The Exeter has released new data from its Consumer Health and Finance Tracker showing that one in five UK adults have no savings safety net, saving nothing each month, up from 14% in 2025. The increase highlights how financially exposed many households are if they are unable to work due to illness or injury.
Beyond the rise in non-savers, the amounts being set aside are also modest. Almost three-quarters (73%) of UK adults save less than £500 per month, and more than a third (37%) are now feeling less financially secure than they did six months ago, including 21% who are now “substantially” less secure.
Regular saving is no guarantee of financial security
Adults aged 25 to 34 save the most of any group, averaging £447 per month, yet nearly a quarter (24%) say the state of their finances has had a negative effect on their mental health, the highest of any age. Higher savings, as the Tracker indicates, are not converting into a sense of confidence and security.
Mid-life households under the greatest strain
The data also found that those aged 45 to 54 are under the most acute financial pressure in terms of their outlook and savings habits. Some 41% now feel less secure than six months ago, and just over a quarter (26%) are not saving anything each month. Adults navigating the competing demands of supporting both their children and parents, commonly called the ‘sandwich generation’, are feeling the impact.
Financial insecurity consistent across savings levels
One of the most striking findings in the Tracker’s data is how similar the sentiment is across different age groups. Among both the 25 to 34 age group, who save the most, and the 45 to 54 group, who are among the least likely to save, the proportion who describe themselves as feeling ‘substantially’ less financially secure is identical, at 21%. Savings habits diverge considerably between these groups, but financial anxiety does not.
“The number of adults saving nothing each month has seen an increase, and yet financial concern is also running just as high among those who are saving regularly. For young people in particular, the way this is manifesting in their mental health and wellbeing speaks to how deeply uncertain many households feel about their finances right now.
When saving isn’t providing a feeling of security at both ends of the scale, it should prompt questions about what would happen if income were to suddenly stop altogether. The current savings picture suggests many households are more exposed than they realise, and it has never been more important for people to consider how they would protect their income if the unexpected happened.”
Jamie Page, Head of Protection Distribution at The Exeter
