– A new nationally representative study of over 14,000 UK adults reveals a powerful opportunity to unlock the next generation of investors. According to BlackRock’s latest report, “Bridging the gap: from saving to investing,” 11.6 million UK adults who do not currently invest —21% of the total population—are open to investing. Yet, many are held back by persistent misconceptions and a lack of confidence.
Key Findings:
- Savers are ready: 4.3 million UK adults, who are not currently investing but are saving cash regularly, are already saving an average of £273 per month, nearly matching the £344 average amount invested each month by current investors..
- Small steps matter: 83% of regular savers say they’d be more likely to invest if they could start with as little as £1–£50 per month.
- Confidence is the missing link: 58% of regular savers want to understand investing, whilst 56% admit they “don’t really know what they’re doing.” Investors are 94% more likely than non-investors to believe they will have enough to retire comfortably.
- Barriers lead to behavioural inertia:
- 35% say they don’t know enough about investing.
- 31% fear losing money.
- 26% believe they don’t have enough money to start.
- 21% are worried about access to their money if invested.
- Investing is on the rise: According to BlackRock’s People & Money study published in 2024, the UK has seen the largest increase in new investors across 14 European markets since 2022—up 21%, or 3.5 million new investors. Today, 32% of UK adults (18 million) are investors.
“Millions of British people are already doing the hard part—saving regularly. But with more than £275bn sitting in accounts earning zero interest, this money is neither working hard for these savers, nor for the real economy,” said Henry MacLeod, Head of UK Digital Wealth & Co-Head Digital Distribution, EMEA at BlackRock. “What our survey shows, however, is that with the right support, tools, and education, millions of British people could make their money work harder for them by taking the next step into investing.”
A Call to Action:
The study highlights the need for the following steps to help close the confidence gap by:
- Promoting clear, jargon-free education on risk and returns.
- Highlighting the flexibility and accessibility of modern investment products.
- Reframing ISAs as a familiar and low-barrier entry point to investing.
About the Study The research was conducted by YouGov between 10–27 January 2025 and included a nationally representative sample of 14,352 UK adults. Any population figures used are based on the United Nations 2024 Revisions of World Population Prospects report (18+ adults in UK).
Additional contributor: Boring Money
Definitions
For the purposes of this report, we define investors, non-investors and regular cash savers based on responses to the following survey question: “Which of the following statements best matches your own position when it comes to investing some of your money? By investing, we mean putting money into financial products such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, or cryptocurrencies with the expectation of achieving a profit.”
Current investor
Respondents who selected “I already have investments.”
Non-investor
Respondents who selected any of the following:
• “I do not currently have investments but would consider investing in the future.”
• “I do not currently have investments and would be unlikely to invest in the future.”
• “I do not currently have investments and would definitely not invest in the future.” Respondents who selected this response were removed from the survey after this question.
Regular cash saver
Respondents who selected the following:
• “I do not currently have investments but would consider investing in the future” and hold one or more of the following products: cash savings account, junior cash savings account, fixed-term savings bond, cash ISA, Lifetime ISA, junior cash ISA (on behalf of a child), AND contribute regularly (e.g., monthly) to a savings account or ISA – either through a fixed standing order or flexible deposits.
