UK Investment Statistics | 2026
- 35% of UK adults hold investments — down from 37% in 2022, a loss of ~1 million investors. FCA May 2025
- 61% of UK adults with £10k+ in assets hold it mostly in cash — despite 50 years of data showing long-term wealth erosion. FCA May 2025
- £1 saved in cash in 1975 now has the purchasing power of just 7p — a 93% loss to inflation over 50 years. ONS/TIC
- £649 million was lost to investment fraud in 2024 — up 6% from £612m in 2023. Crypto scams surged from 40% to 66% of reports. Action Fraud Apr 2025
- Cash ISA subscriptions surged 67% year-on-year — driving total ISA subscriptions to £103bn (+44% YoY). HMRC Sept 2025
- Men are 54% more likely to hold investments than women — 43% vs 28% participation rates. FCA May 2025
- How Many People Invest in the UK?
- How Does UK Investment Compare Globally?
- How Unequal Is UK Wealth?
- How Much Money Is in UK ISAs?
- What Is the UK Investment Gap?
- Are Finfluencers Trustworthy?
- Is the "Great Wealth Transfer" a Myth?
- Who Invests in the UK?
- How Much Money Is Lost to Investment Fraud?
- What Does 50 Years of Market Data Tell Us?
- What Does the Future Look Like for Cash Savers?
- Where Does This Data Come From?
How Many People Invest in the UK?
35% of UK adults currently hold investments (excluding property-only investors), according to the FCA's Financial Lives Survey 2024, published May 2025. This represents approximately 19 million people — down 2 percentage points from 37% in 2022.
What Investment Products Do UK Adults Hold?
| Investment Type | % of UK Adults | Est. Holders |
|---|---|---|
| Shares/equities (directly held) | 10.0 million | |
| Stocks & Shares ISA | 9.3 million | |
| Investment funds (non-ISA) | 5.1 million | |
| High-risk investments | 4.6 million | |
| Cryptocurrencies | 2.3 million |
How Does UK Investment Compare Globally?
The UK has the lowest retail investment participation in Europe. British retail investors control just 21% of assets under management — compared to 84% in Spain, 34% in Italy, 30% in Germany, and 28% in France.
How Does Stock Market Participation Compare?
| Country | Participation Rate | vs UK |
|---|---|---|
| United States | +22pp | |
| Canada | +16pp | |
| Australia | +2pp | |
| United Kingdom | — | |
| Germany | -19pp |
Who Owns UK Equities?
UK equity ownership by UK residents has collapsed from over 50% in the 1960s to just 12% today. The majority of the UK stock market is now owned by overseas investors and institutions.
How Unequal Is UK Wealth?
The UK has the second-highest wealth inequality in the OECD, behind only the United States. The richest 50 families hold more wealth (£468 billion) than the entire poorest half of the population (34.1 million people).
How Fast Is Inequality Growing?
| Group | Share of Wealth | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Richest 1% | 21% of all wealth | ↑ Doubled since 1984 |
| Richest 10% | 43% of all wealth | ↑ Growing |
| Middle 40% | 48% of all wealth | → Stable |
| Bottom 50% | 9% of all wealth | ↓ Shrinking |
The wealth gap grew 50% in just 8 years (2011-2019). At current trends, the Fairness Foundation projects that by 2035, the top 200 families' wealth could exceed the entire UK GDP.
How Much Money Is in UK ISAs?
The UK ISA market reached £872 billion in total value at the end of 2023-24, growing 20.1% year-on-year according to HMRC data published September 2025.
Who Holds ISAs?
What Is the UK Investment Gap?
Despite record ISA subscriptions, the UK has a significant "investment gap" — money held in cash that could potentially be invested for better long-term returns.
Why Do People Hold So Much Cash?
| Reason | % Citing |
|---|---|
| Fear of losing money | |
| Product unpredictability |
Are Finfluencers Trustworthy?
85% of UK investors aged 18-40 turn to social media for investment ideas, according to FCA research. Yet 68% of top TikTok finfluencer posts break FCA rules, and 42% of people who invested based on social media advice lost money.
How Do Young Investors Get Advice?
| Source | % Using | Risk Level |
|---|---|---|
| TikTok | High | |
| YouTube | Medium | |
| High | ||
| Friends/family | Low |
What Are the Consequences?
A 2024 academic study found that 75% of retail investors in meme stocks lost money. The FCA has issued 1,702 consumer alerts about illegal crypto promotions and is investigating 20 finfluencers under criminal caution.
Is the "Great Wealth Transfer" a Myth?
Headlines promise £5.5-7 trillion passing from Baby Boomers to younger generations by 2050. But the reality is far less transformative for most people.
