A third wouldn't date someone in debt - but most probably are

Finally, being good with money is sexy - well almost. One in three people would consider splitting up with a new love if they discovered they were in debt and just one in five people would always stick with their other half if they discovered they were seriously in the red.

In the dark

The research, by free credit rating and scoring site Noddle, also found that while debts are a major turn-off, a shocking number of people are completely in the dark about their other half's financial situation.

It asked people when they would like to know if someone had a bad credit rating, and while 41% would want to know at the point their relationship got serious, one in ten wouldn't want to know until they moved in together or got engaged, and 10% of people said they would never want to know.

This refusal to face up to financial issues in a relationship is surprisingly widespread. The study also found that more than half of Brits in a relationship don't know if their partner has debts. Shockingly, more than a quarter don't think their partner has any debts, despite the average UK household owing close to £10,000.

Meanwhile, 1.9 million married couples actively try to keep their finances secret from their partner. When it comes to disclosing financial information, Noddle found 44% of married people don't know exactly what their spouse earns – with 5% admitting they don't think it's any of their other half's business.

Why does it matter?

It's easy to see why people don't feel they can ask about their partner's finances, and why one member of a couple can think it's nobody's business but theirs - after all it's a long time since most couples had joint accounts and completely joint finances.

Nowadays you are responsible for earning your own money, making decisions about spending and saving, and then handling your own debts - so it may not seem like an obvious step to share details with your other half.

However, debts cannot remain a secret forever, and if you try to keep up appearances, you can end up overspending and digging yourself even deeper. Someone who is aware of their partner's debts, can be more understanding of the fact that interest payments and debt repayments will tie up an awful lot of their income. Someone who is in the dark will have no idea why their other half will never go out or spend any money, and will either resent it or persuade them to spend money they don't have.

If you try to hide your debt issues, you can do long-term damage to your partner's finances too. If things get serious, and you apply for financial products together, your credit ratings will be linked, so if one of you has a bad credit rating, you will both face difficulties. It could affect everything from your ability to take out a mobile phone contract, to your likelihood of being able to get a mortgage.

What can you do?

It's never easy to start a conversation about money, and people can be very defensive when it comes to talking about debt, but if you want to avoid any nightmares along the way, both partners need to be up-front about debt and credit problems.

If you are having trouble raising the issue, Noddle says it's essential to gain an understanding of your own financial situation before you start, so you're not just working on optimistic guesswork.

Then, pick your moment carefully, and find a time when neither of you feels rushed or distracted. If you need to own up to financial issues, it's essential to explain the full picture, and not be tempted to sugarcoat the issue. If they are aware of the extent of the problem, you can work on a solution together.

If it's your partner who is admitting to problems, then try to stay calm. Don't use it as an opportunity to start a broader discussion about their failings. Get things out in the open, and then you have a chance to tackle it positively together.