Key Takeaways
- UK savings rise sharply with age: from roughly £2,500 in your early 20s to over £100,000 by your mid-60s, though the exact figure depends heavily on which survey you check.
- There are two very different “average savings by age” data sets in circulation, one from the ONS Wealth and Assets Survey, one from a 2026 Finder/Censuswide consumer survey, and we explain why they don’t match below.
- Men report higher average savings than women at every life stage (£23,912 vs £14,464 overall), and the gap is narrowest under 35.
- “Household” and “individual” savings are not the same thing. Our main table is per person; UK household wealth is a separate, larger figure.
- Averages are skewed by a wealthy minority. Roughly 1 in 6 UK adults has no savings at all.
Disclaimer
This post is not to be considered as financial advice or UK tax advice. This is for educational purposes only. Investment returns do vary and this is an illustrative example. When you invest your capital is at risk.
Wondering if your savings stack up? The honest answer: it depends which survey you believe. One data set says the average 25 to 34 year old has £3,544, another says £11,023, and neither tells you why. We’ve pulled together the real figures, by age, gender, region and ISA balance, explained why the numbers disagree, and shown you what you should actually be aiming for at every stage.
Table of Contents
Why average savings figures don't always match
Search for average savings by age and you’ll find wildly different numbers on different sites. That’s not because anyone’s making figures up. It’s because “average savings by age” isn’t one dataset, it’s several, and they measure different things.
The ONS Wealth and Assets Survey is the official government survey of household wealth in Great Britain. It measures net financial wealth at a household level, and its most recent full release covers April 2020 to March 2022. The ONS has actually suspended its own accreditation of this survey from that round onwards over data quality concerns, and the next full update isn’t expected until 2026. That’s a genuine gap in the official picture most sites don’t mention.
Because of that gap, many of the “average savings by age” figures quoted online, including some of the numbers further down this page, actually come from a survey Finder commissions from Censuswide each year, not from the ONS. It’s a legitimate survey of around 2,000 UK adults, but it’s self-reported and uses a different sample and definition to the ONS data, which is why the numbers don’t match.
We’ve used both below, clearly labelled, so you can see where each figure comes from.
Average savings by age in the UK
The average amount of savings in the UK differs vastly based on age group. Here’s one widely-cited breakdown, commonly cited across UK personal finance sites and understood to derive from ONS Wealth and Assets Survey estimates (see our note above on why the ONS hasn’t published a direct like-for-like table since 2022):
| 18 to 24-year-olds | £2,481 |
| 25 to 34-year-olds | £3,544 |
| 35 to 44-year-olds | £5,995 |
| 45 to 54-year-olds | £11, 013 |
| 55 to 64-year-olds | £20,028 |
| 65 to 74-year-olds | £113,600 |
As you can see, the highest average savings can be found in the older generation.
There are numerous reasons why younger age groups will have saved less such as having had less time to add to savings accounts, being paid lower wages and repaying student loans. Generally, younger people will have higher living expenses too.
The same UK savings statistics also reveal that the average British adult, regardless of age, has managed to save £6,757.
The worrying thing here is that, when you go back to looking at age groups, a whopping 40% have no savings at all. This differs significantly from those over 55, where only 2.23% are without savings.
The figures factor in what people have in their current and savings accounts as well as both ISA types, cash ISAs and stocks and shares ISAs, also the likes of national savings bonds.
If you’re interested in using technology to help you save check out our best money-saving apps below.
The other widely-cited figures (Finder, 2026)
The other set of figures you’ll see quoted, this time from Finder’s 2026 consumer survey, tells a different story, particularly for the 25-44 age bracket:
| 18-24 | £2,699 |
| 25-34 | £11,023 |
| 35-44 | £13,379 |
| 45-54 | £12,452 |
| 55+ | £33,420 |
Source: Finder UK, 2026 Censuswide survey of 2,000 UK adults.
Let the latest technology help get you there with the best money savings apps.
Factors that affect savings in the UK
While average savings by age are one consideration, other factors come into play that affects UK average savings. These include:
Employment status
Whether you are unemployed, employed or self-employed has an impact on how much you save. As it stands, it’s employed people that have the highest average savings.
Much of this is driven by the fact that it is now a legal requirement to offer a work-based pension scheme. Putting money into a pension as a worker sees monthly employer pension contributions being added which sees the value increase.
