Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

One in four Britons have less than £100 savings amid fears of over growing debt in cost of living crisis

Britons are urged to talk about their financial worries as winter approaches

Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Monday 07 November 2022 04:19 EST
Comments
Martin Lewis warns cost of living crisis will hit people harder in spring than winter

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

A quarter of adults in the UK have less than £100 in savings as bills continue to surge, a survey says.

One in six people have no savings at all, according to Money and Pensions Service (MAPS) who spoke to 3,000 adults.

This means that millions of people in the UK are facing soaring bills with nothing to lean on.

With no financial safety net, more people are now likely to have borrow money in order to cover the rise in the cost of living.

But two in five people who use credit are already anxious about how much they owe, and over a third are worried about the number of different products they have, the survey shows,

As winter arrives, the cost of living crisis is becoming increasingly difficult as many households will be forced to choose between heating or eating.

With money a growing strain, MaPS has said it is more important than ever for people to have conversations about money.

It is running a week-long Talk Money campaign encouraging the public to share their financial worries and take free debt advice.

The service runs the Moneyhelper website which include a free debt advice locator.

A recent survey shows millions have no savings to lean on as bills surge
A recent survey shows millions have no savings to lean on as bills surge (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

But the survey revealed that 81 per cent of people avoid discussing their finances, with 21 per cent saying they do not want to be judged, 19 per cent fearing placing their burden on others, and 17 per cent citing shame or embarassment.

“Millions of people find it a challenge to save and this leaves them vulnerable when sudden expenditure items arise,” Caroline Siarkiewicz, Chief Executive of the Money and Pensions Service, said.

“When you add in the anxiety that they feel with their credit commitments, the weight of that worry can quickly become overwhelming,”

“We want everyone to start the conversation with family or friends and share the burden of any money worries.

“By dealing with the problem head on, people can discover just how helpful free debt advice can be and see the importance of talking to their creditors early. They can also begin to find a way forward, no matter how difficult their situation might feel.”

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in