Money's too tight to mention... let's talk about love instead

Money is the subject that people are most reluctant to talk about with friends and colleagues - but they have less of a problem discussing their weight or relationships, research suggests.

A survey has found that 45 per cent of Scots said they would not be prepared to discuss finances with their friends, while 61 per cent would not talk about it with work colleagues and 23 per cent even kept silent on the subject with family.

But the research found that people had less qualms talking about other matters, with only 18 per cent saying they would not want to discuss their weight with colleagues and 13 per cent saying they would not talk about their appearance.

The latest research, carried out by Scottish Widows, asked more than 2,000 people across the UK which subjects they would not be prepared to talk about with friends, family and the people they worked with.

In Scotland, other financial issues were also considered top taboos, with 26 per cent refusing to discuss their salary with friends and 44 per cent avoiding the topic with colleagues.

Pensions chat was also avoided with friends for 15 per cent of Scots, and with colleagues for 29 per cent.

When asked why finances were such a secret subject, 75 per cent of people in the UK said it was simply a topic that should not be discussed with friends or work colleagues.

While there were still some reservations about discussing other personal matters, they were much lower in areas which did not involve money.

Only 30 per cent said they would not discuss their relationship status with colleagues, while 11 per cent said they would not talk about it with family and 7 per cent with friends.

Catherine Stewart, savings expert at Scottish Widows, said: "It is a very British trait to avoid discussing personal and taboo subjects such as money, particularly for older generations that have been brought up in this way."

But Ms Stewart said there were encouraging signs that younger people may be starting to be more comfortable talking about their finances, though they should be careful where they took advice from. The survey found that Scots were most likely to seek relationship advice from friends, with 30 per cent saying they would do so, while only 5 per cent would ask work colleagues.

Joanna Elson, chief executive of the Money Advice Trust, which runs National Debtline Scotland, said: "Going through financial difficulties can be a deeply isolating experience, but at the same time, seeking and receiving advice on your finances can be very liberating."