Research from the Institute for Fiscal Studies highlights how few self-employed people pay into a pension scheme. This figure falls even lower when looking at those who have been self-employed for less than 5 years.
While self-employed people can enjoy a significant annual income, the problem is that earnings can be volatile. This can make it difficult to save money compared to employees with regular income regularly.
Level of income
Average UK savings are also impacted by the amount that you earn. It makes sense that the more that you earn, the more disposable income you have and the more savings you have.
This translates to high income families having significant amounts saved when compared to low income families.
The average UK salary is currently around £32,000 and this is even higher in the capital with the average London salary at 37k.
One example of how much savings people have according to income can be seen by looking at ISAs. Research shows that the median figure wage-wise when it comes to those who hold ISAs is between £20,000 and £29,999.
Those in this band tend to have ISAs with a value of £21,996. There are fewer people in higher income brackets that have ISAs purely down to the fact that fewer people earn higher amounts.
However, those that earn £150,000 or more have ISAs that are worth almost £75,000.
Level of education
Those with higher levels of education are better at saving money than those who don’t progress beyond basic schooling.
This could be down to the fact that graduates tend to earn more so they have higher levels of disposable income.
These higher levels of financial wealth allow people access to preferential interest rates by opening savings accounts that come with favourable terms.
Marital status
UK households save more when married. This can be explained in a couple of ways:
- Marriage is a commitment for life and so people start to plan further ahead. This means planning for things such as retirement savings and having a healthy savings account to assist with a growing family and other future plans
- Average UK savings increase with marriage as there are then 2 incomes to play with. With a combined monthly income, there s the opportunity to put more aside and to also explore other financial assets
Average UK savings by gender
Men report higher average savings than women in the UK. According to Finder’s 2026 survey, men have £23,912 in savings on average, compared to £14,464 for women, a gap of roughly £9,400.
| Men | £23,912 |
| Women | £14,464 |
The gap isn’t consistent across every age group. It tends to be narrower for people under 35 and wider from midlife onwards. A few things drive this:
- Men are more likely to work continuously through their 30s and 40s, while women are still more likely to take time out of paid work for childcare, which reduces pension and savings contributions during those years.
- The UK’s gender pay gap means men, on average, earn more over their working life, and higher income tends to translate into higher savings.
- Investment ownership shows a similar pattern. Roughly 43% of men hold investments like stocks and shares, compared to around 28% of women.
Average household and regional savings in the UK
The figures above are per person, not per household, and it’s worth keeping the two separate. A two-income household will typically show combined savings well above any individual’s figure, simply by adding two people’s balances together.
Where you live also makes a big difference. Finder’s 2026 survey found average individual savings ranging from £8,421 in Northern Ireland up to £26,778 in the East of England:
| East of England | £26,778 |
| South East | £22,404 |
| Greater London | £21,266 |
| North West | £20,838 |
| West Midlands | £20,181 |
| South West | £19,819 |
| North East | £17,782 |
| East Midlands | £16,173 |
| Scotland | £14,642 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | £14,181 |
| Wales | £12,038 |
| Northern Ireland | £8,421 |
Homeownership matters too. Government data shows 79% of homeowners hold some form of savings, compared to 54% of private renters and just 27% of social renters, which lines up with the fact that mortgage-holders tend to be older and further along in their careers.
How much should you have saved by age?
Averages tell you what people actually have. They don’t tell you what you should aim for, and the two are very different questions. A common rule of thumb used by financial planners, based on your salary rather than a flat number, looks something like this:
- By 30: around 1x your annual salary saved and invested
- By 40: around 3x your annual salary
- By 50: around 6x your annual salary
- By 60: around 8x your annual salary
These figures include pensions, not just cash savings, so don’t panic if your savings account alone looks nowhere near these numbers. For a full breakdown of what counts, how realistic these targets are, and why most people are further behind (or ahead) than they think, read our guide on how much you should really have saved. If you want to see how your pension specifically compares, we’ve also broken down the average UK pension pot by age.
