Financial anxiety is rising steeply across the UK, with one in five adults having no financial safety net and growing concern over investment, pension, mortgage and borrowing decisions, new research from Handelsbanken Wealth has warned.

A third of UK adults (33%) now feel apprehensive about making investment decisions themselves, up from 26% last year, while concern around pensions has also risen from 19% to 26%. At the same time, mortgage anxiety increased from 15% to 21%, while apprehension over personal loans rose from 13% to 20%.

The research from the UK wealth management and financial planning arm of Handelsbanken, the Swedish banking group, found that greater involvement in personal finances has not translated into greater confidence. The proportion responsible for overseeing pensions rose to 40%, from 37% a year earlier, while those overseeing investments increased to 32% from 28%.

Meanwhile, average financial assets, including cash savings, investments and pensions, fell by more than £13,000 to £183,781.

Financial pressures remain high, with 72% concerned about the impact of the cost-of-living crisis or a recession, 71% worried about energy prices and 69% concerned about inflation.

Although 42% have a rainy-day fund and 37% have an emergency fund, 20% have no financial safety net at all, while 11% of those with an emergency fund say it would last no more than a month.

Women are believed to be particularly exposed, with 24% reporting no financial safety net compared with 16% of men. Nearly a third of women aged 18-24 and 45-54 have none, while women are also more likely to worry about the cost of living, energy prices and running out of money.

Stephen Cowling, head of wealth at Handelsbanken, said: "Financial anxiety is now touching almost every major decision people make, from mortgages and personal borrowing to pensions and investments. The danger is that anxiety becomes paralysis, with important choices delayed until circumstances force the issue."

The findings form part of Handelsbanken Wealth’s annual 2026 Wealth Survey on attitudes towards wealth, investing and long-term financial security.

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