Over a quarter of households in the United Kingdom (UK) had less than 1,500 British pounds in savings and investments in the financial year of 2021/22. Meanwhile, a fifth of all households had at least 30,000 British pounds saved up, a percentage that has not changed since 2020/21. In 2021/22, Northern Ireland was one of the regions in the United Kingdom with the lowest ownership rate of ISAs and other savings accounts.

The average interest rate of instant access deposits in the United Kingdom (UK) has started declining since the second half of 2024. That was after the interest rates of those products soared in 2022 and 2023, peaking at **** percent in January 2024. In contrast, the interest rate of instant access deposits amounted to **** percent in April 2021.

In 2017, around *********** adults in the United Kingdom had no cash savings. Once you are an adult, having savings is a key element of preparing yourself for life’s little and big surprises. Building cash savings can be a difficult task as it takes careful planning, and time to accumulate. Those aged between 18 and 24 years of age in the United Kingdom have the lowest mean amount in cash savings of any age group. As of 2017, one in eight UK adults had no cash savings, with a further ** percent of the population having between zero and ************ British pounds.

With age comes wisdom

The correlation between age and the mean amount of cash savings can be somewhat linked to individuals’ priorities. Younger people will be looking to put money towards large items such as a car, home or travel whereas those aged over ** have not only had time to build their savings, but also are more likely to have no unsecured debt, and to own a property outright.

Rainy day fund

As we get older, the importance of having some form of savings for an emergency, or unforeseen circumstances becomes clearer. Planning for the long-term becomes of higher importance as we age. Despite this, as of 2018, just over half of the adult population had adequate savings for retirement.

This dataset provides values for PERSONAL SAVINGS reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

Key information about UK Gross Savings Rate

• UK Gross Savings Rate was measured at 16.4% in Sep 2024, compared with 16.4% in the previous quarter.
• UK Gross Savings Rate is updated quarterly, with data available from Mar 1955 to Sep 2024, and an average rate of 16.4%.
• The data reached an all-time high of 16.4% in Mar 1973 and a record low of 12.7% in Jun 2009.
• CEIC calculates Gross Domestic Savings Rate from quarterly Gross Domestic Savings and quarterly Nominal GDP. Gross Domestic Savings is calculated as Nominal GDP less Final Consumption Expenditure. Final Consumption Expenditure is calculated as the sum of Household, NPISHs and Government Expenditure. Office for National Statistics provides Final Consumption Expenditure in local currency and Nominal GDP in local currency.
• In the latest reports, UK GDP expanded 0.2% YoY in Mar 2023.
• UK Nominal GDP reached 786,411.4 USD mn in Mar 2023. Its GDP deflator (implicit price deflator) increased 6.6% in Dec 2022.
• UK GDP Per Capita reached 45,308.8 USD in Dec 2022.

In 2023, university students in the United Kingdom (UK) had significantly more savings than in the previous year. While their savings in 2019 amounted to *** British pounds, they reached ***** by 2022. The average student loan debt in England was higher than in Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland.

United Kingdom UK: Adjusted Savings: Net National Savings: % of GNI data was reported at -1.426 % in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of -1.162 % for 2015. United Kingdom UK: Adjusted Savings: Net National Savings: % of GNI data is updated yearly, averaging 4.026 % from Dec 1970 (Median) to 2016, with 47 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 18.271 % in 1970 and a record low of -2.395 % in 2009. United Kingdom UK: Adjusted Savings: Net National Savings: % of GNI data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s UK – Table UK.World Bank: Gross Domestic Product: Nominal. Net national savings are equal to gross national savings less the value of consumption of fixed capital.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on sources and methods described in 'The Changing Wealth of Nations 2018: Building a Sustainable Future' (Lange et al 2018).; Weighted Average;

This statistic shows the change in the amount of average savings of people in the United Kingdom between 2012 and 2014. Average savings do not include groups with high savings (12 percent of the population, starting at 50,000 British pounds in savings and over). In 2012, the average amount people held in savings was 9,800 British pounds.

