Moneybox’s 2026 Financial Confidence Index estimated average net worth at £228,000 for respondents who described themselves as financially confident, compared with £74,000 for those who lacked confidence. That is a £154,000 gap, or just over three times as much on the reported estimates. The figures describe an association between survey groups—not evidence that confidence causes wealth.
What the 2026 figures show
FTAdviser reported the results of Moneybox’s 2026 Financial Confidence Index, based on a survey of 4,020 UK adults. The index put estimated net worth for financially confident respondents at £228,000 and for respondents who lacked confidence at £74,000.
| Survey group | Estimated net worth |
|---|---|
| Financially confident | £228,000 |
| Lacking financial confidence | £74,000 |
| Difference between reported estimates | £154,000 |
These are Moneybox index estimates as reported by FTAdviser on 2 October 2026. They should not be read as a measured increase in wealth or as a prediction of what an individual can accumulate.
Confidence differs by financial task
The index did not find one uniform level of confidence across money matters. The share saying they felt confident varied substantially by activity:
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| Financial task | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Managing personal finances | 79% | 83% | 85% |
| Saving | 79% | 84% | 83% |
| Investing | 33% | 39% | 40% |
| Planning for a comfortable retirement | 46% | 57% | 54% |
These are task-specific confidence results from Moneybox’s index as reported by FTAdviser. In 2026, confidence was highest for managing personal finances and saving, and lower for investing and retirement planning. The year-to-year figures also move in different directions: confidence in managing finances and investing rose across the listed years, while saving and retirement planning dipped from 2025 to 2026.
What confident respondents said they did
Respondents described as financially confident were more likely than those lacking confidence to report several planning and information-gathering behaviours:
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| Reported behaviour | Confident respondents | Respondents lacking confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Setting long-term goals | 85% | 67% |
| Researching financial products | 88% | 71% |
| Making specific plans to reach goals and saving or investing accordingly | 86% | 70% |
The same report said confident respondents most often cited personal sources such as friends, family or a partner as sources of confidence (51%). Financial advice websites were cited by 40%, and news or social media by 23%.
Those differences do not show that any listed behaviour produced higher net worth. People with greater resources may find it easier to plan or invest, and income, age, housing, family circumstances or other factors could influence both confidence and wealth. The reported results do not establish which way any relationship runs or whether those influences were controlled for.
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FTAdviser says the 2026 index surveyed 4,020 UK adults, but its report does not give the fieldwork dates, survey contractor, exact wording of the confidence question, weighting method or calculation used for 2026 net worth. Those omissions make it difficult to assess how the estimates were constructed or compare them precisely with other wealth measures.
Moneybox’s 2025 index release provides context for that earlier wave only. It says OnePoll surveyed 4,015 UK adults from 6 to 14 May 2025 and weighted results by age, gender and region. For its 2025 net-worth analysis, Moneybox combined reported cash, investments and retirement assets, then subtracted debt other than student loans. It calculated weighted averages by age and household-income bracket and excluded people reporting no household income. These details cannot be assumed to describe the 2026 calculations.
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A useful way to build confidence without chasing a headline
The figures are not a formula for reaching a particular level of wealth. A practical response is to make your own finances easier to understand and to choose manageable next steps, rather than treating confidence itself as an investment strategy.
- Get a clear starting picture. List regular income, essential spending, debts, savings and investments, and pension information you can access. Use consistent figures and dates so changes are meaningful.
- Choose one specific goal. For example, you might aim to build an emergency reserve, reduce a particular debt or review a pension. A concrete target and timeframe are easier to act on than a broad wish to “be better with money.”
- Break the goal into a repeatable action. Decide what amount or task is realistic, when you will do it, and how you will check progress. Review it periodically and adjust if your circumstances change.
- Research unfamiliar choices carefully. Compare relevant costs, access rules, risks and protections using reliable information. If a decision is complex or its consequences are significant, consider whether regulated financial advice is appropriate for your situation.
Moneybox director of personal finance Brian Byrnes described understanding habits and behaviours as a way to feel empowered to take control. That is the provider’s perspective; the index does not show that a particular app, investment or paid advice product causes higher wealth.
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