Who Actually Benefits?
| Statistic | Reality |
|---|---|
| Average age to inherit | 61 years old |
| Post-1980 births may wait until | Age 70 |
| Median inheritance | £33,000 (not life-changing) |
| Households receiving substantial sums | ~1 million (of 28m UK households) |
| Boomers prioritising retirement over leaving inheritance | 75% |
| Inheritance that is property (illiquid) | 70% |
What About Inheritance Tax?
Who Invests in the UK?
What Is the Investment Gender Gap?
Men are 54% more likely to hold investments than women (43% vs 28%). This compounds over time: women have 47.7% less in savings on average (£6,870 vs £13,141).
What Is Investment Participation by Age?
Counter-intuitively, younger people are more likely to invest than older generations:
| Generation | Investment Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Gen Z (18-27) | 68% | Highest rate |
| Millennials (28-43) | ~50% | Strong participation |
| Gen X (44-59) | ~40% | Moderate |
| Baby Boomers (60+) | ~35% | Lowest rate |
How Much Is Invested in UK Funds?
The UK fund management industry reached a record £10 trillion in assets under management in 2024, according to the Investment Association.
Where Is UK Investment Money Going?
| Fund Category | Net Flows | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| UK Equity | -£20.89bn | Major outflows |
| US Equity | +£19.54bn | Largest ever inflows |
| Fixed Income | +£16.29bn | Strong demand |
How Much Money Is Lost to Investment Fraud?
Investment fraud has reached alarming levels in the UK, with cryptocurrency scams dominating reports.
How Do Investment Scams Reach Victims?
| Platform | % of Reports |
|---|---|
What Does 50 Years of Market Data Tell Us?
Analysing data from 1975 to 2025 reveals crucial insights for UK savers and investors about the long-term cost of holding cash.
How Has Inflation Eroded Cash Value?
| Decade | Average Annual Inflation |
|---|---|
| 1970s | ~13% |
| 1980s | ~7% |
| 1990s | ~3.5% |
| 2000s | ~2.8% |
| 2010s | ~2.5% |
| 2020s (so far) | ~5.5% |
What Returns Has the S&P 500 Delivered?
What Would £1,000 Invested in 1975 Be Worth Today?
How Have Wages Compared to House Prices?
| Metric | 1975 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median UK Salary | ~£2,500 | £39,500 | +1,480% |
| Pint of Beer | 20p | £5.01 | +2,405% |
| Average House | £10,388 | £290,000 | +2,691% |
| House/Salary Ratio | 4.2x | 7.3x | +74% |
What Does the Future Look Like for Cash Savers?
Using the historical 4.5% average UK inflation rate, we can project what prices might look like in 25 and 50 years.
What Could Prices Be in 2050?
| Item | 2025 Price | 2050 Price | Multiplier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pint of Beer | £5.01 | £15.00 | 3.0x |
| Average House | £290,000 | £870,000 | 3.0x |
| Loaf of Bread | £1.40 | £4.20 | 3.0x |
What Could Prices Be in 2075?
| Item | 2025 Price | 2075 Price | Multiplier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pint of Beer | £5.01 | £45.00 | 9.0x |
| Average House | £290,000 | £2,610,000 | 9.0x |
| Loaf of Bread | £1.40 | £12.60 | 9.0x |
What Happens to £10,000 Over 25 Years?
| Scenario | 2050 Value | Real Value | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under mattress | £10,000 | £3,333 | 66% loss |
| Cash ISA (2% avg) | £16,400 | £5,467 | 45% loss |
| Cash ISA (4% avg) | £26,700 | £8,900 | 11% loss |
| S&P 500 (10% avg) | £108,300 | £36,100 | 261% gain |
Where Does This Data Come From?
This statistics page aggregates data from authoritative government and industry sources. All figures are cited with their original source.
Primary Sources
- 1 FCA Financial Lives Survey 2024 — Consumer InvestmentsView source
- 2 HMRC Annual Savings Statistics 2025View source
- 3 Investment Association — Investment Management in the UK 2024-2025View source
- 4 City of London Police / Action Fraud — Investment Fraud 2024View source
Historical Data Sources
- 5 ONS RPI Historical Series
- 6 Bank of England — Official Bank Rate History
- 7 Nationwide — UK House Price IndexView source
- 8 S&P 500 Historical Returns (Slickcharts)
Additional Sources (Shock Stats)
- 9 Centre for Policy Studies — From Saver to Shareholder
- 10 HelloSafe / Visual Capitalist — Global Stock Market Participation
- 11 Equality Trust — UK Wealth Inequality DataView source
- 12 Fairness Foundation — Wealth Gap Risk Register 2024-2025
- 13 Barclays — Finfluencer Research 2024
- 14 Adclear — TikTok Finfluencer Compliance Analysis
- 15 IFA Magazine / Knight Frank — UK Inheritance Data
- 16 Home Builders Federation — Broken Ladder Report
Have Questions About This Data?
For press enquiries regarding this research, please contact:
The Investors Centre
Email: info@theinvestorscentre.com
This page is updated annually
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