Show me the love and I'll show you the money

Brits are unwilling to share everything about their finances with their partner, at least until they're sure they are in a committed relationship, according to new findings from Scottish Widows' Dare Not Ask survey.

6.6 million loved-up Brits (19%) admit they don't know everything about their partner's finances, and 7.3 million say they only share a limited amount of information about their own financial situation with their other half.

Many loved up Brits admit they are waiting for signs of a greater commitment before sharing more with their partner, with one fifth (20%) of those not willing to talk about money saying they would be more open if they bought a house together. 15% say they are waiting until they have been together longer, and 14% say it would take having a child together before they reveal their monetary situation. However nearly a quarter (24%) say their partner only needs to ask and they will open up.

Feelings of financial inadequacy mean many people prefer to keep their partner in the dark, with one in six (16%) too embarrassed about the state of their finances and one in nine (11%) worried their partner would be critical of the state of their finances.

12.5 million people (36%) say they tend to argue with their partner over finances, while just over a quarter (27%) claim never to clash with their partner over money matters.

Couples living apart are most likely to be economical with the truth, with two fifths (42%) keeping some financial information to themselves, compared to only 19% of those married, in civil partnerships or co-habiting.

Over a quarter (25%) of those in a relationship don't have a clear idea of how much their partner earns.  Londoners are the most cagey when it comes to talking about  their wage packet with a third (31%) not knowing how much their partner earns compared to those in the East of England and Yorkshire and Humber, where 81% were fully clued up. More than a quarter (26%) of Scots are unaware how much their other half takes home.

Catherine Stewart, savings expert at Scottish Widows said: "Money matters can be a touchy subject for couples and some people can be loath to tell their partner how much they earn if they feel it may cause imbalances within their relationship. If people don't feel that they can talk openly with their partner about their finances, it is vital they talk to a financial adviser about how to manage them best."