Unequal perks | 65% of UK firms provide added benefits to married employees

While all employees should be treated the same, regardless of their marital status, new research has shone a light on the cost of being single at work.

According to research from Thomsons Online Benefits, 65% of UK companies provide additional benefits to married employees, which equated to more than £2,390 in extra funding a year in some cases.

The added benefits that contributed to this extra compensation include paid time off to compensate for weddings, honeymoons and celebratory gifts – which single employees couldn’t benefit from.

Jack Curzon, Consulting Director, Thomsons Online Benefits said: “Employers are trying to be inclusive, but they need to ensure they don’t end up discriminating against the average single person – or couples that don’t choose to get married – as a result.