Wealthy people more likely to cheat, finds study

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Adulterers earn an average of £52,000 a year and are more likely to be male, a new study has found.

According to data collected by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s leading dating site for married people, the number of city professionals looking for illicit love online has risen by 8 per cent year-on-year.

Their research also found that almost half (45 per cent) of their participating members have had an affair with someone they work with.

The website conducted a series of surveys on 600 of its members and found that a small number (one per cent) earn more than £1m per annum.

In terms of how much time the respondents spend working, the study found that 29 per cent work 60-hour weeks, 34 per cent work 40-hour weeks and a surprising 20 per cent work up to 80-hour weeks.

The average earnings of £52,000 per annum is almost double the national average of £27,000.

The site's data also revealed that 60,000 of their members are financial professionals and 65 per cent of them are men.

“Successful people are born workaholics,” explains the site’s spokesperson, Christian Grant.

“They live and breathe their careers, work incredibly long hours, and value their career above all else. That means that relationships with loved ones are at a premium.

"But, they're still human. You still want a physical relationship, but coming home late to find your partner already asleep isn't ideal, so a relationship with a colleague ensues.”

Grant claims that the reason affairs appeal to the site’s users is that they often come without the emotional consequences of a traditional relationship.

“It's something that can be kept purely physical,” he said.

"It's flexible, ideal, and it's no surprise to see this demographic flood sites like Illicit Encounters."