Average savings in ISAs by age
If you’re specifically asking how much you should have in a stocks and shares ISA by a certain age, ISA-specific data is actually more reliable than general savings surveys, because it comes from HMRC’s own records rather than a self-reported poll. The most recent HMRC figures (published September 2025, covering the 2022 to 2023 tax year) show average ISA holdings rising sharply with age:
| Under 25 | £8,288 |
| 25-34 | £10,556 |
| 35-44 | £14,254 |
| 45-54 | £25,316 |
| 55-64 | £41,311 |
| 65+ | £64,386 |
So if you’re 64 and wondering how your stocks and shares ISA compares, £64,386 is the average across all ISA holders aged 65 and over, cash and stocks and shares combined. Bear in mind this average includes long-term savers who’ve been contributing for decades, and that under-25s have the highest active-saving rate of any age group even though their balances are smallest. For help choosing between account types, see our guide on cash ISA vs stocks and shares ISA.
Tips for saving money
Average savings by age are just that: an average.
There are steps that you can take to boost your net financial wealth and open up the opportunity to save more than is typical for your age group.
Here’s a look at how:
Set financial goals
If you want healthy savings accounts that go above the UK average, you need to set goals and know where you’re heading.
Have a plan and know how much money you need for things like your retirement income, emergency fund and other future plans.
When you know where you trying to get to, you can calculate how much savings you need.
Create a budget
If you want to increase your monthly savings and go beyond the average amount, a solid household budget is a must. Plan for your monthly income and commit to an amount that you will save.
Understand your living expenses and trim back if necessary. If you stick to your budget, you should find that your disposable income increases and you put this into a savings account, stocks and shares ISAs or cash ISAs.
If you want to try and increase your household savings by budgeting, these are the steps that you’ll need to take:
- Understand what your net monthly income is
- Have a why in mind when it comes to setting your budget
- Be able to differentiate between fixed expenses and those that vary from month to month
- Pay down debt as a priority
- Recognise your other priority payments such as mortgage/rent and council tax
- Track your spending and see where you can save
As a rough benchmark, the average UK adult saves around 10% of their income, according to Finder’s 2026 analysis, a little over £200 a month for someone on typical take-home pay. Once essentials like rent, energy and council tax are covered, a more realistic split for most UK households is closer to 60% needs, 30% wants and 10% savings, rather than the classic 50/30/20 rule.
Let the latest technology help get you there with the best money savings apps.
Boost your income
While average savings by age are important, we have also seen how high income families are able to save more than the average person.
By boosting your income, you can increase your net wealth and have more to save. You could increase your income by:
- Approaching your employer for a pay rise
- Looking for a higher paid job
- Exploring passive income opportunities
- Starting a side hustle
Make the most of saving and investment tools
Technology has made it easier than ever for the average person to take control of their savings. You can boost yourself beyond the average savings amount by taking advantage of these.
You should certainly take the time to explore the rise of Fintech banks. These include the likes of:
- Monzo
- Starling
- Revolut
These banks make it easier to keep track of your spending and help you to increase the amount of money saved each month. They do this in a few ways, depending on who you sign up with:
- These banks help you to categorise spending so you can see exactly where your money goes
- Some round up your spending and place the extra into a savings pot. A pot is just another name for a savings account and you can create several of these for different purposes
- You will find that some of these accounts also offer cashback when you use your card for purchases
- They offer current and savings accounts, as well as business accounts, with competitive interest rates
If you want to boost average savings through investments, there are plenty of apps that now make this easy.
Whereas stocks and shares were once there for the extremely wealthy, now they are accessible to all.
Some of the best apps to explore include:
What you’ll find with these apps is that they make investing easy for the average person. If you’re not sure where to invest, some of these platforms include robo-advisors.
After gauging your attitude to risk, these robo-advisors are able to manage your portfolio and invest according to your goals.
FAQs
Final thoughts on average savings by age in the UK
It’s clear that age has an impact on how much people have in their savings accounts. Generally, the older the person the more they will have. However, there are other factors to consider too such as income levels, education and even marital status.
While age group may have an impact when it comes to average savings, the good news is that you don’t have to be average. You can take steps to boost your income as well as budgeting so that you can save more.
If you want to learn more about savings, and how to take control of your money, there are plenty of resources at Up the Gains that can help.
It’s also worth furthering your education with financial books such as Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki, I Will Teach You To Be Rich by Ramit Sethi and Start Your FIRE by Dylan Redling and Allison Tom.
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Disclaimer: Content on this page is for informational purposes and does not constitute financial advice. Always do your own research before making a financially related decision.