United Kingdom UK: Adjusted Savings: Net Forest Depletion data was reported at 0.000 USD mn in 2016. This stayed constant from the previous number of 0.000 USD mn for 2015. United Kingdom UK: Adjusted Savings: Net Forest Depletion data is updated yearly, averaging 0.000 USD mn from Dec 1970 (Median) to 2016, with 47 observations. United Kingdom UK: Adjusted Savings: Net Forest Depletion data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s UK – Table UK.World Bank: Gross Domestic Product: Nominal. Net forest depletion is calculated as the product of unit resource rents and the excess of roundwood harvest over natural growth.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on sources and methods described in 'The Changing Wealth of Nations 2018: Building a Sustainable Future' (Lange et al 2018).; ;

The gross national savings rate in the United Kingdom was forecast to continuously increase between 2024 and 2029 by in total 0.5 percentage points. The savings rate is estimated to amount to 14.81 percent in 2029. The savings rate here refers to the gross domestic saving by the state, private households, and corporations and is shown as a percentage of total gross domestic product (GDP).The shown data are an excerpt of Statista's Key Market Indicators (KMI). The KMI are a collection of primary and secondary indicators on the macro-economic, demographic and technological environment in more than 150 countries and regions worldwide. All input data are sourced from international institutions, national statistical offices, and trade associations. All data has been are processed to generate comparable datasets (see supplementary notes under details for more information).

The Wealth and Assets Survey (WAS) is a longitudinal survey, which aims to address gaps identified in data about the economic well-being of households by gathering information on level of assets, savings and debt; saving for retirement; how wealth is distributed among households or individuals; and factors that affect financial planning. Private households in Great Britain were sampled for the survey (meaning that people in residential institutions, such as retirement homes, nursing homes, prisons, barracks or university halls of residence, and also homeless people were not included).

The WAS commenced in July 2006, with a first wave of interviews carried out over two years, to June 2008. Interviews were achieved with 30,595 households at Wave 1. Those households were approached again for a Wave 2 interview between July 2008 and June 2010, and 20,170 households took part. Wave 3 covered July 2010 - June 2012, Wave 4 covered July 2012 - June 2014 and Wave 5 covered July 2014 - June 2016. Revisions to previous waves' data mean that small differences may occur between originally published estimates and estimates from the datasets held by the UK Data Service. Data are revised on a wave by wave basis, as a result of backwards imputation from the current wave's data. These revisions are due to improvements in the imputation methodology.

Note from the WAS team - November 2023:

“The Office for National Statistics has identified a very small number of outlier cases present in the seventh round of the Wealth and Assets Survey covering the period April 2018 to March 2020. Our current approach is to treat cases where we have reasonable evidence to suggest the values provided for specific variables are outliers. This approach did not occur for two individuals for several variables involved in the estimation of their pension wealth. While we estimate any impacts are very small overall and median pension wealth and median total wealth estimates are unaffected, this will affect the accuracy of the breakdowns of the pension wealth within the wealthiest decile, and data derived from them. We are urging caution in the interpretation of more detailed estimates.”

Survey Periodicity - "Waves" to "Rounds"
Due to the survey periodicity moving from “Waves” (July, ending in June two years later) to “Rounds” (April, ending in March two years later), interviews using the ‘Wave 6’ questionnaire started in July 2016 and were conducted for 21 months, finishing in March 2018. Data for round 6 covers the period April 2016 to March 2018. This comprises of the last three months of Wave 5 (April to June 2016) and 21 months of Wave 6 (July 2016 to March 2018). Round 5 and Round 6 datasets are based on a mixture of original wave-based datasets. Each wave of the survey has a unique questionnaire and therefore each of these round-based datasets are based on two questionnaires. While there may be some changes in the questionnaires, the derived variables for the key wealth estimates have not changed over this period. The aim is to collect the same data, though in some cases the exact questions asked may differ slightly. Detailed information on Moving the Wealth and Assets Survey onto a financial years’ basis was published on the ONS website in July 2019.

A Secure Access version of the WAS, subject to more stringent access conditions, is available under SN 6709; it contains more detailed geographic variables than the EUL version. Users are advised to download the EUL version first (SN 7215) to see if it is suitable for their needs, before considering making an application for the Secure Access version.

Further information and documentation may be found on the ONS "https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/nationalaccounts/uksectoraccounts/methodologies/wealthandassetssurveywas" title="Wealth and Assets Survey"> Wealth and Assets Survey webpage. Users are advised to the check the page for updates before commencing analysis.

