Money can’t buy you love? New research suggests the secret to a long-lasting relationship is being able to balance the books. Vicky Shaw reports

VALENTINE’S Day has been and gone, but a pension provider is still keen to count the costs of romance.

A new study released by Nest suggests it is not a potential partner’s looks, job or sporting prowess that should be top of your tick-list – no, the key to living happily ever after lies in how good your loved one is at looking after pounds and pence.

In a survey of more than 1,000 people across the UK, who are in a longterm relationship or have been in the past five years, nearly half (45 per cent) said they saw good money management as essential in a long-term partner, and nine in ten said it was important for a happy relationship – only one in five people said good looks were a necessary quality, with a similar proportion saying a well-respected job was a must.

Interestingly, 54 per cent of recently single people also said their ideal future partner would be good with cash, and two-fifths of those said financial problems were at least partly to blame for their last split.

Official figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) appear to back Nest’s findings about the devastating impact that money – and a lack of it – can have on relationships; between 2003 and 2009 there was a general downward trend in the number of divorces in England and Wales, but in 2010 the number of marital breakups rose by 4.9 per cent.

‘‘One theory suggests that the recession could contribute to a rise in partnership breakups because of increased financial strain, changes in employment and related lifestyle changes,” the ONS report said.

In the US, from which trends are often later echoed here, there have even been reports of young singles increasingly wanting to know someone’s credit score when making their dating decisions. Not very romantic, perhaps, but then again it could help to minimise the risk of heartbreak down the line.

Jo Barnett, a professional life coach, sees many couples falling out of love over their financial differences.

She says: ‘‘Everyone has a different value for money, how they spend it, save it and share it. I strongly advise that you find out where each of you stands on all of these points before you get involved, and ideally build a relationship with a partner who has similar values to yours.’’ Nest’s research also suggests there is a tendency among the younger generation to be less open with their partner about their finances than their parents’ and grandparents’ generation.

Nearly one quarter of 20 to 35-yearolds said they have been lied to by a partner about money, compared with only one in 11 aged over 60. One fifth of younger people admit to hiding financial difficulties such as debts from their partner, while again, only nine per cent of over-60s said they have done this.

Nick Hill, a money expert at Government- backed body the Money Advice Service, says talking about money can be a British taboo.

“Whatever your goal – saving for a holiday or house deposit – make time to sit down with your partner to plan together how you can achieve what is most important for you and your family.”