Aegon’s latest Financial Priorities research findings reveal that three-fifths of people in the UK are positive about their finances for 2025, which is up from 2024.
The survey of 2,000 adults showed that 60% are feeling positive overall about their finances in 2025, up from 52% who felt this way going into 2024. In contrast, just over a third (35%) are feeling negative about their finances for 2025, but this has also fallen from 38% a year ago.
Breaking this down further, women (54%) and those aged 50 to 59 (47%) are less likely to feel positive about their finances.
When asked for the top three financial priorities, ‘enjoying life’ (34%) is the most common for UK adults going into 2025. This is up from 28% who responded with ‘enjoying life’ as a top three financial priority going into last year. This is especially true for those aged 60+ (41%) and up from 33% compared to last year in that older cohort. This is followed by ‘building up emergency savings’ and ‘paying for basic living expenses’ (both 30%).
‘Pension saving’ is one of the top three financial priorities for 11% of the public. While this figure may seem low, it remains unchanged from last year, which could suggest that short-term bumps like high inflation have not impacted attitudes to long-term savings.
‘Unexpected expenses’ remains the top financial concern, in line with 2024 results (both 35%).
The findings are being welcomed by Steven Cameron, Director of Pensions at Aegon, but he has highlighted concerns too. He said: “As we enter 2025, it’s encouraging that positivity on personal finances has jumped, with 60% of individuals feeling positive overall about their finances, up from 52% who felt this way going into 2024. This positive attitude to finances sees ‘enjoying life’ as the top financial priority, while concerns over ‘basic living expenses’ are less of a dominant issue.
“But beneath the surface of these positive headline findings, lurk challenging and persistent realities. Women across the age spectrum and people aged 50 to 59 are less likely to feel positive about their finances over 2025, which is consistent with last year’s survey findings and Aegon’s Second 50 research. The government’s recent unpopular decision to means-test the winter fuel allowance may also have had a bearing with 50-somethings. There is also perhaps a growing realisation for many that they’re not they’ve managed to save enough for the retirement they want.
“Undoubtedly there will be challenges for the year ahead – both in terms of individual and family household budgets, business confidence and wider economic factors that impact us all – and so it will be interesting to track the results both across 2025 and to future years.”
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