the only person that is not in a relationship.
Pro#2 – A modern and technological society.
In the UK, old dating traditions are giving away to modern methods of meeting people. This results in dating sites being used a whole lot more, and in fact, those are actually taking over from the traditional methods. It is much easier to find new partners now, and people don’t actually need to remain single if they don’t want too. For example, if you live in the Kent area near London, you will find that there are plenty of Kent Dating sites which specialise in dating in that specific region, and the same goes for other places in the UK.
Pro#3 –People in the UK like to have a drink.
If you’ve ever been to England, you will know that people love to go out for a good drink at the local pub. This is a tradition that won’t stop anytime soon, and this is great for single people who are feeling lonely. It is not just in London, in fact, the countryside has got a great drinking culture too. You can check the South West of the UK, especially in places like Devon or Cornwall. There are always plenty of Devon singles in the pubs who are up for a few good drinks, all in a very social atmosphere. In the UK, your local pub is important, it is the social hub for most local communities.
Con#1 – Social pressure
The UK is still very couple orientated. Sure it is a modern country, but this means that there is a lot of pressure from the media and popular television for people to live as being part of a couple. Between the popular TV soaps like ‘EastEnders’ and other shows like ‘Dancing with the stars’, the idea of coupling is very much present in the modern media. It can make singles feel a bit left out of the big picture.
Con#2 –Single parenthood
The UK is also following the increased trend in single parenthood. Depending on how you look at this, it is often seen as a bad thing. The great news is that the government has many help systems in place to help single parents, both practically and economically. The bad news is that being brought up by only one parent doesn’t always give children the full picture, sometimes missing out on the influence of two parents. There are many sides to single parenthood, and it being an easy life isn’t one of them. This doesn’t mean that people should look down at single parents, but it can be a difficult position to be in.
Con#3 –Economic difficulties
Whilst there are financial aids available to single parents, living in the UK is still expensive. Being single means you have to pay for everything by yourself, and this can be too much for a lot of people. The price of renting a flat/house in the UK has really gone up, and having a partner makes the prospect of buying your own house much more feasible than if you are by yourself. The sad reality is that a lot of singles might have to rent for a long time, if not for their whole lives. The costs of living in the UK isn’t cheap, and prices are only going up over time. Like most modern countries, the economics of living favours couples, and you can feel that pinch when you are single.
A typical modern country?
All in all, the UK isn’t very different from other modern countries when it comes to living the single life. You won’t be demonised for it, but you will definitely feel the social and economic pressure. Finding a partner really helps as far as societal living, and it is there that being single can often put you at a disadvantage. However, people in the UK are mostly tolerant and flexible.
Being single won’t necessarily make you come across as being weird, and people won’t think you have some sort of secret agenda. You will most certainly feel compelled to be in a relationship, but don’t worry. Singles are also a large part of the British way of life, and at least there are enough other singles so you don’t have to stay alone for long if you don’t want to. Just go out to your local pub, or even use the internet, and you will find a suitable partner that meets your needs and wants.
