Family breakdown is set to cost the taxpayer a staggering £47 billion in 2015, according to new figures released by a leading relationship think tank. The Relationships Foundation’s ‘Cost of Family Failure Index’ calculates annually the economic effects on society as a result of families splitting up. The Index analyses the cost of benefits, housing, health and social care, policing, the courts and education. These latest figures showed that there would be a £1,546 cost to each taxpayer a year, and disclosed an overall increase of £10 billion when compared to figures released in 2009 (£37 billion). In a press release, the Foundation said, ‘the cost of family failure continues to rise’, It shows that family breakdown not only has a terrible human cost in terms of the emotional toll on all members of the family, but also an enormous financial cost to society as the taxpayer picks up the pieces.’