Single mothers in Australia are bearing the brunt of a “single tax” that makes essential costs disproportionately high compared to two-income households. Energy bills, for example, hit hard: Sydney mother-of-two Nicki Price pays $550 per quarter, while Illawarra single mum Lisa Almond’s bills have soared to nearly $1000 per quarter. According to Compare the Market, the average Australian spends $1877 per year on energy, but single parents must cover the full amount themselves on a single income. Almond noted that her household pays the same rate as if multiple people lived there, but she has no way to split the rising costs.