MoneyView 2025

Key Take Aways

• Financial wellbeing in the UK shows signs of marginal decline, with increased levels of financial vulnerability post-pandemic, driven by cost-of-living pressures.
• Approximately 52% of the population struggle to keep up with bills and commitments, highlighting persistent financial insecurity.
• One in five UK adults borrow to buy food or pay bills due to a shortage of money, indicating reliance on credit for daily essentials.
• Vulnerable groups such as single parents, those with recent mental health problems, people with disabilities, and low-income households remain disproportionately affected across multiple measures.
• Financial resilience has worsened, with over half of individuals unable to last three months without borrowing if income is lost, a decline from previous years.
• About 14% of adults show strong indications of requiring debt advice, with an additional 22% at risk of problem debt, representing over 7 million individuals in need.
• Savings behaviours have deteriorated, with 46% not saving regularly, surpassing pre-pandemic levels, and impacting long-term financial stability.
• The majority of people still do not understand enough about pensions, with 53% expressing a lack of confidence in making retirement decisions.
• Half of UK adults have no active financial plan for retirement, with significant gender and socioeconomic gaps.
• Confidence in managing money remains low, especially among younger adults, single parents, and those with lower incomes.
• A notable proportion of the population lacks access to basic financial products such as current accounts or contents insurance, especially those with lower financial wellbeing.
• The survey shows a clear association between financial exclusion and lower financial wellbeing, illustrating persistent gaps in access and understanding.

Key Statistics

• 27% of the population are classified as low in financial wellbeing; 37% as high.
• 69% of respondents are dissatisfied with their overall financial circumstances.
• 52% struggle with or have fallen behind on bills, an increase from 46% in 2021.
• 19% often borrow to pay for essentials due to being short of money.
• 46% do not save regularly; this has increased from 39% in 2021.
• 20% of individuals could not pay a £300 unexpected bill with available resources.
• 53% could not last three months without income, a rise from previous data.
• 22.5 million UK adults lack sufficient understanding about pensions to make informed decisions.
• 14% of adults have strong indications needing debt advice; 22% are at risk.
• 66% of social renters struggle to keep up with bills, compared to 8% of those who own outright.
• 62% of women do not understand enough about pensions, compared to 44% of men.
• Over half of vulnerable groups such as single parents, those experiencing recent mental health issues, and disabled individuals are in the lower wellbeing spectrum.

Key Discussion Points

• The impact of ongoing cost-of-living pressures on financial resilience and saving habits.
• The persistent gaps in financial literacy, especially related to pensions and retirement planning among vulnerable groups.
• How financial exclusion correlates with lower financial wellbeing and limited access to essential financial products.
• The significance of saving behaviours and how they influence resilience against financial shocks.
• The role of cash and credit use in daily financial management among those struggling.
• The importance of targeted debt advice for over 7 million adults with clear signs of needing help.
• The effect of demographic factors such as age, income, household composition, and ethnicity on financial vulnerability.
• Rising reliance on credit for day-to-day expenses across multiple regions and population segments.
• The interplay between mental health, disability, and financial vulnerability.
• The need for tailored interventions for high-risk groups including single parents and those with recent health issues.
• The implications of low financial confidence, especially among younger adults and women.
• The continuing challenge of improving engagement with retirement planning and long-term financial management.

Document Description

This article reports on the 2025 iteration of MoneyView, a comprehensive UK survey examining financial wellbeing and inclusion. It offers detailed insights into how people feel about money, their ability to manage their finances, and the barriers they face. The report explores key themes such as debt, savings, resilience, pensions, and financial confidence, emphasising the ongoing influences of economic pressures and societal inequalities. It segments data across regions, demographics, and socio-economic groups to identify vulnerable populations and inform targeted strategies for financial health improvement. This resource is vital for senior managers in financial services seeking evidence-based understanding of current UK consumer financial conditions.