New research from Nutmeg, the UK’s largest digital wealth manager, reveals a positive picture when it comes to the nation’s personal finance habits.
Two thirds of UK adults (66%) say they are regularly saving and investing, with North West England topping the table at 72%, closely followed by Scotland and Wales, both at 71%. Meanwhile, 61% of us are paying off debts as quickly as possible, over half (54%) are paying attention to savings rates and current account offers, and two in five (39%) are paying attention to their credit score.
With the end of the tax year on the horizon, one in five (20%) are making extra pension contributions to build up their retirement pots, and two in five (39%) people are making the most of tax breaks and allowances, such as with ISAs.
Men were more likely to be making the most of allowances than women (45% versus 34%), while Baby Boomers are three times as likely (63%) to be using ISAs than 25-34-year-olds (21%). When it comes to ISA habits, half of UK adults (49%) are making regular contributions and 41% are leaving their investments to grow over the long term.
Claire Exley, head of advice and guidance at Nutmeg, said: “Personal finance tasks often find themselves at the bottom of our to-do lists, but it’s encouraging to see more and more people engaging with money and establishing good finance habits. This is a great time of year for a financial health check, to make sure your money is working hard and to take advantage of any allowances before the tax year ends on 5th April.”
In a complex financial world, speaking to a financial adviser about money goals was considered as important among 18 to 34-year-olds (22%) as with those over the age of 65 (23%). This younger group is also most open to paying for financial advice.
Exley concluded: “In many respects, today’s young adults face increasingly complex financial decisions – be it understanding workplace pension arrangements, compared to parents who potentially benefitted from final salary schemes; to knowing which ISAs may be best for their goals. While this might feel daunting or difficult to know where to start, free guidance is increasingly available while seeking out professional advice can really benefit us all, not just those with high incomes or lots of savings.”
Top tips from Nutmeg on spring cleaning your finances this tax year end:
1. Be realistic about spending and saving - Putting even a little money aside each month for a rainy day will help in the long term, but make goals achievable. Scrimping on food or energy use can lead to you becoming resentful of your budgeting plans. This may lead you to overspend in the long term, rather than create a sustainable savings habit. Your bank may offer solutions to help you save, such as higher interest rates for saving regularly, cashback on everyday debit card spending or offering a ‘round up’ option where every purchase you make is rounded up to the nearest pound and the difference put into a savings account. These can help you start a savings habit that can grow over time.
2. Maximise government help - Many people are entitled to more help with their finances than expected, while the government also offers solutions to encourage savers and investors. If you do have money that you can put away for the future, tax-efficient products such as ISAs and pensions can ensure every penny has more of an impact with no tax paid on growth, income and returns. If you’re aged 18 to 39 and saving for your first home, contribute up to £4,000 to a Lifetime ISA and the government will top-up your contributions with a 25% bonus. There are some rules for LISAs so it's important to check it's the right product for you and your goals.
3. Make the most of your savings - Higher interest rates mean you may be paying more on any mortgages or loans that you have, but the good news is that it also means better rates available for your savings too, whether in a savings account or cash ISA. Making the most of rates on your savings will help your money grow and mitigate the impact of the cost-of-living crisis. However, you will have to shop around.
4. Take a longer-term view with investing - Higher interest rates on cash savings are helpful, but inflation means your money may still lose value over time. This means you may need to think about investments, as studies show that over time investments tend to outperform cash savings. However, bear in mind that investments are best suited to meeting long-term goals, and it is recommended that you put your money away for several years with the caveat that no returns are guaranteed and you may lose money.
5. Check in on your pension – Workplace pensions can be really valuable because there’s potentially two types of “free money” on offer - contributions from your employer, and the government tax relief. If you can afford it, you might consider making extra contributions, however big or small. It can also be easy to lose track of your different workplace pensions so you might want to consider consolidating them in one place.
When deciding about the accounts and products that might be right for you, it's important to think about your personal circumstances, tax considerations and goals.