At a Glance
Recent statistics show that more than 5 million UK adults experience some level of financial stress, driven by rising living costs, debt, and stagnant wages. Younger adults and key professions like those in healthcare and education are amongst the hardest hit. These pressures affect mental health and well-being, highlighting the growing need for financial support and resilience.
Understanding Financial Stress Statistics in the UK
Financial stress is a growing concern for millions of people across the UK. From rising living costs and mortgage rates to job insecurity and debt, money worries are affecting how people live, work and plan for the future.
Statistics reveal just how widespread this issue has become, showing not only the number of people struggling but also how financial stress impacts mental health, relationships, and overall well-being.
Understanding these numbers can help paint a clearer picture of everyday life in the UK and why financial resilience is more important than ever now.
In this blog, we’ll take a closer look at what the latest financial stress statistics in the UK reveal, the key factors driving these pressures and what steps people and communities can take to help ease the burden.
How Many UK Adults Currently Struggle with Financial Stress
Recent studies show that a large number of UK adults are feeling the pressure of financial stress. Around two in three adults say they worry about money regularly, with many struggling to cover essential costs like rent, bills, and groceries.
The rising cost of living has made it harder for people to manage their budgets, leading to growing debt and reduced savings. Even those with stable jobs are finding it difficult to feel financially secure.
Not many people are feeling hopeful about their financial future with many people concerned about inflation and worries about housing affordability, driving many to reduce non-essential spending.
Additionally, students are increasingly having to work part-time alongside their studies to cope with rising costs, with 64% employed in 2025, compared to 38% in 2020.
These figures show that financial stress is now a common part of life for millions of people.
Rising Bills, Debt and Cost of Living Pressures
For many people, rising bills, debt, and the high cost of living are the main causes of financial stress. And whilst peoples’ wages have increased slightly faster than overall inflation, with energy, food, and rent inflation increasing faster, it has left many households struggling with less money in their pockets.
With millions of people stuck having to spend more than they earn leading to growing debt, unexpected expenses like car repairs can add significantly more pressure.
These financial challenges affect people across all income levels showing how quickly everyday costs can build up and create lasting money worries.
The Link Between Financial Stress and Mental Health
Financial stress and mental health are closely connected. When people worry about money, it can lead to anxiety, loss of sleep, and even depression.
Constantly thinking about how to pay bills or manage debt can make it hard to focus, relax, or enjoy everyday life. According to the Mental Health Foundation, almost one in three adults says financial worries have negatively affected their mental state.
The stress can also strain relationships and lower confidence, creating a difficult cycle where poor mental health makes it even harder to manage money effectively. This shows how deeply financial pressure affects overall well-being.
Which Age Groups and Professions Are Most Affected?
Financial stress affects people across all ages and professions, but some groups feel it more strongly.
Adults aged 25 to 49 are among the most likely to report money struggles, while 18 to 34-year-olds often feel the most anxious due to rent, debt, and childcare costs.
However, older adults aren’t immune, with roughly one in three pensioners saying they feel less financially secure than a year ago.
Professionally, those in health, social care and education report some of the highest levels of stress, often due to rising living costs combined with demanding workloads. Workers in finance, public services, and customer-facing roles also face notable financial pressure.
Practical Ways to Ease Financial Stress in Daily Life
Whilst for many people the thought of looking at your finances can be incredibly stressful, once you understand where your money’s going, it becomes much easier to manage.
Tracking your income and expenses will help you better understand where your money goes each month. Setting a simple budget can help you prioritise essentials and cut back on non-urgent spending.
Additionally, if possible, talking openly about money with family or friends instead of keeping it to yourself can help alleviate stress.
Where to Find Support for Financial Stress
Here are some places in the UK you can turn to for help if your debt feels overwhelming:
MoneyHelper - a government-backed service that gives free guidance on debt, pensions, spending, and savings.
StepChange Debt Charity - they offer free, confidential & non-judgemental advice on debt problems.
National Debtline - has phone, online chat and tool services to help you manage debts or find a plan that works.
Citizens Advice - great for help with budgeting, benefits, debt, and finding local support.
Debt Advice Foundation - free and impartial support if you’re worrying about credit, loans or putting together a debt-repayment plan.
Mental Health & Money Advice - helps if financial stress is affecting your mental well-being.
For Financial Support in Stressful Times, Think Salad
If you’re struggling with financial stress, then you’re not alone, with more people worried about their finances than ever.
However, if you find yourself in need of financial support to help get your finances back on track, we may be able to help.
At Salad, we provide fair, direct loans for employed UK residents, especially those who may have struggled to access credit elsewhere.
We know that the credit score system isn’t always fair, which is why we use an Open-Banking based assessment to evaluate the unique financial situation of every applicant to assess loan affordability.
At Salad, we put borrowers first, meaning you can trust us to keep your financial data safe. Our ‘More Than Your Score’ loans are designed to help get your finances back on track, regardless of your credit score.
To find out more about our loans, click here and to read more blogs like this one, visit our blog page now.