Occupation data for 2021 and 2022 data files

The ONS have identified an issue with the collection of some occupational data in 2021 and 2022 data files in a number of their surveys. While they estimate any impacts will be small overall, this will affect the accuracy of the breakdowns of some detailed (four-digit Standard Occupational Classification (SOC)) occupations, and data derived from them. None of ONS' headline statistics, other than those directly sourced from occupational data, are affected and you can continue to rely on their accuracy. For further information on this issue, please see: https://www.ons.gov.uk/news/statementsandletters/occupationaldatainonssurveys.

The data dictionary for round 8 person file is not available.

Latest edition information

For the 20th edition (May 2025), the Round 8 data files were updated to include variables personr7, nounitsr8 and porage1tar8, and derived binary versions of multi-choice questions, their collected equivalents and imputed binary versions of these variables. Also, variables that were only collected for part of the round have been removed. Additional documentation for Round 8 was also added to the study, including an updated variable list and derived variable specifications.

United Kingdom HN: Households Saving Ratio: sa data was reported at 4.400 % in Jun 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 3.900 % for Mar 2018. United Kingdom HN: Households Saving Ratio: sa data is updated quarterly, averaging 9.100 % from Mar 1963 (Median) to Jun 2018, with 222 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 15.200 % in Jun 1993 and a record low of 3.400 % in Mar 2017. United Kingdom HN: Households Saving Ratio: sa data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office for National Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.AB051: ESA10: Resources and Uses: Household and Non Profit Institutions Serving Households: Disposable Income.

United Kingdom UK: GDP: % of GDP: Gross Savings data was reported at 13.187 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 11.813 % for 2016. United Kingdom UK: GDP: % of GDP: Gross Savings data is updated yearly, averaging 15.466 % from Dec 1970 (Median) to 2017, with 48 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 22.678 % in 1970 and a record low of 10.971 % in 2009. United Kingdom UK: GDP: % of GDP: Gross Savings data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.World Bank.WDI: Gross Domestic Product: Share of GDP. Gross savings are calculated as gross national income less total consumption, plus net transfers.; ; World Bank national accounts data, and OECD National Accounts data files.; Weighted average;

The savings of households in the United Kingdom as a share of their income has been increasing between 2022 and 2024. In the third quarter of 2024, UK households saved, on average, **** percent of their income. That was, nevertheless, much lower than the savings ratio reached as of the second quarter of 2020, when it peaked at **** percent. The highest value recorded throughout the period.

Homeowners paid higher monthly costs for their home than renters across nine of the 12 regions in the UK in 2023. Although London had the highest monthly costs for both buying and renting first time property, it also saw some monthly savings resulting from purchase over rental decisions, amounting to 12 British pounds. In comparison, the national average was 27 British pounds.

United Kingdom UK: Adjusted Savings: Gross Savings: % of GNI data was reported at 11.610 % in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 12.108 % for 2015. United Kingdom UK: Adjusted Savings: Gross Savings: % of GNI data is updated yearly, averaging 18.741 % from Dec 1970 (Median) to 2016, with 47 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 30.008 % in 1976 and a record low of 11.005 % in 2009. United Kingdom UK: Adjusted Savings: Gross Savings: % of GNI data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s UK – Table UK.World Bank: Gross Domestic Product: Nominal. Gross savings are the difference between gross national income and public and private consumption, plus net current transfers.; ; World Bank national accounts data files.; Weighted Average;

United Kingdom UK: GDP: Gross Savings data was reported at 268,700.688 GBP mn in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 231,925.038 GBP mn for 2016. United Kingdom UK: GDP: Gross Savings data is updated yearly, averaging 101,004.167 GBP mn from Dec 1970 (Median) to 2017, with 48 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 268,700.688 GBP mn in 2017 and a record low of 12,348.603 GBP mn in 1970. United Kingdom UK: GDP: Gross Savings data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s UK – Table UK.World Bank: Gross Domestic Product: Nominal. Gross savings are calculated as gross national income less total consumption, plus net transfers. Data are in current local currency.; ; World Bank national accounts data, and OECD National Accounts data files.; ;

The benchmark interest rate in the United Kingdom was last recorded at 4.25 percent. This dataset provides - United Kingdom Interest Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

This statistic presents the average amount saved by Great Britain's adult population monthly, expressed as a percentage of average income during summer and autumn 2014, by age group. During that time the highest share of their income was saved by people over 65 in summer 2014 (making monthly savings over 9 percent of their average income). The lowest share of their income was saved by people aged 45 to 54 in summer 2014(saving 6.37 percent of their average income).