Money can't buy me love? Brits beg to differ and splash out £5bn-plus on dating

More than £5 billion was spent on dating across the UK last year - and British singles tend to spend more than many of their European counterparts on the quest for romance - according to a report.

Analysis from the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) found that the UK's date-related spending came to £5.16 billion in 2015, up from £4.05 billion in 2014.

The research, for dating website Match, found the average cost of a date is now £127 for both people, including clothing, gifts, cosmetics, trips to the hairdressers and contraceptives. The biggest chunk of the average spend on a date goes towards entertainment, restaurants and pubs - with the typical expense of this put at £69 between both people.

In contrast to the average £127 cost of going on a date in the UK, the typical cost of a Dutch date is £49, while one in Germany is £40, the report found.

An estimated one in three (33%) British singles is now actively dating, compared with 23% a year ago, according to the findings, which used economic analysis as well as two surveys of more than 8,000 active daters across European countries including the UK.

Karl Gregory, managing director Northern Europe, Match, said the figures show the growing importance of dating to the economy.

He said: "Brits spend almost double their European counterparts on dates, which is a great thing for singles and for UK PLC."

Here is how the average cost of a date in the UK adds up, according to research by Cebr for Match:

:: Transport, £10.26

:: Entertainment, restaurants, bars and pubs, £69.26

:: Gifts, £6.41

:: Hairdressers, £7.70

:: Cosmetics, £5.13

:: Clothes, £20.52

:: Contraceptives, £2.57

:: Eating in, £5.13