The number of men in the UK who bring home a smaller pay packet than their female partners has doubled in the past five years, new research has found.
A survey of 1,000 people conducted by online bank, Egg, found that one in five men in the UK earned less than their partner.
More than half of female respondents said bringing home more money meant that it provided them with more say in the household budget.
However, 21% of women would rather their male partners be the higher earner while a quarter finds their financial role highly stressful, and almost one in three resented their role.
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Alison Wright, chief marketing officer at Egg said: “It is encouraging seeing how many women are now financially savvy and taking control of the household’s finances. There really has been a change over the past five years with some of the old stereotypes of who earns the money and who pays the bills being broken down.
“Whereas men have now fully appreciated that their female counterparts are capable of being the main breadwinners and as a result they seem to be embracing a life of leisure – much to the annoyance of most partners,” Wright said.
