Cost of a Break-up - £13,500

Couples with joint purchases could spend thousands starting over after a break-up, a new report reveals.

The cost of setting up home again and replacing jointly owned items totals £13,500, according to loan provider Alliance & Leicester.

However, 92 per cent of partners do not factor the cost of splitting up when buying joint purchases with a loved one.

Only one per cent of those surveyed with joint purchases said they would consider signing a contract to decide how possessions would be divided and three per cent were relying on a verbal agreement.

When it comes to buying the bigger items like beds, cars, carpets and fridge freezers, around a third of Britons prefer to be married first and just under half in a long term relationship before committing to buying the item together.

And those suffering from a broken heart are being advised to think carefully about how they finance the break up, in particular to avoid higher rate personal loans

Claire Alvey, from Alliance & Leicester said: "By choosing a personal loan with an uncompetitive interest rate people could overpay by more than £1,400.

"This could be even more costly if they decide to use more expensive store cards or credit cards to make essential purchases.

"This overpayment could seriously affect your ability to enjoy your new single status."